5% of the total Title I, Part A entitlement must be used to address professional development/Highly Qualified requirements unless a lesser amount is determined to be adequate to meet a school's needs.
Any teacher teaching in a Title I Part A, program hired after the first day of the school year 2002-03 must be "highly qualified."
Any teacher on any campus, Title I or non-Title I, who is currently teaching in the core academic subjects and is not highly qualified must become highly qualified by the end of the 2005-06 school year.
Purpose of teacher qualification changes - To ensure that low-income and minority students are not taught at higher rates than other students by unqualified, out-of-field, or inexperienced teachers.
Changes for Paraprofessionals - Any instructional paraprofessional hired by the LEA after January 8, 2002, and working in a Title I, Part A program must have a secondary school diploma or its recognized equivalent (GED) AND meet one of the following qualifications:
> Have completed at least two years of study at an institution of higher education; or
> Have obtained an associate's (or higher) degree; or
> Have met a rigorous standard of quality and can demonstrate, through a formal state or local academic assessment, knowledge of, and the ability to assist in instructing, reading, writing, and mathematics; or knowledge of, and the ability to assist in instructing, reading readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics readiness, as appropriate.
EXCEPTIONS TO NEW QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:
> If primary responsibility is to serve as a translator; or
> Duties consist solely of conducting parental involvement activities under Title I, Part A
Principal Certification
> Principals of Title I, Part A campuses must certify annually that the campus is in compliance with teacher and paraprofessional requirements of Title I, Part A.
> Copies of this certification must be maintained on each Title I, Part A campus; be on file at the LEA central office and be available to the general public for review.
Parental Notification - Parents must be given timely notice if a child has been assigned or taught for 4 or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified.
LEA and Campus Plans
The LEA must develop a plan to show how all:
> Teachers teaching in the core academic subject areas will be highly qualified not later than the end of the school year 2005-2006;
> Paraprofessionals hired before January 8, 2002 and working in a Title I, Part A program will, not later than the end of the 2005-2006 school year, meet the NCLB paraprofessional qualifications.
For more information contact:
Lucy Smith, Title I and Title I School Support Consultant
Phone: 325-675-8641
E-mail:
lmsmith@esc14.net
