education today: highly qualified teachers

Research has shown that quality teachers play an important role in improving students’ school performance. However, many teachers, especially teachers in poverty and rural areas, are not certified and lack a basic knowledge of the subjects they teach. Recognizing this problem and that every child has the right to a qualified teacher, Congress addressed the issue when it passed the No Child Left Behind Act in December 2001.

Under the No Child Left Behind Act, states must ensure that all teachers are highly qualified by 2005-2006. To be deemed highly qualified, teachers must have:

1. a bachelor’s degree
2. full state certification or licensure
3. prove that they know each subject they teach.

States are required to:

1. measure the extent to which all students have highly qualified teachers, particularly minority and disadvantaged students
2. adopt goals and plans to ensure all teachers are highly qualified and
3. publicly report plans and progress in meeting teacher quality goals.

Teachers in middle and high school must prove that they know the subject they teach with:

1. a major in the subject they teach
2. credits equivalent to a major in the subject
3. passage of a state-developed test
4. HOUSSE (high,objective,uniform state standard of evaluation) for current teachers only
5. an advanced certification from the state
6. or a graduate degree.

States must ensure that all of their teachers meet the requirements by 2005-2006. However, officials traveled the country and listened to concerns of teachers and administrators. They have clarified some of the provisions and have allowed for flexibility regarding special situations. It is important for teachers to understand that NCLB does not require current teachers to return to school to get a degree in every subject they teach to demonstrate they are highly qualified. States will have flexibility in developing ways for teachers to demonstrate subject matter competency. Also, new guidelines have been developed for teachers in rural areas, science teachers, and teachers who currently teach multi-subjects.