A community college role in teacher education is not new. But there is a new--or, more accurately, renewed--interest in this role. A national conversation about how community colleges can help us alleviate the teacher shortage has truly begun, with many believe that an expanded community college role is critical to meet the nation's need for well prepared teachers. This volume illustrates the extent to which community colleges have become major players in teacher education, not only in the traditional way of providing the first two years of an undergraduate degree in teacher education but in such more controversial ways as offering associate and baccalaureate degrees in teacher education and providing alternative certification programs.

This is the 121st issue of the Jossey-Bass higher education series New Directions for Community Colleges.