Teacher Quality FAQ

1. Legally, what does it mean for a teacher to be “highly qualified”?

According to Title IX, Part A, Section 9101, of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, a teacher must meet the following requirement to be labeled highly qualified.

1. Have full state certification or has passed the state’s licensure exam and holds a license to teach in the state.
2. Hold a bachelor’s degree (the degree must be content specific for middle and high school teachers).
3. Pass the state proficiency test in each content area (a general test is used for elementary teachers).

If the teacher is not new to the profession, then he or she does not need to pass the state proficiency test but can earn the highly qualified label by demonstrating competency through another form of state determined evaluation. 

2. Do these “highly qualified” measures test for teaching skill?
Though each state has flexibility to determine their own measures, few test for pedagogical ability.  The highly qualified standards focus almost completely on content knowledge with little attention paid to the practice of teaching.

3. What must school districts report about teacher quality?
According to NCLB, all school districts (that receive Title I funds) must make teacher quality information available to the public.  The district must report on each teachers licensure status, credential status, and educational degrees.