State and Local Implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act. Volume VIII-Teacher Quality Under NCLB

摘要

Ensuring that every child is taught by a highly qualified teacher is a central feature of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB), the most recent reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). NCLB requires states to set standards for designating all public school teachers as highly qualified and requires districts to notify parents of students in Title I programs if their childs teacher does not meet these standards. The requirements apply to all teachers of core academic subjectsEnglish, reading or language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history, and geographyand to teachers who provide instruction in these subjects to students with limited English proficiency (LEP) and students with disabilities. To help improve the qualifications of teachers, NCLB provides funds that states can use for a wide variety of efforts, from improving certification systems to supporting strategies to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers. The law also supports ongoing professional development for all teachers regardless of their highly qualified status. Finally, NCLB sets standards for the qualifications of instructional paraprofessionals (teacher aides) who are employed with Title I fundsrecognizing that, in many Title I schools, paraprofessionals play a substantial role in childrens educational experiences. Taken together, the requirements of NCLB represent a federal commitment to providing the nations children in all states, districts, and schoolswith teachers and paraprofessionals who will help them achieve at high levels of proficiency.