Human Resources: No Child Left Behind

Beginning SY 2002-03, all new teachers hired in Title I programs must be "highly qualified". The term "highly qualified teacher" means: Public elementary and secondary teachers must be fully certified by the state and must not have had any certification requirements waived on an emergency, temporary or provisional basis.
By the end of the 2005-06 year, all teachers teaching in "core academic subjects" in each public elementary and secondary school must be "highly qualified".
Local school systems must notify parents if their child is taught by a teacher who does not meet the definition of highly qualified (Title I schools only).

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Specific Teacher Quality Definitions

New public elementary school teachers must have at least a bachelor's degree and pass a state test demonstrating subject knowledge and teaching skills in reading, writing, mathematics and other areas of any basic elementary school curriculum.
New middle or secondary school teachers must have at least a bachelor's degree and demonstrate competency in each of the academic subjects taught, or complete an academic major or coursework equivalent to a major, a graduate degree or advanced certification.
Existing public elementary, middle and secondary teachers must have at least a bachelor's degree and meet the requirements described above, or demonstrate competency in all subjects taught. A state evaluation standard is to be used to judge competency. The evaluation standard must provide objective information about the teacher's knowledge in the subject taught and can consider, but not use as a primary criterion, time spent teaching the subject. (Title IX, Part A, Sec. 9101)

Uniform State Evaluation

NCLB has numerous and specific requirements and defines a high objective uniform State standard of evaluation as an evaluation that:

is set by the State for both grade appropriate academic subject matter knowledge and teaching skills;
is aligned with challenging State academic content and student achievement standards and developed in consultation with core content specialists, teachers, principals, and school administrators;
provides objective, coherent information about the teacher's attainment of core content knowledge in the academic subjects in which a teacher teaches;
is applied uniformly to all teachers in the same academic subject and the same grade level throughout the State;
takes into consideration, but not be based primarily on, the time the teacher has been teaching in the academic subject;
is made available to the public upon request; and may involve multiple, objective measures of teacher competency.

NCLB Core Academic Subject Areas

Arts
Civics and Government
Economics
English
Foreign Language
Geography
History
Mathematics
Reading or Language Arts
Science

Six Areas of Concern

While majority of Maryland's professionally certified teachers meet and/or exceed NCLB requirements of "highly qualified" six groups of professionally certified teachers pose potential concern.

Incumbent Early Childhood and Elementary Teachers - The first group includes incumbent Early Childhood or Elementary teachers certified in Maryland who received their certification prior to the required testing for certification being implemented (1987).

Option: 1. Take and pass the appropriate Praxis II tests (Early Childhood teachers can take and pass the revised Praxis II test in Early Childhood Education when available).

Option: 2. Pass Highly Objective Uniform State Evaluation when available.

Incumbent and New Early Childhood Teachers - The second group includes all incumbent and new Early Childhood certificate holders. Certification in this area for Maryland does not require a content test.

Option: 1. Take and pass the revised Praxis II test in Early Childhood Education when available.

Option: 2. Incumbent teachers can pass the Highly Objective Uniform State Evaluation when available.

Teachers Certified through Reciprocity - The third group includes any incumbent or new teacher who received his or her certification based on reciprocity with another state which does not require the testing mandated under NCLB

Option: 1. All teachers can take and pass the appropriate Praxis II tests in the area of teaching assignment.

Option: 2. Middle and secondary teachers can, in each of the academic subjects taught, complete an academic major or coursework equivalent to a major, a graduate degree or advanced certification (National Board Certification in each of the academic subjects taught).

Option: 3. Incumbent teachers can pass the Highly Objective Uniform State Evaluation when available.

Certain Special Education Teachers - Special education teachers who are providing instruction in core academic subjects also must meet the "highly qualified" requirements under the NCLB Act. Special educators who do not directly instruct students on any core academic subject or who provide only consultation to highly qualified teachers of core academic subjects in adapting curricula, using behavioral supports and interventions, and selecting appropriate accommodations do not need to meet the same "highly qualified" subject-matter competency requirements that apply under the NCLB Act to teachers of core academic subjects.

Option: 1. All teachers can take and pass the appropriate Praxis II tests in the area of teaching assignment.

Option: 3. Incumbent teachers can pass the Highly Objective Uniform State Evaluation when available.

Teachers Working Out-of-Field - The fifth group includes any teacher teaching in a core academic area for which the teacher is not certified.

Option: 1. All teachers can take and pass the appropriate Praxis II tests in the area of teaching assignment.

Option: 3. Incumbent teachers can pass the Highly Objective Uniform State Evaluation when available.

Certain Middle School Teachers -The final group includes any middle school educator, who only holds elementary certification, teaching in a core academic area.

Option: 1. All teachers can take and pass the appropriate Praxis II tests in the area of teaching assignment.

Option: 3. Incumbent middle school teachers can pass the Highly Objective Uniform State Evaluation when available.

Newly Adopted Options

The creation of a Middle School Certification Endorsement.
Adding Endorsement Using Praxis.
- Critical for Special Education Teachers & Middle School Teachers.
- Critical for Teachers Assigned Out-of -Field.
Content Validation for Middle School Content Areas
- English, Social Studies, Mathematics, & Science
Allowing LSS to Undertake Classroom Level Membership Survey.
Addition of new Praxis content tests.
High, objective, uniform, standard of evaluation for special education teachers.
Adding endorsements with 30 content credits.

Support for Non-Highly Qualified Teachers

Continued support will be provided for Provisional teachers Via tuition reimbursement for course work and Praxis test support for required tests. (Provisional Teacher Grant)
Financial support will be provided for all needing Praxis Tests for certification and/or HQ status.
Upon approval of the next in line administrator and the Executive director, financial support will be provided for NHQ teachers needing additional coursework not Included in the 4 planned programs (undergraduate coursework) for tuition reimbursement. Tuition reimbursement may be for more than 6 credits per year if necessary for the Teacher Highly Qualified status prior to 2005-06.
In concert with Cecil Community College, NHQ teachers needing course work will be provided the necessary courses to achieve HQ status.
Under the direction of the Instruction Coordinator for Staff development, in collaboration with content coordinators, expansion of current tutoring system for those needing Praxis tests to become HQ.

Teachers not affected by NCLB

Bookkeeping
Accounting
Business
Home Economics
Industrial Arts/Technology Education
Marketing
Trades and Industry
Computer Science
Journalism
Health
Physical Education
Psychology
Sociology
Speech
Library Science
Data Processing

You are Highly Qualified if you are:

An Early Childhood certified teacher that also holds Elementary Education certification and has taken a Basic Skills and Content test.
An Elementary Education certified teacher and has taken a Basic Skill and content tests.
A Middle or High School content area teacher who:
- is certified (and)
- holds a bachelor's degree or higher in each subject area taught or National Board Certification in that teaching area. (or)
- Has successfully completed a Content Area test for the subject area taught.

Maryland Praxis Tests - Content Test Option to be Considered Highly Qualified (You will need Acrobat Reader to access the praxis document)

The following lists Praxis I Skills Assessments and Praxis II Content Area tests. Click here for a list of tests and passing scores.

State Approved HOUSSE Plan (You will need Acrobat Reader to access the HOUSSE documents)

The following documents will help the current teacher determine what is needed to become "highly qualified."

How to be a "Highly Qualified" Teacher in Maryland

Early Childhood or Elementary Teachers HOUSSE Rubric

Middle, Secondary, and PreK-12 (Art and Music) Teachers HOUSSE Rubric

Special Education Teachers Working in Early Childhood Education or Elementary HOUSSE Rubric

Middle and Secondary Special Education Teachers Working HOUSSE Rubric

FAQ

May a middle school teacher be considered "highly qualified" if the teacher is licensed or certified by the State, has a B.A. degree, and holds a minor in the academic subject(s) he or she teaches?

No. Whether new to the profession or not, if a middle school teacher has only a minor in the area he or she teaches, that teacher will not be considered to have met the highly qualified requirement until the teacher (1) passes a rigorous state subject test in that subject area, (2) successfully completes an academic major, a graduate degree, coursework equivalent to an undergraduate academic major, or advanced certification or credentialing in the subject(s) he or she teaches, or (3) has been successfully evaluated on the basis of a State system of evaluation that meets the requirements of Section 9101(23)(C)(ii).

If a K-8 school is designated by the State as an elementary school, do the teachers in grades 6, 7, and 8 have to meet the highly qualified requirements for elementary teachers or for middle school teachers?

If the State has designated the school as an elementary school, then the teachers in grades 6, 7, and 8 will be expected to meet the highly qualified requirements for elementary teachers. However, if the upper elementary grades have been designated as a middle school, per the "school-within-a-school" concept, then they will be required to meet the requirements of middle school teachers.

In some cases, State rules require each LEA to evaluate a teacher's competency in a number of key areas, but do so against its own (LEA) benchmarks for what constitutes adequate quality in these areas. Does this approach meet the requirements for an "objective uniform State standard of evaluation" against which to assess teacher competency?

No, although teachers of the same subject and grade may need different skills, depending on whether they teach in high-need urban or rural schools or schools located in more affluent areas. However, the law requires the State to ensure that all LEAs use a uniform standard for evaluating whether teachers, regardless of where they teach, have the skills they need.

Some schools have alternative educational placements for disruptive or behaviorally challenged students, which is generally a self-contained classroom with a limited number of students. How can teachers who teach in such alternative arrangements be considered to have met the highly qualified requirements?

At the elementary and middle school levels, teachers who provide instruction in alternative educational placements should meet the same highly qualified requirements as elementary school teachers. At the middle school level, arrangements should be made for independent study opportunities, where the teacher of record provides materials and lessons for the student.

NCLB Requirements- Paraprofessionals

Instructional Paraprofessionals working in programs funded by Title I must:

Have a high school diploma or GED, and
Hold an Associate's Degree or higher

Have completed at least two years of study at an institution of higher education

Meet rigorous standards of quality demonstrated through a state or local assessment.

NCLB Deadlines for Paraprofessionals

All Title I funded instructional paraprofessionals hired after January 8, 2002 must meet NCLB requirements.
All Title I funded instructional paraprofessionals hired prior to January 8, 2002 must meet NCLB requirements by January 8, 2006.

NCLB Exemptions for Paraprofessionals

Paraprofessionals who are volunteers or perform non-instructional duties such as cafeteria duty, computer technician services, bus duty, personal care services, etc.
Paraprofessionals whose duties consist solely of translating or parent involvement activities.

Next Steps in Maryland's efforts to have High Quality Paraprofessionals

Validate and set passing score for ParaPro (Spring 2003).
Create a voluntary state-issued credential for instructional paraprofessionals (January 2004).
Work with paraprofessional stakeholder groups to enable all paraprofessionals to meet new Federal requirements.

Links

The Praxis Series: Professional Assessments for Beginning Teachers website - www.ets.org/praxis

No Child Left Behind website - www.nclb.gov

Maryland State Department of Education website - www.msde.state.md.us

Related Links

No Child Left Behind