A new internet-based program that allows underqualified teachers, career changers, and other professionals to bypass teacher colleges to become "highly qualified" certified teachers made its debut Aug. 22 amid some controversy.

This alternative to traditional teacher-education programs, called Passport to Teaching, was funded in part by a $5 million U.S. Department of Education grant in 2001 to create a cheaper, faster way for schools to meet the Improving Teacher Quality requirements of the No Child Left Behind Act and place a highly qualified teacher in every classroom by 2005.

But critics of the initiative--including professional teacher-education associations--say it's a poor substitute for the rigors of traditional teacher-preparation programs, which often require practice teaching and mentoring before certification.

Administered by the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence--a group formed by the National Council on Teacher Quality in partnership with the Education Leaders Council--the program simply requires applicants to hold a bachelor's degree, complete a background check, pass two computer-based tests, and pay a $500 fee. No coursework or teaching experience of any kind is required.

"Obviously this is a much more time- and cost-effective option," said American Board spokeswoman Kimberly Tulp. "It's taking advantage of technology and taking advantage of those who are interested in becoming teachers but don't want to go to a teacher college."

Applicants must pass two tests. The first, the Professional Teaching Knowledge exam, measures the applicant's knowledge of classroom management, student assessment, instructional strategies, communicating and working with parents, and curriculum planning. The second exam measures the applicant's mastery of a subject area.

Before taking the tests, applicants can complete a free, online self-assessment on the American Board's web page to gauge their ability to pass the exam. This diagnostic tool recommends web-based and print materials in the applicants' weak areas to help them prepare for the exams.

The examinations, which are not conducted online but on a computer at a regional testing center, are held four times per year. The first session began Aug. 22 and ends Oct. 4. Only two exams are available during the first testing period: the Professional Teaching Knowledge exam and elementary education. Exams for middle and high school math are expected this winter.

The essay-response portions of the exams are graded by Vantage Learning and its computer-based IntelliMetric scoring engine, which uses artificial intelligence combined with human input to score long-answer questions.

Passport to Teaching targets people who are interested in becoming teachers but don't want to take the time and incur the expense of completing a traditional teacher-education program. These include recent college graduates, working teachers who are not certified to teach in their subject area, and persons changing careers.