Despite recent innovations in teacher education, many high-need schools still struggle to fill positions, and they face a gamble with each hire; while some new teachers get great results, others are woefully unequipped to help students learn at high levels. We believe that, as teacher-educators, it's our job to remove this uncertainty. We should be able to guarantee that every teacher we certify is effective. Such a promise requires a different way of approaching preparation. Specifically:

Ground training in classrooms. A brief practicum or summer training is simply not enough to prepare new teachers for the complexities of teaching, particularly in challenging environments. Incoming teachers should instead be given a full year of classroom practice, with opportunities to learn effective strategies from mentor-teachers and a gradual introduction to leading instruction. These new educators need frequent feedback and the reality check that the experience provides for some. In our experience, about 20 percent of these practitioners will exit during the first year of training. Those who meet the rigorous first-year gateway can enter their own classrooms with confidence and strong baseline skills.