Do fast-track teacher certification programs benefit public education?

Many fast-track paths to teacher certification, including prestigious programs such as Teach for America or New York Teaching Fellows, bring educators into classrooms after only a summer’s training, allowing them to complete their certification while they teach.

Proponents argue that this option gives highly educated and motivated professionals or college graduates a way to immediately bring their energy and expertise into the schools that need them the most. Critics, however, argue that this kind of "emergency" certification sends underprepared teachers into high-need classrooms, which can have a negative impact on student learning and lead to new-teacher burnout. Tell us what you think.