A new report from Penn GSE researchers explores one of the most pressing tensions in education policy today: how to ensure rigorous preparation for teachers while expanding access to the profession.
In Teacher Certification Policies: Balancing Quality and Access in the Teaching Profession, Penn GSE former dean Pam Grossman and postdoctoral scholar Maya Kaul analyze California’s teacher certification system as part of Stanford University’s Getting Down to Facts III initiative—a major, multi-institution research effort designed to inform education policy across the state.
GDTF III represents the most extensive examination of California’s public education system since the 2018 GDTF II report. The new body of research includes 55 technical reports and 22 research briefs produced by leading education policy scholars nationwide. All materials are free and publicly available at www.gettingdowntofacts.com.
A system under strain
Across the United States, schools face persistent teacher shortages alongside declining enrollment in teacher preparation programs. At the same time, the teaching workforce remains disproportionately white and female, reflecting long-standing barriers to entry for candidates from historically underrepresented backgrounds.
Grossman and Kaul’s report shows how teacher certification policies—including testing requirements and fragmented entry pathways—play a central role in shaping who enters the profession and how well they are prepared.
Barriers to entry and implications for equity
The report highlights how complex and sometimes inconsistent certification systems can create barriers for prospective teachers, even as schools struggle to fill positions. These challenges are especially pronounced in high-need areas such as math, science, special education, and bilingual education.
When schools are unable to staff classrooms with fully credentialed teachers, the consequences can be significant: larger class sizes, reduced course offerings, and teachers assigned outside their areas of expertise.
These impacts are not evenly distributed. Research from the broader Getting Down to Facts III work shows that shortages of fully prepared teachers disproportionately affect schools serving low-income students and students of color, compounding existing inequities.
Aligning access and quality
Rather than framing access and quality as competing priorities, Grossman and Kaul argue they must be addressed together. The report identifies opportunities to make certification pathways clearer, more coherent, and better aligned with workforce needs—helping states recruit a broader and more diverse pool of candidates while maintaining strong preparation standards.
This includes reexamining how requirements across the educator pipeline—from coursework to licensure exams—either support or hinder entry into the profession and readiness for teaching.
Penn GSE leadership in national policy conversations
The report reflects Penn GSE’s continued leadership in shaping national conversations about the teaching profession. Grossman, a leading scholar in teacher education who previously served as dean of Penn GSE, and Kaul, whose research focuses on teacher workforce policy, contribute to a growing body of evidence aimed at strengthening educator pipelines and improving outcomes for students.
As policymakers nationwide grapple with how to expand and diversify the teacher workforce while ensuring quality, the report underscores a central insight: the future of teaching depends on building systems that do both.