The urban school districts of California have a well-publicized shortage of teachers. But nontraditional candidates--namely recent college graduates and career changers who have not attended a standard teacher-preparation program--often encounter serious roadblocks, even with the state's full endorsement of alternative certification programs that allow candidates to start teaching while working toward their certification requirements. In this article, the author outlines the benefits of California's alternative certification, the requirements for such a certification, and obstacles to the expansion of alternative certification of their programs and the easing of their requirements. (Contains 1 figure.)