Latest News and Comment from Education

Thursday, July 19, 2012

Democurmudgeon: The Illusion of Highly Qualified Teachers to continue.

Democurmudgeon: The Illusion of Highly Qualified Teachers to continue.:


The Illusion of Highly Qualified Teachers to continue.

Parents won’t know it, but that “highly qualified teacher” in their kid’s classroom, may be a teacher in training. Don’t get me wrong, this isn't a criticism of those dedicated new graduates learning the profession, it’s the idea that they would be considered “highly qualified” already.


But for years, parents weren’t told how loose that qualification had become. It essentially helps private training colleges like the controversial teacher mill, Teach for America, grow and prosper.

Even worse, state exemptions from the horribly conceived law NCLB, will by itself, lower the bar even further when it comes to who is “highly qualified.”
Edweek: A provision in federal law about who is considered a highly qualified teacher would be perpetuated as lawmakers take up new spending bills for the coming fiscal year … the Senate merely left the door open to extending a provision that allows teachers still working on their