Research was reviewed to identify the characteristics of effective university and college-based programs for educating prospective teachers. Programs were considered effective to the extent that they enhanced the capability of teachers to contribute to student learning. The research reviewed was almost exclusively concerned with the learning of traditional academic subjects, and three types of studies were the focus of the review: (1) studies of the effects of teacher preparation programs on student performance or on teacher behavior; (2) studies of teacher characteristics related to student achievement; and (3) research on effective teaching. The report is built around the following specific issues: (1) teacher preparation programs' ability to teach teachers to teach effectively; (2) overall effects of teacher preparation programs; (3) ability of teacher education programs to teach instructional strategies; (4) admission standards for teacher education programs and for entry into the profession; (4) (5) content of teacher education programs; (6) subject matter expertise and teacher effectiveness; (7) the pedagogy of teaching to teach; and (8) the induction phase of teacher learning. Conclusions drawn from the findings are discussed. (CB)