Highly Qualified Teachers

Overview: NCLB Requirements for Highly Qualified Teachers

New Teachers

The term highly qualified teacher applies to any public elementary or secondary school teacher who is fully licensed to teach in the state and does not have any license requirements waived on an emergency, temporary or provisional basis. New teachers refer to those who are new to the profession.

Elementary

  • At least a bachelors degree &
  • Pass a test that demonstrates subject knowledge & teaching skills in reading, writing, mathematics and other areas of the basic elementary school curriculum

Middle

  • At least a bachelors degree &
  • Demonstrates competency in each academic subject they teach

Secondary

  • At least a bachelors degree &
  • Demonstrates competency in each academic subject they teach

Mechanisms for demonstrating competency in each core academic subject area:

  • Pass a test (NTE/PRAXIS)
  • Academic major
  • Graduate degree
  • Coursework equivalent to undergraduate academic major (24 semester hours)

Existing Teachers

The term highly qualified teacher applies to any public elementary or secondary school teacher who is fully licensed to teach in the state and does not have any license requirements waived on an emergency, temporary or provisional basis. This refers to teachers who are not new to the profession.

Elementary

  • At least a bachelors degree &
  • Pass a test that demonstrates subject knowledge & teaching skills in reading, writing, mathematics and other areas of the basic elementary school curriculum

Middle

  • At least a bachelors degree &
  • Demonstrates competency in each academic subject they teach

Secondary

  • At least a bachelors degree
  • Demonstrates competency in each academic subject they teach

Mechanisms for demonstrating competency in each core academic subject area:

  • Pass a test (NTE/PRAXIS)
  • Academic major
  • Graduate degree
  • Coursework equivalent to undergraduate academic major (24 semester hours)
  • Advanced certification/credential (National Board Certification)

Other Qualifications

Demonstrates competence in all academic subject areas via a highly objective uniform state standard of evaluation (HOUSSE) that:

  • Is based on both grade appropriate academic subject matter knowledge and teaching skills;
  • Is aligned with challenging State academic content and student academic achievement standards;
  • Provides objective, coherent information about the teacher's attainment of core content knowledge in the academic subject areas being taught;
  • Is applied uniformly to all teachers in the same subject area and grade level;
  • Takes into consideration, but not based primarily on, the time the teacher has taught the academic subject; and
  • May involve multiple objective measures of teacher competency.

HOUSSE Options:

  • Professional Matrix
  • Teacher Effect Data
  • Framework for Evaluation and Professional Growth