ABSTRACT
China's Free Teacher Education Policy (FTEP) was initiated by the Chinese Ministry of Education in 2007 in response to concerns about teacher shortages in many rural provinces in Northern, Western, and Central China as well as increases in tuition rates. Research during the early years of the FTEP indicates that many participants expressed preferences for teaching in large cities and did not see themselves teaching for their entire careers. This chapter identifies factors that are likely to affect whether the FTEP succeeds in reducing teacher shortages in rural schools within rural provinces. It describes history of teacher education policy in China, summarizes the FTEP, and provides some descriptive statistics related to this policy. The chapter introduces the sample, research methods, and analytical strategies. It presents the main findings, and addresses strengths and limitations of the FTEP. The chapter also presents recommendations for possible changes in and future research on the FTEP.
