Preparation programs do vital work producing candidates that address the needs of districts and their students. Leaders should leverage strategies like conducting in-depth needs assessments to ensure candidates’ clinical practice experiences meaningfully address district needs, such as having candidates work under the supervision of a cooperating teacher in an understaffed subject area or grade level.

Building relationships with districts eager to enhance their workforce pipeline through robust clinical practice experiences is essential for the long-term success of strategic staffing initiatives. Program leaders should seek district partners who are enthusiastic and prepared to support candidates as they take on more responsibilities and specific roles within their schools.

Leaders should examine data gathered through structured interviews and surveys, as well as data on student and teacher outcomes, to continuously reevaluate whether clinical practice experiences are still aligned to student and district needs. This feedback can be used to adapt candidate preparation to include strategies like co-teaching models and further opportunities to collaborate with experienced educators on specific projects.

If teachers are to successfully step into teamed structures, they should be exposed to models and successful teaming practices before entering the classroom. For example, many Texas Tech University candidates will complete yearlong clinical practice experiences with opportunities to serve on teams. To prepare them for this, university leadership has encouraged team-taught coursework and prepares candidates through a co-teaching model in which candidates get continuous support and coaching from a mentor teacher.