What It Means To Be a 'Highly Qualified Teacher'.

This essay distinguishes between the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act's narrow definition of highly qualified teachers and the full range of skills and knowledge teachers must have to teach all children effectively. It asserts that the NCLB's lack of distinction between minimally and highly qualified teachers, along with rapid implementation schedules and limited resources, poses serious problems for building the teaching profession. The federal government is now pushing for a national standard for teachers and for a public reporting system that drives consumer demand for competent, caring, qualified teachers. The National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education and the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium have developed specific standards for prepared novice teachers, and the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards has developed standards for accomplished practice. Many states have not invested in the kinds of assessments that will determine whether new teachers are qualified to teach according to these standards. Although most states assess prospective teachers, most are not using true performance measures. The federal government is developing a national subject matter test that could help create a higher and consistent standard for all new teachers. This paper lists eight steps that must be taken before this can occur. (SM)