UNDERSTANDING THE REPORTING SYSTEMS

Requirements for Highly Qualified Teachers

"Highly Qualified" means that the teacher:

1. Has obtained full Texas teacher certification, including appropriate special education certification for special education teachers;
2. Holds a minimum of a bachelor's degree; and
3. Has demonstrated subject matter competency in each of the academic subjects in which the teacher teaches.

The requirement that all teachers be highly qualified applies to all public elementary or secondary school teachers employed by a local educational agency who teach a core academic subject area.

Requirements for Highly Qualified Paraprofessionals

For paraprofessionals who are assigned instructional duties on a Title I, Part A School wide campus, the Paraprofessional Highly Qualified requirements include:

1. Have completed at least two years of study at an institution of higher education (defined as completion of 48 semester hours (or equivalent trimester hours) of college coursework or an applicable number of semester hours as defined by the institution of higher education attended, whichever is less); or
2. Have obtained an associate's (or higher) degree; or
3. Have met a rigorous standard of quality and can demonstrate, through a formal state or local academic assessment-
1. Knowledge of, and the ability to assist in instructing, reading, writing, and mathematics; or
2. Knowledge of, and the ability to assist in instructing, reading readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics readiness, as appropriate.

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) reauthorized the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) -- the main federal law affecting education from kindergarten through high school. NCLB is built on four principles: accountability for results, more choices for parents, greater local control and flexibility, and an emphasis on doing what works based on scientific research.

Under No Child Left Behind, the State of Texas has developed and implemented measurements for determining whether its schools and local educational agencies are making adequate yearly progress. AYP is an individual state's measure of progress toward the goal of 100 percent of students achieving to state academic standards in at least reading/language arts and math. It sets the minimum level of proficiency that the state, its school districts, and schools must achieve each year on annual tests and related academic indicators. Parents whose children are attending Title I schools that do not make AYP over a period of years are given options to transfer their child to another school or obtain free tutoring.

Parents are just as important in the educational process as the student and teacher/school. "No Child Left Behind" strongly reinforces this belief by stating in law that parents have specific rights. All of these rights focus on the parent being informed and involved in the education of their children.

What is SES?

Your child may be eligible for free tutoring. The services are called "Supplemental Education Services" under No Child Left Behind. SES offers extra help in academic subjects, such as reading, language arts, and mathematics, provided free of charge to eligible students. These services are provided outside of the regular school day.

Who is eligible for SES?

Students eligible for free or reduced price meals and are enrolled in a Title I school that has been placed on the state's NCLB "in need of improvement" list for two or more years are eligible to receive free Supplemental Educational Services.