Alternative Certification in Pennsylvania

Governor Ed Rendell is asking the legislature to create a fast track certification program for math, science, engineering, and technology professionals (full story here).

The gist is that professionals could receive a "residency" certificate, good for three years, if they fulfilled the following criteria:

1. A bachelor's, master's, or doctorate in a relevant subject area
2. Work experience to complement the degree (less experience required for higher degrees)
3. Completion of an intensive 4 month preparation program
4. Mentorship during their first year of teaching

This sounds to me like a sensible and simple way to ease the transition into teaching. So, please, you Pennsylvanians out there, make your voices heard!