Before significant changes can occur in the preparation of teachers, teacher education institutions must review current reform literature and decide if the literature offers compelling enough reasons and solutions to after the long-tern structure and content of the current teacher preparation programs. Since recommendations for change in present teacher preparation programs abound (Homes Group, 1986; Carnegie Forum, 1986; NCATE, 1986), this article presents information about a successful five-year teacher preparation program in art education which follows many of the recommendations of the Holmes Group Report (1986). The School of Education at the University of Kansas was among the first in the nation to move to an extended, five-year teacher preparation program. The program reasserts the professionalization of teachers by requiring for certification an extensive liberal education as well as in-depth professional education courses, field experiences, content in a teaching major, and realistic accountability through program and individual assessments. Teacher preparation programs are the focus of current debate about needed reform in teacher education. However, conclusions vary about the quality of present teacher preparation programs and recommendations for change (Holmes Group, 1986; Carnegie Forum, 1986; NCATE, 1986). Historically, teacher education reforms have been pientiful, and yet teacher preparation programs have remained essentially the same for more than 50 years. Traditionally, teacher preparation programs have included various education courses(educational psychology, education history, and philosophy)followed by teaching-area specific methods course and concluding with a student teaching experience(Tom, 1987). Before meaningful change can occur, teacher preparation institutions must review relevant aspects of current reforms and decide if they offer compelling enough reasons and solutions to the current teacher preparation programs. Perhaps what is laohing is information about current teacher preparation programs that follow a prescribed reform structure. Because comprehensins descriptions of teacher preparation programs beyond prescribed documentaries required by reguiatory and accrediting agencies do not exist(Watkins, 1989), It is the intention of this paper to address the characteriatics of a successful five-year teacher preparation program in art education that follows many of the recommendations of the Holmes Group Report(1986).