Can districts meet the new federal teacher goal? (Notebook: usable education information from schools, business, research and professional organizations).

Can districts meet the new federal teacher goal? (Notebook: usable education information from schools, business, research and professional organizations). President Bush's No Child Left Behind Act The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (Public Law 107-110), commonly known as NCLB (IPA: /ˈnɪkəlbiː/), is a United States federal law that was passed in the House of Representatives on May 23, 2001 mandates that by2005 only highly qualified teachers be employed in the public schoolsystem. It's a noble goal, but is it realistic? Administrators began debating the question before the bill wassigned in January. "We are in the midst Adv. 1. in the midst - the middle or central part or point; "in the midst of the forest"; "could he walk out in the midst of his piece?"midmost of a teacher shortage nationwide,"says Benny Gooden, superintendent of Fort Smith Public Schools, a ruraldistrict in Arkansas. "We have a great deal of difficulty securing teachers, muchless those who have a college major in every field they are assigned toteach." His district employs 900 teachers, 10 to 20 of whom areprovisionally licensed. All have college degrees and many are certified See certification. in their specific fields. One critic of the teacher mandate is brutally blunt."It's fantasy legislation," insists Wayne Johnson,president of the California Teachers Association The California Teachers Association (CTA), initially established in 1863 as the California Educational Society, is by far the largest teachers' union in the state of California. It is considered by many to be the most powerful union in California. . He told the SacramentoBee the government might as well be asking "all teachers have aPh.D. in four years. It's not going to happen." He cites the state's difficulty in attracting teachers, evenwith incentives such as loans, grants and housing subsidies. About42,000 of California's 301,000 public school teachers haveemergency teaching credentials A United States teaching credential is a basic multiple or single subject credential obtained upon completion of a bachelor's degree and prescribed professional education requirements. , he told the paper. That number isexpected to reach 65,000 this year. A study released early this year from Texas A&M Universityreported that 24 percent of all teachers in the Lone Star Lone Star (or Lonestar) may refer to: Lone Star Flag, the official flag of the State of Texas The Lone Star State, an official nickname for the State of Texas; derived from the flag State were notcertified to teach in their subject areas. Administrators in Texas, though, are already working to meet thenew federal goal. Increased funding to improve teacher quality willhelp, says Debbie Graves Ratcliffe, a senior director at the TexasEducation Agency. The U.S. Department of Education has made more moneyavailable for professional development. Texas will spend $231 millionthis year for teacher quality programs, $70 million more than was spentlast year. The state's increase is based, in part on funding coming fromthe federal government thanks to the No Child Left Behind Act. Thelegislation also gives districts more flexibility for Title I spending.In some instances, Title I funds can be shifted to pay forteachers' salaries, bonuses or teacher quality programs. Will this be enough? No one can answer that, says Denise Cardinal,spokesperson for the National Education Association. Adding to theconfusion are unanswered questions about what the government legislationmeans when it defines a teacher as "fully qualified." The actstates that all instructors who teach in a school receiving Title Ifunds be licensed, certified and demonstrate competency COMPETENCY, evidence. The legal fitness or ability of a witness to be heard on the trial of a cause. This term is also applied to written or other evidence which may be legally given on such trial, as, depositions, letters, account-books, and the like. 2. . "Does thatmean that a current teacher will have to take a test to keep herjob?" asks Cardinal. The act stipulates that all newly-hiredteachers have bachelor's degrees and demonstrate competency intheir subject areas. The NEA NEAabbr.1. National Education Association2. National Endowment for the ArtsNEA(US) n abbr (= National Education Association) → Verband f��r das Erziehungswesen has created a panel to sort through questions with federaleducation administrators; the American Association of SchoolAdministrators The American Association of School Administrators (AASA), founded in 1865, is the professional organization for more than 13,000 educational leaders across the United States. is also working at interpreting the new legislation. Itis common for teachers who are certified in one subject, such aschemistry, to teach physics or a related course, acknowledges BruceHunter, director of public policy. "It is not clear yet if the newlaw requires complete certification in all subjects." Hunter urges administrators to work toward meeting the federal goalwhile sorting through the fine print--and to increase theprofession's appeal. To that end, AASA AASA American Association of School AdministratorsAASA Asian American Student AssociationAASA Association of Academies of Sciences in AsiaAASA Aging and Adult Services AdministrationAASA Administrative Assistant to the Secretary of the Army is working on legislationthat would grant a $4,000 tax credit to a teacher or principal who worksin an impoverished area. "We voiced concerns when the law was goingthrough, but now it is our job to make this work," he says. www.ed.gov, www.aasa.org, www.nea.org