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USDOE announces NCLB
flexibility for “highly qualified teacher” provisions
The South Dakota
Department of Education recently received information from the US Department
of Education about additional NCLB flexibility in the implementation of the
“highly qualified teacher” provisions of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).
The new flexibility is
focused on teachers who teach multiple subjects, particularly rural and
experienced teachers, and teachers of science. South Dakota officials believe
it offers the state additional opportunities to address some of the
misunderstandings and practical challenges.
It will be necessary for
the state to submit an amendment to its State Consolidated Application as that
document contains the state’s current plans for meeting the highly qualified
teacher goals.
Details of the policies
include:
Rural Teachers:
Teachers in small, rural and isolated areas that are currently in eligible
districts (REAP definition) and are highly qualified in at least one
subject, will have three more years to become highly qualified in the
additional subjects they teach, which extends the deadline to the end of the
2006-07 school year. Newly hired teachers have until their third year of
teaching. It is important to note that this applies to districts and not to
individual attendance centers.
Science Teachers:
States have flexibility to use their own certification standards to determine
subject-matter competency, rather than requiring it for each science subject.
For example, if a state certifies teachers in the general field of science, a
science teacher may demonstrate subject-matter competency through a "broad
field" test or major. If a state requires certification or licensure in the
specific science subjects, such as chemistry, biology or physics, the teacher
would be required to demonstrate competency in each of the subjects.
Veteran Teachers of Multiple subjects:
Experienced teachers who teach multiple subjects, particularly teachers in
middle schools and those teaching students with special needs, have the option
of instead of taking a test or going back to school--to demonstrate
subject-matter competency through a process called HOUSSE (high objective
uniform state standard of evaluation). HOUSSE may
include a teacher's years of experience, high-quality professional development
success as measured by a teacher's students' test scores, continuing education
and other objective evaluations.
In his recent letter,
U.S. Secretary of Education Rod Paige acknowledges that teachers are the
single most important factor in improving student achievement. He notes:
I am committed to ensuring that all teachers
teaching core academic subjects are highly qualified, especially teachers in
poor and disadvantaged areas. This flexibility also comes with
responsibility. We expect you to continue to work to ensure that all of your
teachers are highly qualified.
The letter indicates that
the US Department “…will implement a monitoring plan through which the
Department will assess the continued progress of the States in attaining their
annual measurable objectives for increasing the percentage of core academic
classes taught by highly qualified teachers… .”
DOE is working to clarify how it will implement the new flexibility for
South Dakota
teachers. With the new requirements for teacher testing tied to
certification, additional thought will need to be given to the roll out of
these policies.
Further updates on South
Dakota’s flexibility for the “highly qualified teachers” provisions can be
expected in future editions of the Administrative Memorandum. |
