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EDUCATOR
LICENSING:
HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHER (HQT) INFORMATION
(Updated 11/10/09)
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The federal No Child Left Behind Act (NCLBA) requires that all K-12 public school teachers of core academic subjects meet the "highly qualified teacher" (HQT) requirements of the Act. Core academic subjects/areas are: English language arts (including ESL), math, science, social studies (i.e., history, economics, geography, and civics and government), reading, foreign languages, art, music, and the generalist endorsement areas of elementary education and early childhood education (grades K-3 only). Special educators need to meet HQT requirements only when they provide "primary instruction" in a core content area. Use the links below to find information about:
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RESOURCES FOR DETERMINING HQT
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HQT Licensure & Content Knowledge Requirements
The federal definition of a "highly qualified teacher" (HQT) in a core academic subject is one who holds at least a bachelor’s degree, is appropriately licensed for the assignment and demonstrates subject matter competence (i.e., content knowledge) in the core academic subject(s) she/he teaches. Licensure and content knowledge requirements are provided below for:
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Classroom Teachers
This document details the HQT licensure and content knowledge requirements for classroom teachers of core academic subjects. As defined by NCLB, the core academic subjects/areas are: English language arts (including ESL), math, science, social studies (i.e., history, economics, geography, and civics and government), reading, foreign languages, art, music and the generalist endorsement areas of elementary education and early childhood education (grades K-3 only).
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Special Educators
Special education is not a core content area according to NCLB. However, special educators who provide "primary instruction" in one or more of the core content areas of English language arts/reading, math, science and social studies (i.e., history, economics, geography, and civics and government) will need to meet HQT requirements for the core areas they teach. The HQT requirements for those special educators who must meet them are described in the above document.
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Alternative Program Teachers
Teachers of alternative, non-special education programs who provide instruction in English language arts, math, science or social studies (i.e., history, economics, geography, and civics and government) will need to meet HQT requirements. "Alternative Programs," as the term is used here, are those in which students receive all or the majority of their instruction in the above subject areas in a program that is different from or separate from the regular school program. This document details the appropriate endorsements for alternative program assignments and the required content knowledge for those assignments.
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Title I Reading & Math Teachers
This chart describes state licensure and HQT content knowledge requirements for teachers of Title I reading and/or math services/classes.
- Vermont HOUSSE * Requirements for Experienced Classroom Teachers
This document describes the HQT licensure and content knowledge requirements for "regular" classroom teachers of core academic areas who meet one of two conditions:
- Became licensed in Vermont and acquired the endorsement being reviewed prior to July 1, 2006 AND have 12 or more months of professional experience as an educator, OR
- Endorsement being reviewed was issued as a “Level II” by the Licensing Office under the terms of the NASDTEC interstate reciprocity agreement.
Classroom teachers of core academic areas who do not meet either of these requirements must use the chart entitled, HQT Licensure & Content Knowledge Requirements for Classroom Teacher Assignments.
* HOUSSE: High, Objective, Uniform State Standard of Evaluation
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding HQT
This document is a compilation of answers to questions that have been received from teachers and administrators.
HQT Review Areas by Endorsement Code
This chart indicates which Vermont endorsements are subject to HQT reviews.
Worksheets for Determining HQT Status
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HQT DATA, PARAPROFESSIONAL & ACCOUNTABILITY INFORMATION
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Highly Qualified Paraprofessional (HQP) Requirements & Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
NCLB requires local educational agencies (LEAs) receiving Title I funds to ensure that their instructional paraprofessionals paid with Title I funds are qualified and specifies three routes by which paraprofessionals may demonstrate their qualifications. It is up to each LEA to determine which of these routes they will accept.
The information in this document describes the federal requirements for paraprofessionals and the routes to meeting these requirements, as well as answers to some frequently asked questions. It also provides specific information on how to access the ParaPro assessment for those LEAs that choose to require their paraprofessionals to pass this standardized assessment in order to demonstrate their qualifications.
NCLB Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) and Paraprofessional Accountability Requirements
NCLBA requires local education agencies (LEAs) to report annually to the public certain educator quality data. It also requires LEAs to notify parents in Title I schools if their child is being taught a core subject by a teacher who has not yet met the federal Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) requirements for his or her teaching assignment and to notify parents in these schools of their right to request information regarding the qualifications of their child's teachers. This chart outlines and describes LEA-level accountability requirements pertaining to educator and paraprofessional quality. For further information, please contact Anne Bordonaro, Coordinator of Professional Standards, at 828-0411 or anne.bordonaro@state.vt.us.
- Example of Not-HQT Letter to Parents
As noted in the NCLB Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) and Paraprofessional Accountability Requirements chart (above), each school receiving Title I funds (either schoolwide or targeted assistance programs) must provide written notification to the parents of any student who has been taught for four (4) or more consecutive weeks by a core subject teacher who is not HQT for his/her assignment. This example letter is intended to be a starting point for principals and directors. The notification can be customized in any way as long as the parents are informed that their child’s teacher is not HQT for his/her assignment. For instance, the teacher’s experience, accomplishments, plans for the school year, etc. can be included in the letter.
NOTE: Letters should be sent only to the parents of children who are being taught in a core subject by a teacher who is not HQT for that assignment. For example, a teacher is HQT for her 7th grade English assignment but is not HQT for her 7th grade math assignment. Only parents of children who are being taught 7th grade math by this teacher should receive the not-HQT letter.
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Required Annual Public Reporting of HQT and Other Educator Quality Data
Under NCLB, each winter/spring, every school and LEA must publicly report certain educator quality data. This information must be reported for each school and for the LEA as a whole and must be made widely available through means such as town reports, school and district Web sites, local newspapers, etc. The department provides the first two data elements to each supervisory union for all the schools within the SU. Reports of 2007-2008 not-HQT classes and emergency license data for each school and LEA were sent to each superintendent on January 2, 2009. Principals, technical center directors and special education directors should contact their superintendents to get the data for their schools and staff. Use the link above to view a copy of the letter that went out with the data mailing. NOTE: The document above is provided for informational purposes only. It DOES NOT include any of the individual enclosures described in the letter. For further information on these and other NCLB accountability provisions, see the chart entitled NCLB HQT and Paraprofessional Accountability.
2007-2008 Statewide Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) and Emergency License Data
NCLB requires that all public school teachers of core academic subjects meet the “highly qualified teacher” (HQT) requirements of the Act. Under NCLB educators of core subjects must be properly licensed and endorsed for the subjects and instructional levels they teach, and have the required content knowledge for the endorsement they are using in the assignment. The law also requires that schools receiving federal Title I funds notify parents when their child is being taught a core subject by a teacher who has not yet met the federal requirements. The Vermont Department of Education compiles annual data regarding the HQT status of educators for their assignments both statewide and school-by-school.
Sample LEA Press Release for HQT Annual Reporting
View a sample press release that administrators may choose to use when reporting their LEA and school-level HQT, emergency licensure and teacher quality data annually. Use of this language is not required, but administrators may choose to use any or all of it to provide a context for their local data.
Vermont HQT Revised State Plan
Use this link to view the Vermont state plan for ensuring that poor and/or minority students have equitable access to highly qualified and experienced teachers.
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REQUEST AN HQT REVIEW/ADDITIONAL INFORMATION . . .
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Educators who carry an endorsement in a core academic area or in a special education endorsement area and who have not yet received an HQT determination may request one by contacting the Office of Professional Standards by e-mailing DOE-HQT@state.vt.us or calling (802) 828-1455.
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