Implementation of NCLBs Highly Qualified Teacher Requirements November 2003

Highly Qualified Teachers In addition to meeting the Massachusetts Licensure Regulations, teachers will also need to meet the Highly Qualified teacher requirements outlined in NCLB. NCLB requires all school districts to ensure that all students are taught by highly qualified teachers in the core academic subjects by the end of the school year.

Core Academic Subjects The highly qualified teacher requirements apply to all core academic teachers employed by the school district, regardless of funding source. Core academic subjects: English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history, geography.

Highly Qualified Requirements In order to be considered highly qualified, teachers of the core academic subjects must: In order to be considered highly qualified, teachers of the core academic subjects must: Possess a Bachelors Degree Possess a Bachelors Degree Possess a Massachusetts teaching license Possess a Massachusetts teaching license License can be at the Preliminary, Initial, or Professional level (Equivalent to Provisional, Provisional w/ Advanced Standing and Standard certificates) License can be at the Preliminary, Initial, or Professional level (Equivalent to Provisional, Provisional w/ Advanced Standing and Standard certificates) Demonstrate Subject Matter Competency in each of the core academic subjects that the teacher is teaching. Demonstrate Subject Matter Competency in each of the core academic subjects that the teacher is teaching.

Options for Demonstrating Subject Matter Competency NCLB legislation outlines options for demonstrating subject matter competency. NCLB legislation outlines options for demonstrating subject matter competency. Elementary School Teachers: Elementary School Teachers: Passing the MTEL Elementary Subject Matter Test; OR Passing the MTEL Elementary Subject Matter Test; OR Completion of the Massachusetts HOUSSE (an approved Individual Professional Development Plan aligned with HOUSSE requirements). Completion of the Massachusetts HOUSSE (an approved Individual Professional Development Plan aligned with HOUSSE requirements).

Options for Demonstrating Subject Matter Competency Middle and Secondary School Teachers: Middle and Secondary School Teachers: Passing the MTEL appropriate Subject Matter Test; Passing the MTEL appropriate Subject Matter Test; Completion of an appropriate: academic major, graduate degree, or coursework equivalent to an undergraduate academic major; Completion of an appropriate: academic major, graduate degree, or coursework equivalent to an undergraduate academic major; Advanced certification or credentialing; OR Advanced certification or credentialing; OR Completion of the Massachusetts HOUSSE (an approved Individual Professional Development Plan aligned with HOUSSE requirements). Completion of the Massachusetts HOUSSE (an approved Individual Professional Development Plan aligned with HOUSSE requirements).

HOUSSE NCLB allows States to define a High Objective Uniform State Standard of Evaluation (HOUSSE) to provide educators with an additional option to demonstrate subject matter competency. HOUSSE = an approved Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP). A teacher at any level of certification can use the HOUSSE IPDP to meet the highly qualified requirements.

HOUSSE Requirements HOUSSE IPDPs must contain 120 PDPs in total. HOUSSE IPDPs must contain 120 PDPs in total. 80% of 120 PDPs (96 PDPs) must focus on the content or pedagogy related to the core academic subject(s) that the teacher teaches. 80% of 120 PDPs (96 PDPs) must focus on the content or pedagogy related to the core academic subject(s) that the teacher teaches. Teachers can be considered highly qualified once the plan is approved and they are making sufficient progress toward completing the plan. Implicit expectation is that the content PDPs (96) will be completed by the end of 2006.

HOUSSE Requirements For purposes of HOUSE: Educators must align their IPDP with school and district improvement goals, complete eligible professional development programs and activities designed to support and increase student learning, and demonstrate proficiency through an end-of- course assessment or product.

HOUSSE IPDP for Generalist Teachers Generalist teachers: licensed in a specific area, but are teaching more than one core academic subject (Elementary, Middle School Generalist, ESL and Special Education teachers). Generalist teachers: licensed in a specific area, but are teaching more than one core academic subject (Elementary, Middle School Generalist, ESL and Special Education teachers). Must distribute 80% of the 120 PDPs across the core academic subjects that they teach. Must distribute 80% of the 120 PDPs across the core academic subjects that they teach. Distribution should ensure that a teacher has at least 10 PDPs in each core academic subject. Distribution should ensure that a teacher has at least 10 PDPs in each core academic subject.

Generalist Teachers Who Are in the Process of Recertifying Current recertification IPDPs most likely will not meet HOUSSE requirements. Current recertification IPDPs most likely will not meet HOUSSE requirements. They will NOT have to modify current recertification IPDP, unless choose to do so. They will NOT have to modify current recertification IPDP, unless choose to do so. Should recertify with current IPDP -- HOUSSE policies will not negatively impact recertification. Should recertify with current IPDP -- HOUSSE policies will not negatively impact recertification.

Generalist Teachers Who Are in the Process of Recertifying To meet HOUSSE requirements, however, they will have to: To meet HOUSSE requirements, however, they will have to: Create a supplemental log that documents how they are meeting their HOUSSE requirements. Create a supplemental log that documents how they are meeting their HOUSSE requirements. Log will allow teachers to draw PDPs from multiple rounds of recertification dating back to 1999 through the end of 2006 to meet HOUSSE requirements. Log will allow teachers to draw PDPs from multiple rounds of recertification dating back to 1999 through the end of 2006 to meet HOUSSE requirements.

Non-Generalist Teachers Non-generalist teachers: teachers who are licensed to teach a core academic subject or subjects and who are teaching those subjects. Non-generalist teachers: teachers who are licensed to teach a core academic subject or subjects and who are teaching those subjects. For those non-generalist teachers who are in the process of recertifying, their current recertification IPDP will most likely meet the HOUSSE requirements. For those non-generalist teachers who are in the process of recertifying, their current recertification IPDP will most likely meet the HOUSSE requirements.

Can one assume that teachers with current recertification IPDPs are highly qualified? No, because the recertification IPDPs may not meet the HOUSSE requirements. No, because the recertification IPDPs may not meet the HOUSSE requirements. Current recertification IPDPs should be reviewed before highly qualified determination is made. Current recertification IPDPs should be reviewed before highly qualified determination is made.

Commonwealth Charter School Teachers The requirements for Charter School teachers include: The requirements for Charter School teachers include: Possession of a bachelors degree Possession of a bachelors degree Demonstration of subject matter competency in each of the areas that they teach. Demonstration of subject matter competency in each of the areas that they teach. The licensure component of the highly qualified definition is waived for these teachers since Massachusetts law does not require charter school teachers to be licensed. The licensure component of the highly qualified definition is waived for these teachers since Massachusetts law does not require charter school teachers to be licensed.

Vocational School Teachers Vocational teachers who teach the core academic subjects need to meet the highly qualified requirements: Vocational teachers who teach the core academic subjects need to meet the highly qualified requirements: Hold a Bachelors degree Hold a Bachelors degree Posses a Massachusetts teachers license Posses a Massachusetts teachers license Demonstrate subject matter competency in the areas that they teach. Demonstrate subject matter competency in the areas that they teach.

Certification/Licensure Waivers The law states that to be considered highly qualified, the teacher must not have had certification or licensure requirements waived on an emergency or temporary basis. Massachusetts teachers who are on waivers should not be considered as having met the highly qualified requirements for purposes of federal goal setting and reporting.

Out-of-Field Teaching Massachusetts allows teachers to teach out-of- field for up to 20% of their time. NCLB requires a teacher to demonstrate a high level of competency in each of the [core] academic subjects in which he or she teaches. A teacher who is teaching out-of-field will not be considered highly qualified in the out-of-field subject area until he or she has demonstrated subject matter competency in that area.

Parent Notification Districts that receive Title I, Part A funds are required to notify the parents of students attending any school that receives funds under Title I, Part A that a parent may request, and the district will provide the parent on request, information regarding the professional qualifications of the students classroom teacher(s).

Parent Notification Whether the teacher has met State qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction. Whether the teacher is teaching under a waiver through which the State qualification or licensing criteria has been waived. The baccalaureate degree major of the teacher and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher, and the field or discipline of the certification or degree. Whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications

Parent Notification Schools that receive Title I funding shall provide each individual parent timely notice that the parents child has been assigned, or has been taught for four or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified.

Contact Information Holly Grzeskowiak