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New Federal Law Makes Interns Qualified to TeachWritten by: Kelly Cattern, Lindsay Mosler, Mary Nakamura, and Catherine Reid

Presented by: Danielle Pederson-Jauch

The Issue

Instructors can now be classified as highly qualified even though they are not yet fully credentialed.

Interns and people training to become teachers are now able to actually teach in schools (Egelko, 2011).

The overall issue of the article is that people who are still in training to become teachers will be classified as highly qualified even though they do not yet hold state credentials.

With this classification of being highly qualified, interns and people training to become teachers are able to go into areas characterized by low-income and high minority percentages to teach in schools.

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The Issue

How this came into effect: Congress nullified a ruling that said only instructors with state credentials are considered highly qualified teachers.

Congress secretly completed the nullification while it was buried in an unrelated bill (Egelko, 2011).

This came into effect when Congress nullified a ruling that stated only those with state credentials are considered highly qualified teachers.The nullification of that ruling was completed secretly and without publicity, buried in an unrelated bill dealing with federal spending.

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The Issue

Now, schools in desperate need of the best teachers can hire instructors who do not have full credentials.

Effect in California: In the last four years, the amount of interns among Californias teachers has risen from 5,000 to 8,000 (Egelko, 2011).

Because of this nullification, schools in desperate need of the best teachers will now be allowed to hire people without teaching credentials. In fact, in just California, the amount of interns among its teachers has increased from 5,000 to 8,000 in just the last four years.

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The Issue

President George W. Bush mandated in the No Child Left Behind Act that:

students learning core subjects have highly qualified teachers less-qualified instructors can be employed by schools only during times of teacher shortages.instructors without credentials are considered highly qualified if they are in credential programs approved by the state (Egelko, 2011).

When President George W. Bush passed the No Child Left Behind Act, he mandated that students learning core subjects have highly qualified teachers and that less-qualified instructors could be employed by schools only during times of teacher shortages. However, the Bush administration adopted regulations that allowed instructors without credentials to be highly qualified if they were in credential programs approved by the state.

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The Issue

President Obama supported those regulations, too.

Last December: Congress classified interns in programs approved by the state as highly qualified teachers (Egelko, 2011).

President Obama supported such regulationsIn last December, Congress classified interns in programs approved by the state as highly qualified teachers.

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The Issue

The big question: Should interns be classified as highly qualified teachers without being credentialed?

The big question is: Should interns be classified as highly qualified teachers without being credentialed?7

Background Information Romo in Highly Qualified Teacher Requirement says:

Key goal of NCLB Act: every student receives instruction from a highly qualified teacher.

Highly Qualified Qualifications:Has a bachelors degreeHas a teaching or intern credentialDemonstrates core academic subject matter competence (Romo, n.d.)

According to Romo in Highly Qualified Teacher Requirement, the Key goal of NCLB Act: every student receives instruction from a highly qualified teacher.In order to be considered highly qualified a teacher must have:Earned a bachelors degreeA teaching or intern credentialDemonstrates core academic subject matter competence

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Background InformationTeachers are categorized as either new or not new.A new teacher: required to pass a state approved multiple subjects exam to demonstrate understanding of core academic content.A not new teacher: can either take the CSET or complete the California High Objective Uniform State Standard of Evaluation (HOUSSE) in order to demonstrate subject matter competence (Romo, n.d.).

Teachers are categorized as either new or not new.- A new teacher is required to pass a state approved multiple subjects exam to demonstrate their understanding of core academic content.- Not new teachers can either take the CSET or complete the California High Objective Uniform State Standard of Evaluation (HOUSSE) in order to demonstrate subject matter competence.A new teacher is one whose first full/intern teaching credential was issued on or after July 1, 2002.A not new teacher is one who holds a full/intern credential before July 1, 2002.

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Background InformationThe HOUSSE testing process: two steps that require teachers to accumulate 100 points to meet the highly qualified teacher requirement.1.) Core academic subject area competence2.) Classroom observations (Romo, n.d.)

The HOUSSE testing process involves two steps that require teachers to accumulate 100 points to meet the highly qualified teacher requirement.1. Core academic subject area competence can be demonstrated through prior experience, leadership and service to the profession, and standards aligned professional development.2. Classroom observations

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Background InformationBaron in Higher Standards Coming for StatesIntern Teachers says:

Most aspiring teachers enroll in a full-time, yearlong preparation program right after college to earn a preliminary teaching credential (Baron, 2013).

According to Baron in Higher Standards Coming for States Intern Teachers, most aspiring teachers enroll in a full-time, yearlong teacher preparation program right after college to earn a preliminary teaching credential.

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Background InformationIntern programs: allow teachers to earn a preliminary credential at night and on weekends, while teaching full-time at the same time. Provided by universities.Appealing because some people cant afford to go a year without earning a salary (Baron, 2013).

Intern programs, run by universities, provide an alternative route that allows teachers to earn a preliminary credential at night and on weekends, while teaching full-time at the same time. Allowing future credentialed teachers to do this is appealing because some people cant afford to go a year without earning a salary.Allowing teachers to teach while earning their credentials was created with the goal of diversifying the workforce and meeting the need for math, science and special education teachers.

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Solutions to the IssueOffer more pay to credentialed teachers who are truly highly qualified to teach in low income areas.Why? Teachers will have a bigger incentive to teach in low income areas.So? Low income areas will be less inclined to hire instructors who are not actually highly qualified to fill teaching positions (Baron, 2013).

One solution to the issue of this article is for school districts to offer higher pay to credentialed teachers to teach in low income areas. This will give teachers who are truly highly qualified an incentive to teach in low income areas. Thus, low income areas will hire less instructors who are not truly highly qualified.13

Solutions to the IssueSchools should ensure the interns working with their students are monitored and assisted by credentialed teachers.Why? The schools will be held accountable for their instructors qualifications.So? Highly qualified teachers will in fact be highly qualified, and interns will not be put in the same category as those teachers.

Another solution to this issue is for schools to ensure that interns are monitored and assisted by truly highly qualified teachers who have credentials. This makes sure that schools are held accountable for the qualifications of their instructors. Also, this will keep interns from being classified the same way as credentialed teachers.14

Solutions to the IssueLet the public vote on this topic.Why? Thousands of U.S. citizens are parents, which is why this topic is an important one for voters to have a say in.So? By giving voters a voice in this decision, they will be able to make the best choice about the qualifications of instructors in their childrens schools.

A third solution to the issue of this article is to let the public vote on the topic. This is an important solution because there are so many voters in America who are also parents of students. By allowing those parents to have a voice in this decision, voters will make the best decision about the proper qualifications of instructors.15

Solutions to the IssueLabel interns differently than teachers who have official teaching credentials.Why? Confusion on which instructors are truly highly qualified will be eliminated.So? Parents and students will be fully aware about whether an instructor is a credentialed teacher or just a teacher in training.

A final solution to the issue is for states to label interns and those in training to become teachers differently than teachers who have official credentials. This is an important idea because it will help clear confusion about which instructors are actually highly qualified. Also, Parents and students will know whether an instructor has proper credentials to teach.16

Discussion QuestionsAs a parent living in a low-income area, how would you feel about your child being taught by a non-credentialed instructor?

If you were an intern in a state-approved credential program, would you consider yourself as a highly qualified teacher? Why or why not?

To end this presentation, we have two discussion questions. The first is: As a parent living in a low-income area, how would you feel about your child being taught by a non-credentialed instructor? Secondly: If you were an intern is a state-approved credential program, would you consider yourself as a highly qualified teacher? Why or why not?

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Take Home Message:

Children deserve to be taught by highly qualified teachers, and the law needs to ensure highly qualified teachers are in fact highly qualified.

Thank you!

It is important to remember that children deserve to be taught by highly qualified teachers, but it is the governments duty to make sure highly qualified teachers are in fact highly qualified.18

ReferencesBaron, K. (March 8, 2013). EdSource. Higher Standards Coming for States Intern Teachers. Retreieved April 17, 2013 from http://www.edsource.org/today/2013/higher-standards-coming-for-states-intern-teachers/28143#.UXDkuHBc_wwEgelko, B. (January 2, 2011). SFGate. New Federal Law Makes Interns Qualified to Teach. Retrieved April 16, 2013 from http://www.sfgate.com/education/article/New-federal-law-makes-interns-qualified-to-teach-2479316.phpRomo, A. (n.d.). San Diego Unified. Highly Qualified Teacher Requirement. Retreieved April 17, 2013 from http://www.sandi.net/page/2470