Ensuring Highly Qualified Teachers for
Georgia’s Students
Georgia Professional Standards Commission
An Update of NCLB and “Highly Qualified” Requirements
What does it all mean for Alternative Education Programs?
June 24, 2010
“Highly Qualified” Teachers
Requirement
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All teachers must be “highly qualified.”
Applies to all public P-12 teachers who teach core
subjects:
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English, Reading, or Language Arts
Mathematics
Broad Field Science (such as Physics, Biology, Chemistry)
Broad Field Social Studies (such as Civics and Government, History
or Geography, and Economics)
Foreign Languages
Arts (visual arts, music, band, and chorus)
Georgia Implementation Guidelines – 4.01
“Highly Qualified” Teachers
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Certified to teach by the PSC
Bachelor’s degree
Passing Test Score on the PRAXIS/GACE
Assignment appropriate for the area of certification
Georgia Implementation Guidelines – 3.01
HiQ Compliance Options
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Pass the appropriate GACE
Complete the reading endorsement
HOUSSE
Defer HiQ to a HiQ teacher via consultation
Defer HiQ to a proven web based/tech program
Georgia Implementation Guidelines
Notice to Parents
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“LEA’s are required to notify parents in writing if a
teacher who is not “highly qualified” has taught
their child a core academic content subject for 20
consecutive days. LEAs are also required to notify
parents at the beginning of each school year notice
of the “Parent’s Right To Know”.
Georgia Implementation Guidelines – 2.03
Parents Right To Know
Parents have the right to request the following;
 type of certificate
 college major, degree(s)
 years of teaching experience
 if their child is served by a paraprofessional
“Highly Qualified” Paraprofessionals
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All Georgia paraprofessionals must hold a valid
state certificate issued by the Georgia Professional
Standards Commission.
As of September 1, 2006, all paraprofessionals
hired in Georgia must have an associate’s degree
or two years of college work (60 semester hours),
OR a passing score on a PSC approved
paraprofessional assessment.
Georgia Implementation Guidelines – 10.01
Recertification of Paraprofesional
All individuals holding a current paraprofessional
certificate in Georgia must meet the new
requirements (if not previously met) for certificate
renewal effective June 30, 2009 or the effective
renewal date thereafter.
Georgia Implementation Guidelines – 10.02
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So What Happens if I’m Not Highly
Qualified?
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Two Models:
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Consultative Model
 Two documented contacts per month
– must address the academic core content areas
of instruction in the alternative setting,
– should ensure that students are receiving the
same content as students in home school
– must be maintained by the teacher and filed as
directed by the LEA
Georgia Implementation Guidelines – 9.01
Deferring HiQ to Tech Based Program
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Technology based programs that are:
– Computer-assisted, provide self-pacing and
pre/post testing or delivered as a course through
distance learning technologies and the quality and
rigor is equitably alignment to the state curriculum
and teachers with content expertise are made
available as needed to support student learning do
not require the alternative school teacher to be
“highly qualified” if they are not responsible for
delivering content instruction.
– however….
Documentation for Deferring Required
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Each computer based program and/or distance
learning course must have scientifically based
research to indicate that it is successful with
student populations.
Student performance data must be available for
monitoring of Title II, Part A compliance.
Georgia Implementation Guidelines – 9.01
Title II-A Consultants
Pamela Daniels
(706)546-9581
danielsph@bellsouth.net
Northeast GA RES, Oconee
RESA, Pioneer RESA
Gerri Heard
(404)232-2649
gerri.heard@gapsc.com
Metro RESA
Dr. Angie Davis
(478)335-8050
angie.davis@gapsc.com
Southwest GA RESA
South Chattahoochee-Flint RESA
Dr. Leslie Morrison
Elizabeth Zipperer
Skipper Stewart
(912) 638-7396
morrisondrl@bellsouth.net
Coastal Plains RESA
Okefenokee RESA
Southwest GA RESA
(912) 772-6743
ezipperer@planters.net
First District RESA
(678) 986-6792
fstewart@bellsouth.net
North GA RESA
Northwest GA RESA -North
Carolyn White
404-291-3054
carolyn.white@gapsc.com
Southwest GA RESA,
Chat Flint RESA -North
Ann Hatchell
404-291-3062
ann.hatchell@gapsc.com
Middle GA RESA
West GA RESA –South
Griffin RESA