Making and Implementing Policy on Teacher Licensure

The authors describe one state's efforts to formulate and implement policy with regard to the licensure (or certification) of its public school teachers. They dis cuss conditions that led to the develop ment of certification policy, the rather unique evaluation system that was de veloped to assess teacher competence, and the assistance provided by the state to those teachers who fail to demon strate the competencies required for cer tification. Consideration is also given to factors that will eventually determine the success or failure of this policy and similar policies in other states.