Rural Schools
Does the new U.S. Department of Education flexibility provision
(March 15, 2004) for small schools in rural districts impact schools
in California?
How do we know whether we’re eligible?
And
what does the “additional time” mean?
California will implement this program in the coming months after
all the details are in place and eligible districts have been
notified.
Criteria for participation in the flexibility option are the same
as those required for the Rural Education Achievement Program’s
(REAP) Small, Rural School Achievement Program (SRSA). Corrected data for FY 2005-06 (Posted 5-Apr-2006; XLS; 852KB; 16pp.)
More specifically, the REAP list includes eligible schools in
districts that meet the following two requirements:
- a. The total number of students in average daily attendance
at all schools served by the Local Educational Agency (LEA)
is fewer than 600, or
b. All schools in the district are located in counties with a population density of fewer than 10 persons per square mile;
and - a. All schools served by the LEA have a school locale code
of 7 or 8, as determined by the Secretary, or
b. The LEA is located in an area of the state defined as rural by the SEA
or another governmental agency of the state.
Eligible districts have an extended period of time to meet the
NCLB teacher requirements. Specifically, currently employed
teachers who teach multiple subjects and are highly qualified
in at least one core academic subject they teach have until the
2006-07 school year to complete the process of demonstrating subject
matter competence in all core classes they teach. In addition,
newly hired teachers who teach multiple subjects
and are highly qualified in at least one core academic subject
they teach will have three years from the date of hire to complete
the process of demonstrating subject matter competence in all
core subject classes they teach.
In order to use this flexibility, eligible LEAs must include in
their LEA Plan a description of how:
- All teachers who teach multiple core academic subjects are highly qualified in at least one core academic subject they teach.
- The LEA will provide high-quality professional development that increases the teachers’ content knowledge in the additional subjects they teach.
- The LEA will provide mentoring or a program of intensive supervision that consists of structured guidance and regular, ongoing support so that teachers become highly qualified in the additional core academic subject(s) they teach.
Science Teachers
Does the new U.S. Department of Education flexibility provision (March 15, 2004) for science teachers affect NCLB compliance for California secondary science teachers?
No. The flexibility provision allows a state to rely on its own science credentialing system to determine areas in which teachers must certify subject matter competence. This provision benefits states that offered a credential in general science. Therefore, the USDE flexibility provision for science teachers does not change California ’s processes for complying with the NCLB teacher requirements. California’s current credential laws require certification in biology, physics, chemistry, and geosciences. As before, science teachers who are “not new” to the profession can use the High Objective Uniform State Standard of Evaluation (HOUSSE) option to verify subject matter competence in the science areas they teach.
Do secondary agriculture teachers who teach agriculture science courses that meet high school biological science graduation requirements and/or UC/CSU admission requirements need to possess a credential in biological science?
If the agriculture instructor possesses a single subject agriculture credential or standard secondary credential in agricultural science, that teacher has a major equivalent of course work that would satisfy the biological sciences requirements. Therefore the instructor would not need a biological sciences credential in order to be NCLB subject-matter compliant to teach an agriculture science course that offers biological science credit. If the science class is an agriculturally based biological science class, the holder of an agriculture credential may be assigned to teach the class.
Social Sciences
Can a teacher demonstrate NCLB subject matter competency for civics and government, economics, history, and/or geography through a single subject social science credential?
Yes. California’s single subject social science credential is issued to teachers who have completed a California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CCTC) approved social science subject matter program or have passed a CCTC approved social science examination. In California, one cannot earn a social science credential without having demonstrated sufficient knowledge in each of the specified areas of civics/government, economics, history, and geography. Currently the CSET: Social Science exam is used for verifying social science subject matter knowledge. A list of CCTC approved social science subject matter programs is available (Outside Source). A major, major equivalent, or advanced degree in an individual area of social science, such as history or economics, would also verify subject matter competence for that specific subject area.
Reading Intervention Teachers
How can a middle/secondary reading intervention teacher demonstrate NCLB compliance in reading?
There are a variety of credentialing options that would be appropriate
for reading intervention teachers. These options include a multiple
subject credential, a single subject English credential, a general
elementary credential, a standard elementary credential, a reading
specialist credential or a reading certificate. Teachers with
a special education credential may only teach reading to special
education students. School districts may contact the California
Commission on Teacher Credentialing for information about other
teaching assignment options.
In addition to the appropriate credential, teachers need to demonstrate
subject matter competence for NCLB. Middle/secondary teachers
who were issued a credential prior to July 1, 2002 and are considered “not new to the profession” can use the (HOUSSE) process.
For many reading intervention teachers, the HOUSSE option will
allow them to demonstrate NCLB compliance in reading. The HOUSSE
process would give credit for years of teaching reading, any college
course work in reading or related subjects, and for the reading
intervention staff development, including the training, the follow-up
activities, portfolio work, and also for observations.
Teachers who are "new to the profession" (issued a credential
on or after July 1, 2002), do not have the option of the HOUSSE,
but can demonstrate subject matter competence in reading through
course work options, including a major, major equivalent (32 units),
advanced degree, or advanced certification. The reading certificate
or reading specialist credential can be considered advanced certification
for verifying NCLB subject matter competence in reading.
Title 5 regulations (Section 6100) allow a local educational agency
to designate a course as elementary, middle, or high school. If
a reading intervention course is designated as elementary, the
teacher would use the elementary teacher options for verifying
NCLB subject matter competence. Discussions are ongoing regarding
verification of subject matter competence by examination, and
clarification will be included in future postings of the NCLB
Teacher Requirements Frequently Asked Questions.
For more information, please see the California Department of
Education’s NCLB Teacher Requirements Resource Guide.
