| back to main page and table of contents
|
ESEA 2001 acknowledges the important role that teacher quality plays in promoting student achievement. It requires that all teachers be "highly qualified" in the subjects they teach by the end of the 2005-06 school year. It also requires states to publish an annual report disclosing the professional qualifications of teachers, the percent working with emergency or provisional credentials, and the percent of classes in the state not taught by "highly qualified" teachers.
The new law consolidates the class-size-reduction and Eisenhower professional-development programs into a single, flexible program for improving teacher and principal quality. The money can be used for various purposes, such as hiring teachers to limit class sizes, providing professional development and funding initiatives to retain highly qualified teachers.
ESEA 2001 also creates a competitive-grant program providing funds for professional development to improve the skills and knowledge of early childhood educators who work with children in low-income communities.
Here are the key implementation deadlines:
By the 2002-03 school year:
- Any new teachers hired with Title I funds must meet requirements of a "highly qualified" teacher.
- Any new paraprofessionals hired with Title I funds must meet new standards of quality.
- States and districts must begin reporting their progress toward ensuring all teachers are "highly qualified."
By the end of the 2005-06 school year:
- All teachers in core academic subjects must be "highly qualified."
- All paraprofessionals working in programs supported with Title I funds must meet the requirements to be "highly qualified."
|
Qualifications
of Teachers Mandated Yes Timeline New teachers hired after the start of 2002-03 in programs supported by Title I, Part A, must be "highly qualified." All teachers must be "highly qualified" by the end of the 2005-06 school year. Funding Level Compliance Districts that fail to make progress toward meeting the measurable objectives after two consecutive years are required to develop an improvement plan, and the state department of education is required to provide technical assistance. After the third year of failing to make progress, the state department and district must agree on how the district's funds are used, and the district must implement activities planned in conjunction with the state department. Also, the district cannot use federal funds for paraprofessionals hired from that point on, unless it is to fill a vacancy created by another paraprofessional leaving or if there are certain increases in enrollment or other special needs. (Title II, Subpart 4 -- Accountability, Sec. 2141) Related Links |
Requirements or Provisions This section of the law is designed to discourage the hiring of teachers who lack expertise in their content areas. It calls for each state receiving funds under Title I, Part A, to develop a plan to ensure all teachers of core academic subjects within the state are "highly qualified" by the end of the 2005-06 school year. The state plan must address (1) an annual increase in the percentage of highly qualified teachers to meet the goal of all being highly qualified by 2005-06, (2) an annual increase in the percentage of teachers receiving high-quality professional development and (3) any other measures the state deems appropriate. School districts receiving funds under Title I, Part A, also must ensure that new teachers hired after the start of the 2002-03 school year and teaching in programs supported with funds from Title I, Part A, are "highly qualified." The term "highly qualified teacher" means:
A teacher does not have to attain the highest level of certification to be considered "highly qualified." Initially licensed or certified teachers may also meet the requirements. Someone teaching a subject for which she or he has not demonstrated subject-matter competency, regardless of whether that teacher is fully certified, would not be considered "highly qualified." Under most circumstances, teachers who participate in alternative-certification programs, and who meet the above requirements, would be considered "highly qualified." ___________________ ** Note that, in some states, the term "provisional" is used to describe entry-level (though fully certified) teachers -- not teachers who do not yet have licenses. It is important to distinguish among (1) "provisional" licenses that allow employees to begin teaching while they pursue the requirements for certification or licensure, (2) licenses that make accommodation for certified teachers entering from other states who need to meet several additional state requirements and (3) licenses designated "provisional" in the certificate title to denote entry-level teachers who have met all certification requirements. Allocation of Funds Although no funds are specifically appropriated, states can use the flexibility provided in Title I and funds allocated under Title II for reforming teacher certification and providing professional development to teachers (see Appendices G and H for state-by-state appropriations for these programs). Status of the States Three states -- Iowa, Nevada and Ohio -- and the District of Columbia indicated in their 2001 Title II reports that they have no teachers on waivers and all teachers fully certified. For individual state reports and policies on teacher quality and preparation, see Title II State Reports 2001, www.title2.org/statereports/index.htm. The following summaries on state efforts are based primarily on information provided by the Manual on the Preparation and Certification of Educational Personnel (2001), produced by the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification. See Appendix E for a complete list of states. How state policies match ESEA 2001 requirements for elementary school teachers:
How state policies match ESEA 2001 requirements for middle and secondary school teachers:
Ensuring subject-matter competency Several states have policies to ensure teachers can demonstrate subject-matter competency. Some examples include:
(Source: ECS state policy database) Policy Questions for State Leaders To Consider
|
| Qualifications
of Paraprofessionals Title I, Part A, Subpart 1, Sec. 1119 Mandated Yes Timeline As of the date of enactment, new paraprofessionals must meet one of the requirements specified; existing paraprofessionals must do so no later than four years after the date of enactment. Funding Level Unspecified Compliance Unspecified Related Links "Teacher Assistants" (Occupational Outlook Handbook, U.S.
Department of Labor) Roles for Education: Paraprofessionals in Effective Schools
(U.S. Department of Education, 1997) Review of Teacher Assistants Education, Programs and Standards
(Research Triangle Institute, Center for Research in Education,
1998)
|
Requirements or Provisions Each state receiving funds under Title I, Part A, must develop a plan to ensure that all paraprofessionals working in a program supported by Title I funds meet one of the following requirements to be "highly qualified":
This requirement applies immediately to paraprofessionals hired after the enactment of ESEA 2001. Existing paraprofessionals must meet one of the above requirements no later than four years after the date of enactment. In addition, all paraprofessionals, regardless of hiring date, must have earned a high school diploma or its equivalent. Allocation of Funds Although no funds are specifically appropriated, states can use the flexibility provided in Title I and funds allocated under Title II for reforming teacher certification and providing professional development to teachers. Status of the States No recent information available. Policy Questions for State Leaders To Consider
|
|
Teacher
Qualification Disclosure Mandated Yes Timeline Not later than the 2002-03 school year Funding Level No additional funding Compliance If a state fails to meet any of the requirements in this section, the secretary of education may withhold funds for state administration until it is determined that the state has fulfilled the requirements.
|
Requirements or Provisions Unless the state has received an extension, any state that receives assistance under Title I, Part A, must prepare and disseminate not later than the 2002-03 school year an annual report card that includes:
State departments of education also must submit a plan that includes steps it will take to ensure poor and minority children are not taught at higher rates than other children by inexperienced, uncertified or out-of-field teachers. School districts receiving funds under Title I, Part A, must notify parents of children who attend Title I schools that they may request information about the professional qualifications of classroom teachers, including, at a minimum:
Information requested by parents must be provided in a "timely manner." In addition, schools that receive funds under Title I, Part A, also must provide timely notice to a parent whose child has been assigned to or taught, for four or more weeks, by a teacher who is not highly qualified. Status of the States Some states already require districts and/or schools to report on teacher qualifications:
(Source: ECS StateNotes: State Performance Indicators, January 2002) In addition, Arkansas requires parents to be notified when a noncertified teacher has been assigned to teach their child's class for more than 30 consecutive days. (Source: ECS state policy database) Policy Questions for State Leaders To Consider
|
|
Teacher
and Principal Training and Recruiting Funds Mandated Participation is voluntary. Timeline No specific timeline indicated Funding Level FY02 - $2.85 billion Compliance Unspecified
|
Requirements or Provisions This part of Title II combines federal funding from the previously authorized Eisenhower and Class Size Reduction programs. State education departments are responsible for the distribution of funds in conjunction with state higher education agencies. Funds are to be distributed in the form of competitive grants to eligible partnerships. The state education department must use these funds to carry out one or more of several specified activities, including, but not limited to:
|
|
Transition
to Teaching Mandated Participation is voluntary. Timeline No specific timeline indicated Funding Level FY02 - $35 million Compliance Unspecified
|
Requirements or Provisions Grants will be available to state education departments and high-need school districts to develop teacher corps or other programs to recruit and retain highly qualified mid-career professionals and recent graduates as teachers in high-need schools, including recruiting teachers through alternative routes to certification. Policy Questions for State Leaders To Consider
|
|
Early
Childhood Educator Professional Development Mandated Participation is voluntary. Timeline No specific timeline indicated Funding LevelFY02 - $15 million for partnership grants Compliance Unspecified Related Links ECS Issue Site on Early Childhood National Association for the Education of Young Children
|
Requirements or Provisions This provision seeks to enhance the school readiness of young children, particularly disadvantaged children, by improving the knowledge and skills of early childhood educators who work in communities with high concentrations of poor children. Allowable activities include professional development that focuses on early language and literacy development, working with families and/or working with children with behavioral problems or who are victims of abuse. States also may use funds to provide support for early childhood educators during their first three years in the field and/or to provide professional development programs using distance learning and other technologies. Allocation of Funds Competitive Grant - Grants will be made to partnerships that include at least one higher education institution or another entity that provides professional development for early childhood educators who work with children from low-income families in high-need communities. The partnerships also must include one or more public agencies, Head Start agencies or private organizations. Status of the States Here's a look at several programs focused on enhancing the professional development of early childhood educators in high-need communities:
Policy Questions for State Leaders To Consider
|
|
Troops to Teachers Mandated Participation is voluntary. Timeline No specific timeline indicated Funding Level FY02 - $18 million Compliance Unspecified Related Links
|
Requirements or Provisions This program is designed to:
|