No Child Left Behind & Teaching Quality

1. No Child Left Behind & Teaching Quality • Presentation Prepared for Panel Discussion • Colorado Association for Teacher Educators • Spring 2004 Conference • Jennifer Azordegan • Researcher, Education Commission of the States • 303.299.3650 jazordegan@ecs.org A 50-state Perspective of Policy Implementation

2. No Child Left Behind & Teaching QualityA 50-state Perspective of Policy Implementation Overview: Education Commission of the States (ECS) • Nonprofit, nonpartisan organization created by an interstate compact in 1965 to: “To help state leaders identify, develop and implement public policy for education that addresses current and future needs of a learning society.” • Our commissioners include: governors, statelegislators, chiefstateschoolofficers, state and localschoolboardmembers, superintendents, highereducationofficials and businessleaders.

3. No Child Left Behind & Teaching QualityA 50-state Perspective of Policy Implementation The ECS NCLB Database: http://nclb.ecs.org/ • Tracks state activity related to policy implementation of NCLB • Data include state laws, departmental regulations, board rules, directives and practices related to 40 requirements across seven major sections of the NCLB legislation • Helps to identify technical assistance needs and notable policies and promising practices that could help individual states address unique cultural or political realities confronting them during implementation

4. No Child Left Behind & Teaching QualityA 50-state Perspective of Policy Implementation Areas of ECS’ NCLB – Teaching Quality Research • State definitions for “Highly Qualified Teachers” • Subject-matter competency requirements for new and existing teachers • “High-quality” professional development

5. No Child Left Behind & Teaching QualityA 50-state Perspective of Policy Implementation What is a “Highly Qualified Teacher”? • Has full state certification and has not had any certification or licensure requirements waived on an emergency, temporary or provisional basis • Holds a minimum of a bachelor’s degree • Has demonstrated subject-matter competency in each core academic subject taught. * All states must have a plan that establishes annual measurable objectives for each district and school that, at a minimum, includesan annual increase in the percentage of highly qualified teachers at each district and school.

6. Appears on track Appears partially on track Doesn’t appear to be on track No Child Left Behind & Teaching QualityA 50-state Perspective of Policy Implementation State Policy Progress on “Highly Qualified” Definitions

7. No Child Left Behind & Teaching QualityA 50-state Perspective of Policy Implementation States’ Challenges with the “Highly Qualified” Definition • Paradigm shift. “Certified” can no longer pass as “qualified.” • Shortage areas. How to attract “highly qualified teachers” to already critical shortage areas? • Early childhood education and pre-K teachers. Teachers who work with the youngest children will be affected by the NCLB provisions on highly qualified teachers if they are included in the state’s elementary and secondary school system. • Long-term substitutes. Long-term substitute teachers of core academic subjects must be highly qualified. • Data systems. How do you show improvement without reliable baselines? Many state data systems don’t yet include the teacher qualification or assignment information needed to determine how many teachers are highly qualified.

8. ELEMENTARY State test: Covering teaching skills and elementary curriculum OR, for existing teachers High Objective Uniform State Standard of Evaluation (HOUSSE) MIDDLE/SECONDARY Subject-knowledge test Academic major or coursework equivalency Graduate degree Advanced certification OR, for existing teachers High Objective Uniform State Standard of Evaluation (HOUSSE) No Child Left Behind & Teaching QualityA 50-state Perspective of Policy Implementation Subject-matter Competence Requirements

9. Appears on track Appears partially on track Doesn’t appear to be on track No Child Left Behind & Teaching QualityA 50-state Perspective of Policy Implementation State Policy Progress on Subject-matter Competence

10. No Child Left Behind & Teaching QualityA 50-state Perspective of Policy Implementation State Progress on HOUSSEs for Existing Teachers

11. No Child Left Behind & Teaching QualityA 50-state Perspective of Policy Implementation States’ Challenges with Subject-matter Competence • Middle grades. NCLB encourages a level of subject mastery more similar to that of a secondary teacher than an elementary teacher. • Unevenness. Are states creating evaluations that strike a balance between rewarding experienced teachers for years of subject-specific knowledge, effort and service, while creating rigorous content standards for all teachers – whether novice or veteran? • Rural teachers. How can rural teachers receive the academic assistance and professional development they need to become highly qualified? • Special education and bilingual/ESL teachers. If these teachers are teaching core academic subjects in a stand-alone situation, they need to be “highly qualified.”

12. No Child Left Behind & Teaching QualityA 50-state Perspective of Policy Implementation High-quality Professional Development • Professional development opportunities, as defined in NCLB: • Are not 1-day or short-term workshops or conferences • Are high quality, sustained, intensive and classroom-focused in order to have a positive and lasting impact on classroom instruction and the teacher's performance in the classroom • Improve and increase teachers' knowledge of the academic subjects taught and enable teachers to become highly qualified • Include instruction in the use of data and assessments to inform and instruct classroom practice. * All states must have a plan that establishes annual measurable objectives for each district and school that, at a minimum, includes an annual increase in the percentage of teachers who are receiving high-quality professional development.

13. No Child Left Behind & Teaching QualityA 50-state Perspective of Policy Implementation States’ Challenges with NCLB Professional Development New role. States need to align their professional development with the federal definition, set improvement goals for all districts and schools, and ensure all teachers have the same access to quality professional development. Guidance. States have not received clear, consistent and timely guidance as to what would mean “compliance” in this area. Data systems. How do you show improvement without reliable baselines? Many state data systems don’t include statewide information on teachers receiving high-quality professional development or whether those activities are applicable to current teaching assignments.

14. No Child Left Behind & Teaching QualityA 50-state Perspective of Policy Implementation Role of Teacher Educators in “Highly Qualified” World • Defining Highly Qualified Teachers • Faculty should develop deeper knowledge of NCLB and engage with others on and off campus about what it will take to better ensure the success of their graduates. • Michigan convened an NCLB Institute for Teacher Preparation Institutions to discuss the challenges, expectations and opportunities created by NCLB’s teaching provisions.

15. No Child Left Behind & Teaching QualityA 50-state Perspective of Policy Implementation Role of Teacher Educators in “Highly Qualified” World • Subject-matter Competence • Engage the arts and science faculty in teacher education, to ensure candidates have the depth of content expertise they need. • UTeach at the University of Texas at Austin

16. No Child Left Behind & Teaching QualityA 50-state Perspective of Policy Implementation Role of Teacher Educators in “Highly Qualified” World • Professional Development • Strengthen clinical and field experiences through school-university partnerships. • Texas A&M University System • Provide professional development for current teachers. • The University of North Carolina’s Center for School Leadership Development