NEW JERSEYS MODEL FOR HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS

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NEW JERSEYS MODEL FOR HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS

• Identifying Excellence
• Recognizing Achievement
• Supporting Professional Learning
• Jay Doolan, Director
• Office of Academic and Professional Standards
• New Jersey Department of Education

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Before We Begin

• No consequences to individual teachers in terms
  of job loss if teachers have not yet satisfied
  the federal standard of a Highly Qualified
  Teacher.
• DOE provides orientation to districts and sets
  state goals.
• Forms completed by November 3.
• Districts provide teachers with training and
  support, and summarize data.

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No Child Left Behind Act-2001

• Places major emphasis on teacher quality as a
  factor in improving student achievement.
• Requires states to develop plans with annual
  measurable objectives to ensure that all teachers
  in core academic subjects are highly qualified by
  the end of the 2005-2006 school year.

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The Highly Qualified Teacher

• To satisfy the federal definition of Highly
  Qualified, teachers must
• Have at least a Bachelors degree
• Have valid state certification for which no
  requirements have been waived (i.e., no
  emergency certificates) and
• Demonstrate content expertise in the core
  academic subject(s) they teach.

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What are the Core Academic Subjects?

• NCLBs core academic subjects
• English Science Government
• Lang. Arts Math Geography
• Reading History Economics
• Arts Civics Foreign Langs.
• These align with the CCCS
• Lang. Arts Literacy Science
• Social Studies Math
• Visual Perf. Arts World Langs.

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Who Must Satisfy the Federal Definition of a
Highly Qualified Teacher?

• Elementary Teachers
• (self-contained, all subjects)
• Middle and Secondary Teachers in core academic
  subjects and
• Special Education and ESL Teachers who provide
  direct instruction in one or more core academic
  subjects.

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The Timeline for Compliance
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Definitions

• New Teacher Novice in his or her first year of
  teaching.
• Newly Hired Teacher Experienced teacher in his
  or her first year in a new district.
• Veteran Teacher
• Title I Schools/Programs - One hired before
  2002-2003
• Non-Title I Schools - One hired before 2005-2006.

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To Demonstrate Content Expertise Highly
Qualified Elementary Teachers

• Pass a rigorous state test (i.e., NTE or Praxis
  II Elementary Education Content Knowledge Test)
• Or
• Document 10 points on the NJ HOUSE Standard (This
  option is not available to new and newly hired
  teachers in Title I schools and programs).

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To Demonstrate Content ExpertiseHighly Qualified
Middle School Teachers

• Pass the appropriate state test(s) (i.e., NTE or
  Praxis II) for the subject(s) they teach or
• Have an undergraduate major, a 30 credit sequence
  of courses or a graduate degree in the subject(s)
  they teach or
• Have an advanced credential (i.e., NBPTS
  certification) in their subject(s)
• or
• Document 10 points on the NJ HOUSE Standard (This
  option is not available to new/newly hired
  teachers in Title I schools and programs).

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To Demonstrate Content Expertise Highly
Qualified Secondary Teachers

• Pass the appropriate state test(s) (i.e., NTE or
  Praxis II) for the subject(s) they teach or
• Have an undergraduate major, a 30 credit sequence
  of courses or a graduate degree in the subject(s)
  they teach or
• Have an advanced credential (i.e., NBPTS
  certification) in their subject(s)
• or
• Document 10 points on the NJ HOUSE Standard (This
  option is not available to new/newly hired
  teachers in Title I schools and programs).

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Highly Qualified Special Education Teachers
Providing Direct Content Instruction

• Elementary Special Education teachers (including
  those in self-contained classes in grades 6-8)
  must satisfy the federal definition of a Highly
  Qualified Teacher at the elementary level.
• Middle (departmentalized) and secondary Special
  Education teachers must satisfy the definition
  based on the grade level of the curriculum they
  teach rather than the age of the students. This
  may mean satisfying elementary, middle and/or
  secondary levels.

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Highly Qualified ESL Teachers Providing Direct
Content Instruction

• Elementary ESL teachers must satisfy the federal
  definition of a Highly Qualified Teacher at the
  elementary level.
• Middle and Secondary ESL teachers must satisfy
  the definition based on the grade level of the
  curriculum they teach rather than the age of the
  students. This may mean satisfying elementary,
  middle and/or secondary levels.

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Paperwork What Forms Will Teachers Need?

• Five NJ Highly Qualified Teacher Identification
  forms for
• Holders of Elementary and Special Education
  certification teaching self-contained elementary
  grades
• Holders of Elementary certification teaching in
  departmentalized middle schools
• Holders of Middle/Secondary Content Area
  certification
• Holders of Special Education certification
  teaching in departmentalized middle/secondary
  schools
• Holders of K-12 Content or ESL certification

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Forms

• A NJ HOUSE Standard Content Knowledge Matrix
• A Statement of Assurance
• A Statement of Assurance specific to new newly
  hired teachers in Title I Schools/programs

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Paperwork How Many Forms Do Teachers Complete?

• Teachers complete a separate NJ Highly Qualified
  Teacher Identification form for each current
  teaching assignment they have and for each
  additional certificate they hold for which they
  do not have a current teaching assignment.
• (Teaching Assignment the grade level and/or
  core subject taught. Teaching all subjects in a
  self-contained class or teaching multiple
  sections of the same course count as one
  assignment.)

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Reviewing the NJ Highly Qualified Teacher
Identification Form

• Elementary and Special Ed. (Elementary) teachers
  who have passed a state test satisfy the federal
  definition of a Highly Qualified Teacher.
• Those who have not passed a state test must
  complete a NJ HOUSE Standard Matrix to see if
  they satisfy the definition of a Highly Qualified
  Teacher using the NJ HOUSE Standard.

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Reviewing the NJ Highly Qualified Teacher
Identification Form

• Teachers in departmentalized middle and secondary
  schools who either
• Passed a state test in the subject(s) they teach
  or
• Have an undergraduate major, 30 credits, or a
  graduate degree in the subject(s) they teach or
• Have an advanced credential (i.e., NBPTS
  certification) in the subject(s) they teach
• satisfy the federal definition of a Highly
  Qualified Teacher.

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Forms

• Those who do not satisfy the definition using the
  NJ Highly Qualified Teacher Identification form,
  must complete a NJ HOUSE Standard Matrix to see
  if they satisfy the definition of a Highly
  Qualified Teacher for that content area using the
  NJ HOUSE Standard.

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The NJ HOUSE Standard (High Objective Uniform
State Evaluation Standard)

• The NJ HOUSE Standard provides an alternative way
  for veteran teachers to demonstrate that they are
  highly qualified to teach core academic content.
• Teachers who do not satisfy the federal
  definition of a Highly Qualified Teacher in one
  or more core academic content areas for which
  they have teaching assignments must complete a NJ
  HOUSE Standard Content Knowledge Matrix form for
  each such assignment.

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The NJ HOUSE Standard Content Knowledge Matrix

• The Content Knowledge Matrix allows teachers to
  demonstrate content expertise in each core
  academic subject they teach through options in
  five categories
• Content Area College Coursework
• Content Area Professional Activities
• Content Area Teaching Activities
• NBPTS Elementary Generalist Certification
• Successful Content Area Teaching Performance

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The NJ HOUSE Standard Content Knowledge Matrix

• Teachers who document 10 points on the Content
  Knowledge Matrix satisfy the definition of a
  Highly Qualified Teacher.
• Teachers who do not have 10 points on the Content
  Knowledge Matrix have until the end of the
  2005-2006 school year to either
• Pass a state test of content knowledge for core
  academic subject(s) and level(s) they teach or
• Accumulate 10 points for each core academic
  subject/level by participating in activities
  listed on the Content Knowledge Matrix.

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What Documentation Might Teachers Need to
Complete the Forms?

• Copies of all college transcripts and
• Documentation of content-related professional
  development activity for the last four years for
  each core academic area teaching assignment.
• Districts may also request for verification
  purposes
• Copies of score report(s) for state tests (i.e.,
  NTE or Praxis II exams)
• Copies of National Board certificate(s)

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The Statement of Assurance

• The Statement of Assurance provides a one-page
  summary of the content areas and/or certificates
  for which teachers
• Satisfy the federal requirement using the NJ
  Highly Qualified Teacher Identification form
• Satisfy the federal requirement using the NJ
  HOUSE Standard
• Do not yet satisfy the federal requirement using
  the NJ HOUSE Standard
• There is a separate Statement of Assurance for
  new and newly hired teachers in Title I
  schools/programs because they do not have the
  option to use the NJ HOUSE Standard.

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When Must Paperwork be Completed and What Happens
Next?

• Completion of all forms is due by November 3,
  2003.
• Forms will be kept on file at the building level
  and will be used to compile data about the
  numbers and categories of highly qualified
  teachers for school, district and state reports
  required by NCLB.

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How Often Must Forms be Completed?

• The NJ Highly Qualified Teacher Identification
  form will be completed this year. Additional
  certificates or changes in assignment might mean
  having to complete additional forms.
• The NJ HOUSE StandardContent Area Matrix should
  be completed annually for any area(s) for which a
  teacher has not yet documented 10 points.
• A New Statement of Assurance would update the
  summary of information only when changes occur.

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A Word About Teachers in Departmentalized Middle
Schools

• The Praxis II content knowledge tests for the
  middle grades are expected to be available in NJ
  early in 2004 once standard setting has been
  completed.
• New and newly hired middle school
  (departmentalized) teachers in Title I schools
  and programs must take the appropriate content
  knowledge exam(s) when they become available.

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A Word About Special Education Teachers Who
Provide Support

• The department is waiting for the final
  reauthorization of the Individuals with
  Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
• There may be requirements for Special Education
  teachers who provide consultation and support
  (in-class or pull-out) or who co-teach with
  content area instructors in general education
  settings.

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The NJDOE Commitment

• The department is committed to supporting
  district and individual efforts to ensure that
  all teachers in core academic subjects are highly
  qualified by the end of 2005-2006 and will
• Provide updated information if and as changes are
  made at the federal level
• Provide training to districts and schools on the
  use of the NJ Model for Identifying Highly
  Qualified Teachers
• Provide support through the department website,
  offering downloadable forms, frequently asked
  questions and an email address to facilitate
  communication with the field.