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Provisions of the federal legislation known as the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act require that all teachers of core academic subjects who were newly hired after the first day of instruction for the 2002-03 school year be "highly qualified" pursuant to the terms of the legislation.

As a result of TCTA efforts, the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) has approved Texas’ revised highly qualified plan which not only extends the deadline to meet highly qualified requirements to the end of the 2006-07 school year, but gives secondary experienced teachers who have been determined to be "highly qualified" and are subsequently reassigned out-of-field the ability to use HOUSE until the end of the 08-09 school year. Districts must use at least 5 percent of their Title 1, Part A funds to help teachers become "highly qualified".

The Act specifies that core academic subjects are English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history and geography.

Definition of "highly qualified"

To be "highly qualified" under the NCLB Act, a teacher must have:

  • At least a bachelor’s degree;

AND

  • Full state certification* (for charter school teachers, state certification requirements specific to charter schools);

AND

  • Demonstrated competency in the core academic subject area assigned.

Demonstrating competency

The options for demonstrating subject competency differ for elementary (EC-6) and secondary (7-12) teachers, as well as for new and experienced teachers. "New" is defined as a teacher who has never taught elementary, middle or high school. "Experienced" is defined as a teacher who has previously taught elementary, middle or high school.

For new elementary teachers, the only option for demonstrating subject competency is passage of the applicable state certification exam. For experienced elementary teachers, there are two options: pass the applicable state certification exam OR meet a "high, objective, uniform standard of evaluation" (HOUSE).

For new secondary teachers, the options are to pass the applicable certification exam OR have an academic major or coursework equivalent for the subject taught (i.e., 24 semester hours, with 12 of the hours being upper-division (junior- or senior-level) courses in the core academic subject area). For experienced secondary teachers, the options are to pass the applicable certification exam OR have an academic major or coursework equivalent to the subject taught OR meet HOUSE.

"Highly qualified" rules eased in certain situations

  • Multiple-subject secondary teachers in rural schools who are highly qualified in one of the subjects they teach at the time of hire, can use HOUSE to demonstrate competence in additional subjects taught within three years of the hire date.
  • Any experienced (not new to the profession) secondary teacher who was eligible to use the HOUSE option prior to the end of the 2006-2007 school year, who has demonstrated highly qualified status in his/her teaching assignment and is subsequently asked or required to add or change teaching assignments, may use HOUSE to demonstrate highly qualified teacher status in the new assignment. This use of HOUSE will be phased out at the end of the 2008-2009 school year.
  • Any experienced secondary teacher may continue to use HOUSE to demonstrate subject matter competency for mathematics or science for documenting highly qualified teacher status. This option is to allow school districts and teachers to prepare for the new state high school graduation requirements for four mathematics and four science credits. This HOUSE option will phase out at the end of the 2012-2013 school year.
  • New special education teachers who do not exclusively teach students who are assessed on alternative achievement standards must demonstrate competency in every core subject taught when hired, UNLESS teaching two or more core academic subjects, in which case competency must be demonstrated in at least math, language arts or science when hired, leaving two years from the date of hire to demonstrate competency in the other core subject(s) taught. Competency can be demonstrated via HOUSE, passing the applicable exam, or the extra option for secondary teachers of having an academic major or coursework equivalent to the subject taught.
  • Experienced secondary special education teachers can meet highly qualified requirements via HOUSE for Secondary Special Education teachers. Secondary special education teachers who teach core academic subjects on an elementary level exclusively to children who are assessed pursuant to alternate achievement standards are considered highly qualified if they meet highly qualified requirements for elementary teachers. Those options are (a) passing the appropriate elementary certification test, or (b) the additional option for experienced teachers of meeting elementary HOUSE (High Objective Uniform Standard of Evaluation).
  • Visiting international teachers, who participate in foreign teacher exchange programs officially recognized by the State Board for Educator Certification and the Texas Education Agency, may use HOUSE to demonstrate highly qualified teacher status for a period not to exceed three years.
  • Science teachers may now demonstrate that they are highly qualified according to the state’s certification standards. For example, if a state certifies teachers in the general field of science, then subject-matter competency may be demonstrated through a "broad field" test or major. If a state requires certification or licensure in the specific science subjects, such as physics, biology or chemistry, then competency would need to be demonstrated in each of the subjects.
  • Current multiple-subject teachers, particularly teachers in middle schools or special education, are not required to return to school or get a degree in every subject they teach but may demonstrate subject-matter competency through the HOUSE option. Under the new guidelines, the HOUSE option may be streamlined to allow teachers to demonstrate subject-matter knowledge through one procedure for all subjects they teach while maintaining the same high standard for subject-matter mastery.

*Teachers in ACP programs may be considered to be highly qualified during the internship year if the teacher meets the following three requirements.

a. Teachers in ACP programs, who are not yet fully certified may be considered to meet the certification requirements in the NCLB definition of a highly qualified teacher if they are participating in an SBEC-approved alternative route to certification program under which they:

(1) receive, BEFORE AND WHILE TEACHING, high-quality professional development that is sustained, intensive, and classroom-focused in order to have a positive and lasting impact on classroom instruction before and while teaching;

(2) participate in a program of intensive supervision that consists of structured guidance and regular ongoing support for teachers, or a teacher mentoring program;

(3) assume functions as a teacher only for a specified period of time not to exceed three years; and

(4) demonstrate satisfactory progress toward full certification as prescribed by state statute.

b. Holds a minimum of a bachelor’s degree; and

c. Has demonstrated subject matter competency in each of the academic subjects in which the teacher is assigned to teach, in a manner determined by TEA and in compliance with Section 9101(23) of ESEA.

(1) For new elementary ACP interns, this would be demonstrated by passing a rigorous State test of subject knowledge and teaching skills in reading, writing, mathematics, and other areas of the basic elementary school curriculum (WHICH CONSISTS of passing a TExES certification exam or tests in reading, writing, mathematics, and other areas of the basic elementary school curriculum.)

(2) For new secondary ACP interns, this would be either passing the appropriate TExES exam or having an academic major or graduate degree or the coursework equivalent to an undergraduate academic major [i.e., 24 semester hours, with 12 of the hours being upper-division (junior- or senior-level) courses] in the core academic subject areas in which they teach.

Updated: 06/25/07