In order to determine if any innovative changes were occurring in early field experiences and student teaching programs, two surveys were conducted. Directors of field experiences at Ohio four-year colleges and universities were surveyed with 43 out of the 47 Ohio directors responding. Ninety-seven colleges and universities across the United States were also surveyed, with 46 institutions replying. Respondents were asked to provide information on the strengths and weaknesses of their programs. Results indicated considerable variance in the content and operation of the programs, particularly in time devoted to student teaching and overall course scheduling. The majority of schools felt that their strength lay in their field experiences, supervisors, and cooperating teachers. Lack of field experience sites was a problem for large programs, those located in rural areas, or schools sharing geographical areas with several other institutions. A common complaint from respondents was lack of control in selecting cooperating teachers. As institutions are increasingly requiring a number of clinical and/or field experiences prior to student teaching, some schools have experienced difficulty in establishing early field experiences. Some schools have difficulty in complying with state requirements for urban, suburban, rural, or multicultural experiences. (IAH)