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 No Child Left Behind

Highly Qualified Teachers

Q: Who is covered under the law?

All district teachers of core academic subjects - English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics, government, economics, arts, history and geography) - must be highly qualified by the end of the 2005-2006 school year.

After the first day of school in the 2002-2003 school year, all new teachers hired to work in the Title I schools must be "highly qualified."

The law also applies to charter school teachers (with the exception of teacher licensure issues.)

Q: What is a "highly qualified" teacher?

Much of the answer to this question is still in development as federal regulations come forward. Essentially, a highly qualified teacher is one who has a bachelor's degree, full certification and:

Elementary teachers must pass the state's elementary education content test.
Middle and high school teachers must pass the state's content examination in each field in which they teach OR have at least 24 semester hours of preparation in each subject they teach.
Teachers are not considered highly qualified if certification / licensure requirements have been waived on an emergency or temporary basis. Teachers enrolled in the Teachers in Residence program are considered to have the necessary certification.

Q: How does this aspect of the law affect parents?

Parents of students in Title I schools must be notified that they may request teachers' qualifications around licensing for grade level and subject, emergency or provisional status, the teachers' college degrees and college major.

Under "Parents Right to Know" provisions in the law, parents of students in Title I schools who are not being taught by a highly qualified teacher must be notified of that fact within four weeks of instruction.

High Quality Paraprofessionals

Q: What are the requirements of NCLB?

The law applies to paraprofessionals in Title I programs and outlines the following requirements:

• All Title I instructional paraprofessionals must have a high school diploma or a GED.
• All newly hired Title I paraprofessionals (which includes all paraprofessionals in Title I schoolwide program schools) must meet one of the following criteria:
  
  • Completed two years of college.
  • Have an Associate Degree.
  • Have demonstrated through a formal assessment their "knowledge of" and "ability to assist" in instructing reading, writing, and math.
• Current paraprofessionals must meet this standard by January 8, 2006.
• Exceptions are paraprofessionals who work primarily as translators or as parent liaisons.
• Paraprofessionals are allowed to give direct instruction only if working under the supervision of a "highly qualified" teacher.