Title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) - Title II News You Can Use - Enrollment in Teacher Preparation Programs

Oct 15, 2026

Title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA) requires states to report annually on key elements of teacher preparation programs and initial teacher credentialing from kindergarten through 12th grade. Title II News You Can Use summarizes key data from the Title II HEA data collection, focusing on characteristics and changing trends in enrollment for AY 2012–13, including program types, gender composition, and race/ethnicity comparisons with K–12 students.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

AccessFree to download

Enrollment in Teacher Preparation Programs

Program types and enrollment counts

Gender disparities between candidates and K–12 students

Race and ethnicity disparities between candidates and K–12 students

highereducationact News You Can Use Title II of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (HEA), as amended in 2008 by the Higher Education Opportunity Act, requires states to report annually on key elements of their teacher preparation programs and requirements for initial teacher credentialing, kindergarten through 12th grade. Title II News You Can Use is a series of issue briefs on key data collected through the Title II HEA data collection. This issue brief provides information on the characteristics and changing trends of enrollment in teacher preparation programs. Enrollment in Teacher Preparation Programs Teachers are primarily prepared in traditional programs In academic year (AY) 2012–13, states reported 499,800 individuals enrolled in teacher preparation programs. Of those, 89 percent (447,116 individuals) were enrolled in traditional teacher preparation programs. Traditional programs are typically four-year undergraduate programs and often attract individuals who enter college with the goal of becoming a teacher. Traditional programs prepare candidates with instruction in pedagogy as well as the specific content area they plan to teach. Eleven percent of teaching candidates were enrolled in alternative programs, which often attract individuals who already hold a bachelor’s degree in a specific content area and may have prior work experience, but who are seeking to switch careers. Alternative programs often focus less on a specific content area and more on pedagogy. Five percent of teaching candidates (25,135 individuals) were enrolled in alternative teacher preparation programs based at institutions of higher education (IHEs), and six percent (27,549 individuals) were enrolled in alternative teacher preparation programs not based at IHEs. 499,800 Total Enrollees in Teacher Preparation Programs 89% Traditional IHE based 5% Alternative IHE based 6% Alternative not at IHEs The demographic makeup of teaching candidates does not match that of K–12 students More than three-quarters (76 percent) of individuals enrolled in teacher preparation programs in AY 2012–13 were female, with males making up less than a quarter (24 percent) of teaching candidates. By contrast, the male-to-female ratio among K–12 students is nearly half and half; 49 percent of K–12 students nationwide are female, and 51 percent are male. While male teaching candidates are underrepresented in teacher preparation programs, alternative programs enrolled a higher proportion of males than did traditional programs. Fewer thana quarter (23 percent) of the individuals enrolled in traditional teacher preparation programs were male, while slightly more than a quarter (31 percent) of individuals enrolled in alternative programs based at IHEs were male, and one-third (34 percent) of the teaching candidates in alternative programs not based at IHEs were male. Gender of Enrollees by Program Type* 100% Female Enrollees Male Enrollees Traditional IHE based Alternative IHE based Alternative not at IHEs ~~ ~~~~ ~~ K-12 Students* *Source (K-12 data) National Center for Education Statistics, Digest of Education Statistics Similar to the disparity between the gender of teaching candidates and the gender of K–12 students nationwide, the race and ethnicity of individuals enrolled in teacher preparation programs are also very different from the race and ethnicity of the K–12 student population nationwide. In AY 2012–13, 73 percent of teaching candidates identified as white, while only 51 percent of K–12 students were white. Individuals identifying as Hispanic or Latino of any race, or as black or African American were underrepresented in teacher preparation programs: II highereducationact 2 News You Can Use • While 25 percent of K–12 students were Hispanic or Latino, only 11 percent of teaching candidates identified as Hispanic or Latino. • Similarly, while 16 percent of K–12 students were black or African American, only 10 perc

FAQs

How many individuals were enrolled in teacher preparation programs in AY 2012–13, and how many were in traditional programs?

States reported 499,800 individuals enrolled in teacher preparation programs in AY 2012–13, including 447,116 (89%) in traditional teacher preparation programs.

What does the document say about gender differences between teacher preparation enrollees and K–12 students?

In AY 2012–13, 76% of teacher preparation enrollees were female versus a nearly even split among K–12 students (49% female, 51% male). Alternative programs enrolled a higher proportion of males than traditional programs.

How do race and ethnicity distributions of teacher preparation enrollees compare with K–12 students nationwide?

The document reports that 73% of teaching candidates identified as white compared with 51% of K–12 students. Hispanic/Latino and Black/African American candidates are underrepresented in teacher preparation programs relative to K–12 student shares.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Quinn Holloway