Education and training required for teacher certification.

Each of the 50 states has specific qualifications for becoming a teacher and enforces a system of certification and licensure for public school teaching. While these qualifications vary, all require at least a bachelor's degree and some specialized training. Many states also require teachers to train as substitutes or in an apprentice role for a prescribed period. Still, there is a growing sense that teachers are not qualified, or not as qualified as they could be. Remarkably, this feeling is even prevalent among teachers themselves. A 1990 study reported in Comparative Education found that only 47% of natural sciences teachers felt that they themselves were qualified to teach their courses. The same study found that in England 80% felt qualified, 95% of Japanese natural science teachers considered themselves qualified, and in Germany 91% felt qualified. Similarly, only 42% of American teachers felt qualified to...