Meeting NCLB Highly Qualified Teacher Requirements: Making the Right Assignment

As districts opened for the 2006-07 school year under No Child Left Behind (NCLB), the importance of teacher assignment is vital as schools address the Highly Qualified requirement for every core academic subject educator.

Under NCLB, in addition to holding state certification, the teacher must hold a minimum of a bachelor’s degree with a major or the equivalent of a major (30 semester credit hours) in the content area, or pass the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) subject area content exam, or complete one of the High Objective Uniform State Standards of Evaluation (HOUSSE) options for meeting the Highly Qualified requirement.

Michigan Has Always Emphasized High Standards for Teachers

Long before NCLB was passed, Michigan law required that teachers be appropriately assigned to teach within the grade level and subject area endorsement(s) indicated on their teaching certificates. For example, a teacher with a secondary certificate with endorsements in mathematics and biology (grades 7-12) should only be assigned to teach math courses in grades 7-12 and/or biology. It would be inappropriate to assign this teacher to teach chemistry, physics, or general science.

In order to assist local districts in the appropriate placement of teachers, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) has developed a document entitled “Classes That Can Be Taught by Holders of Various Endorsements, as Impacted by NCLB”.

Some Exceptions Do Exist

Section 1233b of the Michigan School Code allows a school district to employ certain non-certificated individuals to teach specific courses under a permit while the individual completes a teacher preparation program. Individuals who have at least a bachelor’s degree with a major in the subjects of mathematics, chemistry, biology, physics, engineering, computer science, robotics, or a foreign language are eligible to teach under a Section 1233b permit. The individual may work for up to one year before deciding to enroll in a teacher preparation program. After one year, the individual must take and pass any of the appropriate MTTC exams to remain eligible for the 1233b permit. While enrolled in a teacher preparation program, the district must provide a mentor to the teacher as well as assure that university supervision is provided. The teacher may then be considered highly qualified and will have three years to complete the teacher preparation program and gain certification. In addition, the teacher may use the experience of teaching in the classroom to fulfill the student teaching requirement. Time served as a classroom teacher under the Section 1233b permit may also be used to satisfy the probationary period required by the Teacher Tenure Act.

MDE Assistance is Available

Michigan, along with every other state, has been required by the United States Department of Education (USDOE) to revise its state plan to ensure that all teachers of core academic subjects meet the Highly Qualified goal.

As of January 2006, almost 95 percent of the affected Michigan teachers have demonstrated that they are highly qualified for their assignments. The MDE is committed to working closely with districts that fail to meet the Highly Qualified teacher requirement. The MDE has the authority to direct the use of federal money awarded to the districts to ensure all teachers are highly qualified.

As the MDE moves into the next phase of implementation of the NCLB, continued monitoring of teacher assignments will occur and districts will be assisted, when necessary, in meeting this requirement.

For more information, contact: Dr. Flora L. Jenkins, Director, Office of Professional Preparation Services, Michigan Department of Education, P.O. Box 30008, Lansing, MI 48909, (517) 373-6505.