No Child Left Behind

Teacher and Paraprofessional Requirements

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Teacher qualifications

All teachers who teach in a core subject are required to be highly qualified by June 30, 2006. Special Education teachers and ESL teachers who teach core subjects have the same requirements as regular education teachers in that core area, although SPED teachers have a few more options in terms of how to meet the requirements.

What are the core academic subjects?

English, reading or language arts, mathematics, science (biology, chemistry, earth science, general science, physical science, and physics), foreign languages, civics and government, economics, music, theater, art, social studies, history, and geography are designated as core academic subjects.

Highly qualified means the teacher has done the following three things:

1. Obtained full state certification as a teacher and holds a license to teach (no waivers or emergency certifications)
2. Holds a minimum of a bachelor’s degree
3. Demonstrated subject area competency in each of the academic subjects in which the teacher teaches, in a manner determined by the state and in compliance with federal law.

Elementary teachers (K-6) can demonstrate that they are highly qualified in any one of the following ways:

• Passing score on a state-approved elementary Praxis II test
• Passing score on the state’s HOUSSE matrix
• National Board Certification (NBC) as an Early Childhood Generalist (K-3), Middle Childhood Generalist (3-6), or Early Adolescence Generalist (6).
• Specialty teachers (for example in Reading, Art, or Music) are deemed highly qualified if they have a degree or major in the core content, pass a state-approved Praxis II test in the core content, passing score on the HOUSSE (High Objective Uniform State Standard of Evaluation) matrix for the core content, or are NBC in the core content area.
• State reciprocity
• Pass the State Performance Review

Middle and high school teachers must be highly qualified in each core subject they teach. They can be deemed highly qualified in any one of the following ways:

• Degree or advanced degree in the core subject
• College major in the core subject
• Major equivalent in the core subject (Equivalency is defined as 30 semester credits or the equivalent – such as 45 quarter credit hours.)
• Passing score on state-approved Praxis II test in the core content area
• Passing score on the HOUSSE matrix in the core content area
• National Board Certification in the core content area.
• State reciprocity
• Pass the State Performance Review

Secondary special education teachers

• All of the above methods apply; however, some teachers may also be eligible to use the Secondary SPED Multi-subject HOUSSE. This has the same elements as the HOUSSE mentioned above except special education teachers need only obtain 50 rather than 100 points per content area. A maximum of 25 points can be assigned for experience and at least 5 points must be in earned credits.

NCLB paraprofessional requirements apply only to those working in instructional roles in Title I funded schools and programs.

Under NCLB, a Title I paraprofessional must meet the following requirements:

1. Hold a high school diploma (or recognized equivalent) AND EITHER

   1. Hold an associate’s degree or two years of college (48 credits); OR

   2. Demonstrate through a formal assessment both content knowledge and ability to assist in instruction.

      1. The identified test for content knowledge is the HELP assessment.

      2. The standards check list for ability to assist in instruction can be found at www.eed.state.ak.us/TeacherCertification/pdf/AlaskaParaprofessionalChecklist.pdf