ORCID
Avington Medeiros: https://orcid.org/0009-0002-3771-2194
Eva Kane: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9652-2310
Abstract
Rural teacher recruitment and retention is a matter of interest for the state of Alabama as policymakers look to understand teacher shortages in rural schools across the state. How teachers are prepared to teach in rural schools is an essential part of rural teacher recruitment and retention. Preservice teachers need exposure to rural contexts as a part of their teacher preparation programs. This study examined how teacher preparation programs in Alabama are integrating rural-specific components. Among the 25 teacher preparation programs in Alabama, nearly 25% reported integrating three or more rural-specific components into their teacher preparation programs. Some teacher preparation programs also reported creating new initiatives or altering the program based on the needs of schools in their geographic area, but over two-thirds of teacher preparation programs in Alabama did not report the creation or adaptation of programs to fulfill the needs of the area. Those programs that did integrate rural-specific components reported the integration of multiple-subject certification, access for rural residents, recruitment of rural residents, rural field experiences, and rural issue-focused coursework.
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Medeiros, A.,
&
Kane, E.
(2024).
Rural Teacher Preparation in the State of Alabama.
The Rural Educator, 45(3), 57-67.
https://doi.org/10.55533/2643-9662.1402
