EDUCATIONAL CONTROL OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS RESTS ON THE ASSUMPTION THAT THERE IS A SUBSTANTIVE BODY OF KNOWLEDGE ABOUT TEACHING FOR WHICH PROFESSIONAL PREPARATION IS NECESSARY. IF SO, THE TEACHER MUST BE EVALUATED NOT AS A PERSON BUT AS A FUNCTIONARY IN A SPECIAL SITUATION (THE CLASSROOM). FOR THAT PURPOSE, CRITERIA ARE NECESSARY. PERSONALITY TRAITS, TEACHER-PUPIL INTERACTIONS, AND ADMINISTRATIVE RATINGS OF TEACHING SUCCESS ARE HELD TO BE BLIND ALLEYS, WHILE OBSERVATIONAL SCHEDULES CANNOT TAKE THE PLACE OF EXPERTISE. CERTIFICATION BY A TEACHER-TRAINING INSTITUTION AND DEMONSTRATIONS OF TECHNICAL COMPETENCE ARE NOT ENOUGH. INSTEAD, PENDING SUFFICIENT KNOWLEDGE TO PERMIT SYSTEMS ANALYSIS THAT WILL RELATE TRAINING TO SUCCESS BEHAVIOR, A MORE MODEST ANALYSIS OF CLASSROOM BEHAVIOR IS ADVOCATED, LEADING TO GLOBAL JUDGMENTS TO BE REFINED BY EXPERTS. FOR EXAMPLE, THE QUESTION IS NOT ONE OF ONE TEACHING STYLE VERSUS ANOTHER, BUT OF THE GOODNESS WITH WHICH A GIVEN TEACHING STYLE IS IMPLEMENTED--AS JUDGED BY EXPERTS, JUST AS APPLES ARE GRADED BY JUDGES AT A FAIR. TO DISCRIMINATE AMONG TEACHERS WHO ARE EQUAL IN JUDGED CLASSROOM PERFORMANCE, PROFESSIONAL EXAMINATIONS LIKE THOSE GIVEN TO PHYSICIANS AND OTHER LICENSED PROFESSIONS ARE ADVOCATED, ONES THAT ASK QUESTIONS OF THE SORT "WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF...." THIS DOCUMENT WAS PUBLISHED BY THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES FOR TEACHER EDUCATION, 1201 SIXTEENTH STREET, N.W., WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036 AND WAS PRESENTED, AS A PAPER, AT THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF COLLEGES FOR TEACHER EDUCATION (19TH, CHICAGO, FEBRUARY 16, 1967). (AF)