Law regarding "highly qualified" teachers?

Submitted by an LD OnLine user on

Hi all! I am going through a huge mess with the school. I feel like the bad guy here for sticking up for my son. I have two other children at the school and have no problems there.

Anyway my question is: The special ed teacher is not qualified in special ed, however, the prinicipal told me that that was legal because the principal is qualified and will be overseeing everything. Is this against the new laws stating that the teacher must be “highly qualified”?

Thanks!

Submitted by Sue on Fri, 09/30/2005 - 2:42 AM

Permalink

I seriously doubt that the school is in compliance with the law, unless there is a loophole with some kind of “provisional” qualification (and it doesn’t sound like ther eis or the principal would have said so). What does his IEP say? If it says he’s in a special ed room, then there’s supp;osed to be a sped teacher - not somebody supervising (and, is hte principal qualified in sped? … not that it matters…)

How *is* the teacher, qualified or not? That’s more important - an awful lot of “qualified” teachers aren’t very good.

I’d put things in writing - but focus on the specific things that aren’t happening, and include in the documentation that the teacher isn’t qualified in sped so it’s in writing.

Submitted by Janis on Sat, 10/01/2005 - 11:24 PM

Permalink

Charter schools have some different requirements. I know they can hire unqualified teachers and they have a certain amount of time to work on certification. So technically it can be legal for a period of time. There is a shortage of special ed. teachers in many areas, so many schools cannot find a “highly qualified” person to hire. Of course, the legal definition of highly qualified isn’t the same as truly highly qualified, so don’t have too high expectations for that title.

Janis

Submitted by des on Sun, 10/02/2005 - 2:39 AM

Permalink

Highly qualified according to NCLB means that you have passed certain tests, and that you are certified. It has nothing at all to do with whether you know what you are doing or not. Or that not highly qualified don’t. A year ago I was not highly qualified as I had not yet taken the tests. I am now highly qualified. Go figure.

BTW, the Board of Ed here in NM told me without any irony at all, that a person with 25 years experience who had not taken the tests was less qualified than a person who was right out of college with zero experience who had taken the tests. They did not qualify this statement by saying “according to the law” or anything. It is frightening that they actually believe this stuff.

—des

Back to Top