CFTL Analysis Says California Makes Significant Gains in Reducing Underprepared Teachers

SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(Business Wire)--
California has made steady and significant progress in reducing the number of
underprepared teachers in the state`s schools, according to a new research
analysis commissioned by the Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning and
conducted by SRI International.

The analysis, part of a larger report due out in December, shows the number of
underprepared teachers in California fell from a high of 42,427 in 2000-2001 to
just over 15,000 by 2007-08. The new analysis finds that trend continuing, with
numbers falling to 10,855 for the 2008-09 school year.

"These gains go a long way toward providing every child with a fully prepared
teacher," said Margaret Gaston, president of the Center for the Future of
Teaching and Learning. "California`s policymakers have shown that informed and
thoughtful education policy can make a real difference in our teaching
workforce. To ensure all students benefit, they must stay the course."

Importantly, nine of ten counties with the largest number of underprepared
teachers have made significant progress in reducing the underprepared teachers
in their workforce. For example, Los Angeles County has seen the number of
underprepared teachers shrink from 20,541 in 2000-01 to 3,136 in 2008-09.

These gains are also evident in some of the state`s school districts that,
historically, have faced the greatest challenges in attracting fully prepared
teachers. For example, in 2000-01, less than half-44.6 percent-of the teachers
in the Ravenswood School District in San Mateo County were fully prepared. In
2008-09, 89.7 percent of teachers in Ravenswood were fully prepared.

Charts profiling the decline of underprepared teachers in California are
available at www.cftl.org.

Editor`s note: The Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning defines an
underprepared teacher as any individual who has not completed a teacher
preparation program and attained a preliminary or professional clear credential.

The Center for the Future of Teaching and Learning
John McDonald, 310-880-5332
310-798-3252
www.cftl.org

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