Copyright © 2007 National Comprehensive Center for Teacher Quality. All rights reserved.

Special Education Teacher Certification and Highly Qualified Requirements

Angela BaberResearcher, Teaching Quality and Leadership Institute

Education Commission of the States (ECS)

June 2007

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IDEA and NCLB

“The Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 (IDEA) aligns IDEA closely to the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), helping to ensure equity, accountability and excellence in education for children with disabilities.”

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IDEA 2004 – “Highly Qualified” Special Education Teachers

[602(10)(A)]

IDEA Adds a New Definition

Highly Qualified: for any special education teacher the term

“highly qualified” has the meaning given the term in Section 9101 of the Elementary and Secondary

EducationAct (ESEA) 1965,2 except that such term also: Includes the requirements described in Section

602(10)(B); and Includes the option for teachers to meet the

requirements of ESEA by meeting the requirements of Section 602(10)(C) or (D) of IDEA. [602(10)(A)] of IDEA.

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Highly Qualified Special Education Teachers – IDEA 2004 [602(10)(B)]

Requirements for Special Education Teachers

When used with respect to any public elementary school or secondary school special

education teacher teaching in a State, such term means that: The teacher has

• Obtained full State certification as a special education teacher (including certification obtained through alternative routes to certification), or

• Passed the State special education teacher licensing examination, and

• Holds a license to teach in the State as a special education teacher, except that when used with respect to any teacher teaching in a public charter school, the term means that the teacher meets the requirements set forth in the State's public charter school law;

The teacher has not had special education certification or licensure requirements waived on an emergency, temporary, or provisional basis; and

The teacher holds at least a bachelor's degree.

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Highly Qualified Special Education Teachers – IDEA 2004 [602(10)C]

Special Education Teachers Teaching to Alternate Achievement Standards

When used with respect to a special education teacher who teaches core academic

subjects exclusively to children who are assessed against alternate achievement Standards established under the regulations promulgated under Section 1111(b)

(1) of ESEA, such term means the teacher, whether new or not new to the profession,

may either:

Meet the applicable requirements of Section 9101 of ESEA for any elementary, middle or secondary school teacher who is new or not new to the profession; or

Meet the requirements of Section 9101(23)(B) or (C) of ESEA as applied to an elementary school teacher, or, in the case of instruction above the elementary level, has subject matter knowledge appropriate to the level of instruction being provided, as determined by the state, needed to effectively teach to those standards.

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Highly Qualified Special Education Teachers – IDEA 2004 [602(10)(D)]

Special Education Teachers Teaching Multiple Subjects

When used with respect to a special education teacher who teaches two or more coreacademic subjects exclusively to children with disabilities, such term means that theteacher may either: Meet the applicable requirements of Section 9101 of ESEA for any elementary,

middle or secondary school teacher who is new or not new to the profession; In the case of a teacher who is not new to the profession, demonstrate competence

in all the core academic subjects in which the teacher teaches in the same manner as is required for an elementary, middle or secondary school teacher who is not new to the profession under Section 9101(23)(C)(ii) of ESEA, which may include a single, High Objective Uniform State Standard of Evaluation (HOUSSE) covering multiple subjects; or

In the case of a new special education teacher who teaches multiple subjects and who is highly qualified in mathematics, language arts, or science, demonstrate competence in the other core academic subjects in which the teacher teaches in the same manner as is required for an elementary, middle, or secondary school teacher under Section 9101(23)(C)(ii) of ESEA, which may include a single, HOUSSE covering multiple subjects, not later than two years after the date of employment.

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Core Academic Subjects

Core academic subjects:• English, • Reading or language arts, • Mathematics, • Science, • Foreign languages, • Civics and government, • Economics, • Arts, • History, and • Geography.

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50 State Certification and Licensure Database (C&L)

Database Indicators Include:• Special Education Definitions

State definition of special education State definitions of children with disabilities

• Certification/Licensure Structure for Special Education Teachers

• Initial and continuing licensure requirements for Pre-K-12 special education teachers Severity-based special education teachers Disability-based special education teachers

• Teacher assessment(s) for initial licensure.

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50 State Highly Qualified Special Education Teacher

Database (HQ) Database Indicators Include:

• State activity in aligning state HQ requirements with IDEA/NCLB

• HQ requirements for special education teachers ‘new’ and ‘not new’

• Assessment(s) used to show HQ status• HOUSSE options • Special education teachers required to meet HQ

requirements by certificate/license/endorsement.

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Let’s Take a Look…

Special Education Teacher Certification and Licensure – 50 State Database (Coming Soon)• Go to

www.ncctq.org• Click on Online

Resources

Highly Qualified Requirements for Special Education Teachers -50 State Database

(Coming Soon)• Go to www.ncctq.org• Click on Online

Resources

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Trends Across the States

Data collected from:• All 50 States• The District of Columbia*• Four U.S. Territories*

American Samoa Guam Puerto Rico U.S. Virgin Islands.

*The following results based on data from the 50 states.

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C&L and HQ Requirements for New SPED Teachers

16

22

84

0

5

10

15

20

25

States (out of 50)

Certificationrequirementsare the same.

Certificationrequirements

are not thesame.

Other No informationfound.

HQ and CL Testing Requirements for New Special Education Teachers

(elementary and/or single content area qualifications)

This is only for special education teachers teaching elementary or in a single content area. Additional requirements for subject matter competency apply to teachers teaching in multiple core content areas.

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HOUSSE for Special Education Teachers

33

25

3

11

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

States (out of 50)

Not new New - multiplecore subjects

No HOUSSE No informationfound.

SPED Teachers Allowed to Use the HOUSSE Option

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Initial Assessment Test(s) for C&L and HQ

9

2

31

8

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

States (out of 50)

Praxis II NES Exam Same asCertification

No informationfound.

HQ Assessments for SPED Teachers

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Categories of HQ by Certificate/License/Endorsement

6

3025

3025

41

7

05

1015202530354045

States (out of 50)

EarlyChildhood

Elementary Middle Secondary Severity-Based

Disability-Based

Other

Types of SPED Certificates/Licenses/Endorsements

Catagories of Special Education C&L with HQ Requirements

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HQ Requirements for Disability-Based

Certificates/Licenses/Endorsements 40

38

1815

10

3

12

6 7 74

2 3 4

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

Blind Deaf Physical Learning MentalRetardation

Cognitive EmotionalBehavioral Autism MultipleDisabilities

Hearingw /Sign

Oral/AuralBrain Injury OtherHealth

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HQ Requirements for Severity-Based

Certificates/Licenses/Endorsements

15

24

0

5

10

15

20

25

Mild-Moderate Severe-Profound

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White Paper

State Special Education Certification, Licensure and Highly Qualified Teacher Requirements: Policy, Practice and Highlights

August 2007

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Let’s Talk about You

In implementing Section 612(a)(14) of IDEA, a state shall adopt a policy thatincludes a requirement that LEAs in the state take measurable steps to recruit,

hire,train and retain highly qualified

personnel to provide special education and related services to children with disabilities.

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Let’s Talk about You

State personnel development plans

must:Describe how the SEA will recruit and

retain highly qualified teachers and other qualified personnel in geographic areas of greatest need.

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How can we help?

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Questions…?

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Angela BaberP: 303-299-3655 > F: 303-296-8332E-mail: ababer@ecs.org

Education Commission of the States700 Broadway Suite 1200Denver, CO 80203General Information: 877-322-8700www.ncctq.org