News Release

April 18, 2006

For More Information, Contact:
Cecil Cahoon, NEA Public Relations, (202) 822-7823

U.S. Department of Education Reports Validate NEA's Call for Clarity, Assistance on No Child Left Behind Criteria

Requirements for 'highly-qualified' status remain complex, confusing to states

WASHINGTON -- Ongoing compliance reviews being conducted by the U.S. Department of Education suggest  that many states will not meet the stringent No Child Left Behind requirement that all teachers be "highly qualified" by the end of this school year. While Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings first acknowledged this likelihood last fall, recent reports from her office reinforce NEA's call for federal aid and an extension of the deadline since many teachers have faced multiple rule changes and other bureaucratic hurdles in meeting the requirements.

The No Child Left Behind Act requires that 100 percent of teachers in core subjects be "highly qualified" by the end of the 2005-06 school year.

"As more and more teachers strive to meet the standards, the Department of Education keeps changing the rules for becoming 'highly qualified,'" said NEA President Reg Weaver.  "The guidance, regulations and policies on what one has to do to meet these requirements has changed numerous times in the four years since No Child Left Behind was enacted. All these changes add to what was already a complex and confusing process. Because of changes, disputes and a lack of clarity, teachers still don’t know what specific requirements they must meet."

Teachers are caught in the middle now, but administrators will face problems as the next school year begins, Weaver said. In October, Spellings acknowledged the process was so complicated that even states that have acted in good faith are not likely to meet the standard by the end of the school year, and she would give those states an extension.

"Teachers working in states that don't gain the Secretary's generosity will have no time to meet the standard by the end of this school year," Weaver said. "In some states, administrators will face next year with tens of thousands of veteran teachers unfairly labeled 'unqualified'."

One problem, NEA noted, is the mandate's complexity. Many teachers who have earned "highly qualified" status under state rules haven't earned the same status under federal guidelines because of compliance disputes.

Another fundamental problem is the statutory definition of "highly qualified." Special education teachers who teach in "self-contained" classrooms, for example, teach every subject. But the law requires these teachers to be "highly qualified" in every subject they teach, a standard that is extremely difficult to achieve, and which is especially problematic for small or rural schools.

Among NEA's chief recommendations are to extend the deadline for one year, provide states further assistance to meet the requirements, resolve ongoing compliance disputes, clearly define for all parties what is necessary to meet the requirement, and provide sufficient aid to teachers who need help.
 
NEA's Web site section on No Child Left Behind/ESEA includes a chart illustrating the complex process leading to "highly qualified" status.

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The National Education Association is the nation's largest professional employee organization, representing 2.8 million elementary and secondary teachers, higher education faculty, education support professionals, school administrators, retired educators and students preparing to become teachers.