Toward building defensible extended programs: challenging the assumptions of educational reform

Recent education reform proposals eventually will lead to lengthier professional preparation programs for school health educators. Many of the proposals are based on unwarranted assumptions and myths about teacher education as well as an idealized view of undergraduate liberal studies. In addition to using research findings to challenge these assumptions, trends in accreditation by the National Council on Accreditation of Teacher Education and alternative certification are analyzed. One possible extended program model is subsequently offered.