1. NEW JERSEY’S MODEL FOR HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS
Identifying Excellence
Recognizing Achievement
Supporting Professional Learning
Jay Doolan, Director
Office of Academic and Professional Standards
Barbara Gantwerk, Director
Office of Special Education Programs
New Jersey Department of Education

2. At a Glance:
No consequences to individual teachers in terms of job loss if teachers do not yet satisfy the federal standard of a Highly Qualified Teacher.
DOE provides orientation to districts and sets state goals.
Districts provide teachers with training and support, and summarize data.
Forms completed by November 3.
Most teachers must meet definition by end of school year.

3. No Child Left Behind Act-2001
Places major emphasis on teacher quality as a factor in improving student achievement.
Emphasizes academic content in teacher preparation, induction, and professional development.
Requires states to develop plans with annual measurable objectives to ensure that all teachers in core academic subjects are highly qualified by the end of the school year.

4. NJDOE Response Proposed Licensing Regulations
Middle school teachers
Special education teachers
Professional standards for teachers and administrators
Content-focused professional development
Praxis II exams for middle grades

5. The Highly Qualified Teacher
To satisfy the federal definition of Highly Qualified, teachers must:
Have at least a Bachelor’s degree;
Have valid state certification for which no requirements have been waived (i.e., no emergency certificates); and
Demonstrate content expertise in the core academic subject(s) they teach.

6. What are the Core Academic Subjects?
NCLB’s core academic subjects:
English Science Government
Lang. Arts Math Geography
Reading History Economics
Arts Civics Foreign Langs.
These align with the CCCS:
Lang. Arts Literacy Science
Social Studies Math
Visual & Perf. Arts World Langs.

7. Who Must Satisfy the Federal Definition of a Highly Qualified Teacher?
Elementary Teachers (incl. bilingual and Title I)
(self-contained, all subjects);
Middle and Secondary Teachers in core academic subjects (incl. bilingual and Title I); and
Special Education and ESL Teachers who provide direct instruction in one or more core academic subjects.

8. Who is Exempt from Meeting the Federal Definition of a Highly Qualified Teacher?
Teachers who provide direct instruction in:
Health and Physical Education
Technological Literacy
Business and Vocational Education
Career Education, Family, Consumer and Life Skills (Practical Arts)
Education Services Personnel (i.e., speech teachers, guidance counselors, child study team members, physical therapists)

9. Definitions New Teacher: Novice in his or her first year of teaching.
Newly Hired Teacher: Experienced teacher in his or her first year in a new district.
Veteran Teacher:
Title I Schools/Programs - One hired before ;
Non-Title I Schools - One hired before

10. The Timeline for Compliance
Title I Schools and Programs (school-wide & targeted assistance)
Non-Title I Schools and Programs
New and Newly Hired teachers hired after the first day of the school year must be highly qualified when hired.
Veteran teachers must be highly qualified by the end of the school year.
New, Newly Hired and Veteran Teachers must be highly qualified by the end of the school year.

11. To Demonstrate Content Expertise Highly Qualified Elementary Teachers
Pass a rigorous state test (i.e., NTE or Praxis II Elementary Education: Content Knowledge Test) Or
Document 10 points on the NJ HOUSE Standard (This option is not available to new teachers in Title I schools and programs).

12. To Demonstrate Content Expertise Highly Qualified Middle School Teachers
Pass the appropriate state test(s) (i.e., NTE or Praxis II) for the subject(s) they teach; or
Have an undergraduate major, a 30 credit sequence of courses or a graduate degree in the subject(s) they teach; or
Have an advanced credential (i.e., NBPTS certification) in their subject(s); or
Document 10 points on the NJ HOUSE Standard (This option is not available to new teachers in Title I schools and programs).

13. To Demonstrate Content Expertise Highly Qualified Secondary Teachers
Pass the appropriate state test(s) (i.e., NTE or Praxis II) for the subject(s) they teach; or
Have an undergraduate major, a 30 credit sequence of courses or a graduate degree in the subject(s) they teach; or
Have an advanced credential (i.e., NBPTS certification) in their subject(s); or
Document 10 points on the NJ HOUSE Standard (This option is not available to new teachers in Title I schools and programs).

14. Highly Qualified Special Education Teachers Providing Direct Content Instruction
Elementary Special Education teachers (including those in self-contained classes in grades 6-8) must satisfy the federal definition of a Highly Qualified Teacher at the elementary level.
Middle (departmentalized) and secondary Special Education teachers must satisfy the definition based on the grade level of the curriculum they teach rather than the age of the students. This may mean satisfying elementary, middle and/or secondary levels.

15. Highly Qualified ESL Teachers Providing Direct Content Instruction
Elementary ESL teachers must satisfy the federal definition of a Highly Qualified Teacher at the elementary level.
Middle and Secondary ESL teachers must satisfy the definition based on the grade level of the curriculum they teach rather than the age of the students. This may mean satisfying elementary, middle and/or secondary levels.

16. Paperwork: What Forms Will Teachers Need?
Five NJ Highly Qualified Teacher Identification forms for:
Holders of Elementary, ESL and Special Education certification teaching self-contained elementary grades
Holders of Elementary certification teaching in departmentalized middle schools
Holders of Middle/Secondary Content Area certification
Holders of Special Education certification teaching in departmentalized middle/secondary schools
Holders of K-12 Content or ESL certification

17. Forms A NJ HOUSE Standard: Content Knowledge Matrix
A Statement of Assurance
A Statement of Assurance specific to new & newly hired teachers in Title I Schools/programs

18. Paperwork: How Many Forms Do Teachers Complete?
Teachers complete a separate NJ Highly Qualified Teacher Identification form for each current teaching assignment they have and for each additional certificate they hold for which they do not have a current teaching assignment.
(Teaching Assignment: the grade level and/or core subject taught. Teaching all subjects in a self-contained class or teaching multiple sections of the same course count as one assignment.)

19. Reviewing the NJ Highly Qualified Teacher Identification Form
Elementary and Special Ed. (Elementary) teachers who have passed a state test satisfy the federal definition of a Highly Qualified Teacher.
Those who have not passed a state test must complete a NJ HOUSE Standard Matrix to see if they satisfy the definition of a Highly Qualified Teacher using the NJ HOUSE Standard.

20. Reviewing the NJ Highly Qualified Teacher Identification Form
Teachers in departmentalized middle and secondary schools who either:
Passed a state test in the subject(s) they teach; or
Have an undergraduate major, 30 credits, or a graduate degree in the subject(s) they teach; or
Have an advanced credential (i.e., NBPTS certification) in the subject(s) they teach
satisfy the federal definition of a Highly Qualified Teacher.

21. Reviewing the NJ Highly Qualified Teacher Identification Form
Veteran teachers (including experienced teachers newly hired in Title I school-wide and targeted assistance programs) who do not satisfy the definition using the NJ Highly Qualified Teacher Identification form, must complete a NJ HOUSE Standard Matrix to see if they satisfy the definition of a Highly Qualified Teacher for that content area using the NJ HOUSE Standard.

22. The NJ HOUSE* Standard (*High Objective Uniform State Evaluation Standard)
The NJ HOUSE Standard provides an alternative way for veteran teachers to demonstrate that they are highly qualified to teach core academic content.
Teachers who do not satisfy the federal definition of a Highly Qualified Teacher in one or more core academic content areas for which they have teaching assignments must complete a NJ HOUSE Standard: Content Knowledge Matrix form for each such assignment.

23. The NJ HOUSE Standard: Content Knowledge Matrix
The Content Knowledge Matrix allows teachers to demonstrate content expertise in each core academic subject they teach through options in five categories:
Content Area College Coursework
Content Area Professional Activities
Content Area Teaching Activities
NBPTS Elementary Generalist Certification
Successful Content Area Teaching Performance

24. The NJ HOUSE Standard: Content Knowledge Matrix
Teachers who document 10 points on the Content Knowledge Matrix satisfy the definition of a Highly Qualified Teacher.
Teachers who do not have 10 points on the Content Knowledge Matrix have until the end of the school year to either:
Pass a state test of content knowledge for core academic subject(s) and level(s) they teach; or
Accumulate 10 points for each core academic subject/level by participating in activities listed on the Content Knowledge Matrix.

25. What Documentation Might Teachers Need to Complete the Forms?
Copies of all college transcripts; and
Documentation of content-related professional development activity for the last four years for each core academic area teaching assignment.
Districts may also request for verification purposes:
Copies of score report(s) for state tests (i.e., NTE or Praxis II exams)
Copies of National Board certificate(s)

26. The Statement of Assurance
The Statement of Assurance provides a one-page summary of the content areas and/or certificates for which teachers:
Satisfy the federal requirement using the NJ Highly Qualified Teacher Identification form;
Satisfy the federal requirement using the NJ HOUSE Standard;
Do not yet satisfy the federal requirement using the NJ HOUSE Standard:
There is a separate Statement of Assurance for new teachers in Title I schools/programs because they do not have the option to use the NJ HOUSE Standard.

27. When Must Paperwork be Completed and What Happens Next?
Completion of all forms is due by November 3, 2003.
Forms will be kept on file at the building level and will be used to compile data about the numbers and categories of highly qualified teachers for school, district and state reports required by NCLB.

28. How Often Must Forms be Completed?
The NJ Highly Qualified Teacher Identification form will be completed this year. Additional certificates or changes in assignment might mean having to complete additional forms.
The NJ HOUSE Standard:Content Area Matrix should be completed annually for any area(s) for which a teacher has not yet documented 10 points.
A New Statement of Assurance would update the summary of information only when changes occur.

29. A Word About Teachers in Departmentalized Middle Schools
The Praxis II content knowledge tests for the middle grades are expected to be available in NJ early in 2004 once standard setting has been completed.
New middle school (departmentalized) teachers in Title I schools and programs must take the appropriate content knowledge exam(s) when they become available.

30. A Word About Special Education Teachers Who Provide Support
The department is waiting for the final reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
There may be requirements for Special Education teachers who provide consultation and support (in-class or pull-out) or who co-teach with content area instructors in general education settings.

31. Title I Parent Letters
Parent letter regarding rights to inquire about teachers’ credentials should go to parents of students in Title I funded programs in September.
Parent letter regarding credentials of specific teachers who have not yet satisfied the definition of a Highly Qualified Teacher should go to parents of students in Title I funded programs in mid-November.

32. The NJDOE Commitment
The department is committed to supporting district and individual efforts to ensure that all teachers in core academic subjects are highly qualified by the end of and will:
Provide updated information if and as changes are made at the federal level;
Provide training to districts and schools on the use of the NJ Model for Identifying Highly Qualified Teachers;
Provide support through the department website, offering downloadable forms, frequently asked questions and an address to facilitate communication with the field.

33. Resources for Assistance with Questions and Support
The NJ Model for Identifying Highly Qualified Teachers is available for download from the following site:
Send questions to:
Call the Office of Academic and Professional Standards at
Contact regional and county offices