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Each state receiving Title I funds must develop a plan to ensure that all teachers of core academic subjects are “highly qualified” by the end of the 2005-06 school year. In addition, starting the first day of the 2002-03 school year, teachers hired and teaching in a program supported with Title I, Part A funds must have been “highly qualified.” Districts must use at least 5 percent of their Title I, Part A funds to help teachers become “highly qualified.”

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 also 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.

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). (Texas’ HOUSE plan may be viewed on the TCTA Web site).

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. 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.

These requirements should pose no problem for teachers who obtained certification after the Examination for the Certification of Educators in Texas (ExCET) became a prerequisite for certification in May 1986, or for those taking the new Texas Examinations of Educator Standards (TExES). However, the requirement for demonstrated competency in the subject taught is a problem for those whose certification was obtained prior to the ExCET requirement.

“Highly qualified” rules eased for rural, science or multiple-subject teachers

Individuals teaching in rural areas or assigned to teach science or multiple subjects have greater flexibility in demonstrating that they are “highly qualified” under the NCLB Act according to the following provisions:

  • Teachers in eligible, small, rural and isolated areas who are “highly qualified” in at least one subject will have until 2007 to become highly qualified in the additional subjects they teach.
  • 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.

Special education teachers

The law requires experienced special education teachers to demonstrate competency in every core subject area they teach, just like all other experienced teachers, either through HOUSE, passing the applicable certification exam, or the extra option for secondary teachers of having an academic major or coursework equivalent to the subject taught by the end of the 2005-06 school year. The law does contain some options for certain circumstances:

  1. New special education teachers who do not exclusively teach students who are assessed on alternative achievement standards must demonstrate competency in every subject taught when hired, UNLESS teaching two or more core academic subjects, in which case competency must be demonstrated in at least one core subject area 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.
  2. New elementary special education teachers of students who exclusively take an alternative assessment (typically the State-Developed Alternative Assessment or SDAA) have the option of meeting HOUSE in order to be “highly qualified” (formerly available only to experienced teachers); experienced and new special education teachers of these students at the secondary level have the option of demonstrating competency by being determined by the state to have the subject matter knowledge appropriate to the level of instruction needed to effectively teach to those standards.

HOUSE options assist visiting international teachers

TEA has developed options for meeting elementary HOUSE option A or secondary HOUSE procedures to assist school districts wishing to hire visiting international teachers participating in foreign teacher exchange programs. Eligible teachers will be officially recognized by the State Board for Educator Certification/Texas Education Agency for periods not to exceed three years. Visit the SBEC Web site to view these options.

Updated: 04/25/07