Special education teachers

1.  Within which core academic content areas must special education teachers be

NCLB "highly qualified"?

Secondary level teachers must be HQ in any or all of the 10 content areas they teach that have been identified under NCLB:

English       language arts/reading     mathematics

science       history                          geography

economics   civics and government     world languages               

                          the arts (music, art, dance and theatre)

The HQ requirements apply to special education teachers who teach these subjects to one or more students, whether the instruction takes place in a regular classroom, a resource room, or another setting.

2. Must a special education teacher demonstrate HQ in all of the subjects s/he

teaches?

Yes, unless the special education teacher co-teaches a core academic subject with another teacher who is HQ in that subject, and is responsible for the oversight and implementation of the subject curriculum.

3. Which exams are acceptable for demonstrating HQ status?

The following exams are acceptable for a special education teacher who teaches in an elementary setting : the Praxis II elementary education exams or the (formerly used) CONNECT exam. If a special education teacher completed the BEST portfolio, the subject area that was the focus of that portfolio (numeracy or literacy) would also "count" as acceptable testing. 

 The following exams are acceptable for a special education teacher who teaches in a middle level or secondary setting : the Praxis II subject-specific exams or the (formerly used) CONNECT exam.

The Praxis II exams for special education certification are not acceptable for demonstrating HQ, because they do not test specific subject area knowledge.

4. Do special education teachers who are just coming into the profession have to

demonstrate HQ in every subject area before they can be hired?

Not in every subject right away. In order to be hired after July 1, 2006, to be the primary teacher of core academic content, special education teachers must be HQ in one of the following core academic content areas: reading/language arts/English, mathematics, or science. They will then have up to two years to become HQ in the other core academic subjects they teach; districts may choose to use their HOUSSE process for this.

5. What if a teacher became certified prior to testing being required in CT?

For those teachers, an undergraduate major or graduate level degree (or its equivalent) in the content area will suffice to be NCLB ?highly qualified.? For example, if a special education teacher holds an undergraduate major in elementary education, and currently teaches on the elementary level, that major is acceptable for demonstrating HQ. Similarly, if a special education teacher holds an undergraduate major in English, and currently teaches on the middle or secondary level, that major is acceptable for demonstrating HQ for the English subject area.

6. How does this affect special education teachers whose assignments change

frequently (often because they have different student caseloads)? 

In such cases, the teacher must demonstrate HQ for the content area s/he currently teaches. If the teacher?s assignment changes, then s/he must also demonstrate HQ for the other content area(s) being taught.

7. If a teacher in a high school setting can't meet the HQ requirements through

a major, an advanced degree, or testing, what other options are available?

In such a situation, the teacher would rely on the district HOUSSE process to demonstrate competence. 

8. What requirements pertain to special educators who instruct students with

disabilities who are assessed using the alternate achievement standards (CMT/CAPT checklist)?

If they instruct ONLY such students, these special education teachers must be HQ, in the core academic subjects they teach, at the cognitive level of their students, not the age level. Therefore, a special education teacher teaching high school age students whose instruction is on an elementary level may demonstrate HQ in the elementary curricular content areas. They could do this, for example, by passing the Praxis II elementary exams.