Highly Qualified Teachers HQT

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Highly Qualified Teachers (HQT)

• Bridge 1 and HOUSSE
• December 4, 2006

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PAs Definition of HQT

• To satisfy the definition of a Highly Qualified
  Teacher(HQT), a teacher must
• Hold at least a Bachelors Degree
• Hold a valid PA teaching certificate (not an
  emergency permit)
• Demonstrate subject matter competency for the
  core academic subjects s/he teaches.

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The Tricky Part

• Demonstration of Subject Matter Competency
• Fastest Way - Take and Pass the PRAXIS exam in
  the core content area(s)

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Who is Highly Qualified?

• ALL Elementary Certified Teachers who received
  Instructional certification and who currently
  teach elementary students including those
  certified prior to 1988

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Who is Highly Qualified?

• ALL Middle and Secondary Core Content Teachers
  who currently teach in their Core Academic
  Subject and instruct students in grades 7-12

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Who is Highly Qualified?

• ALL ESL teachers who hold an Instructional I in
  the Core Academic Subject they are instructing
  and who teach ESL populations

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Who is Highly Qualified?

• ALL Alternative Education teachers who hold an
  Instructional I in the Core Academic Subject they
  are instructing and who teach Alternative
  Education populations

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Who is Highly Qualified?

• ALL Special Education Certified Teachers who are
  teaching Elementary Level special education
  students or students taking the Alternate
  Assessment and who have passed the Fundamental
  Content Knowledge PRAXIS or its predecessor

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Not Highly Qualified

• Three basic ways to demonstrate subject matter
  competency
• Pass the PRAXIS (all teachers)
• Complete a graduate degree or subject area major
  (Middle and Secondary teachers)
• National Board for Professional Teaching
  Standards Certification (3 years experience)

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Not Highly Qualified?

• Two additional ways to achieve HQT designation
• The Bridge (closed to new participants)
• The HOUSSE

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The Bridge Program

• Bridge 1 Phase I closed on July 31, 2006
• Those on Bridge have 3 years to complete the
  program - earn 18 points
• A minimum of 3 points must be earned each year
• Each year the teacher must complete a progress
  report and submit to the chief school
  administrator

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The Bridge Program

• When the teacher has completed all requirements,
  the schools attesting official may recommend
  that the teachers Bridge certificate be
  converted into an Instructional certificate for
  the appropriate content area that has been
  earned.
• A new instructional certificate will be sent to
  the teacher

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What is HOUSSE?

• Highly Objective Uniform State Standard of
  Evaluation
• Program through which core content teachers who
  do not have the appropriate Instructional
  Certification in the Core Academic Subject they
  teach can Build points towards Highly Qualified
  Teacher Designation

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What is HOUSSE?

• Not a Certification program
• Highly Qualified Teacher Designation
• Experienced teachers
• Minimum of one year of teaching experience in the
  Core Academic Subject
• 100 point system

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HOUSSE - Who Qualifies?

• Experienced Teachers
• Teachers hired in June, July, August, September,
  October and part of November 2006 qualify for the
  HOUSSE
• Must teach 45 days in first semester 45 days in
  second semester 1 year
• Will be able to complete HOUSSE by end of 3rd
  nine weeks
• Teachers hired during 2nd nine weeks would not
  qualify

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HOUSSE - Who Qualifies?

• Not limited to what is being taught this year
  (current assignment)
• Must have 1 year experience to qualify for HOUSSE
• Can go back to beginning of teaching career
• Must have documentation of being teacher of
  record for subject(s) trying to obtain HQT
  designation

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HOUSSE - Who Qualifies?

• Get employee HOUSSEd in as many areas that s/he
  is eligible - adds flexibility and job security
  (PDE)

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HOUSSE - Who Qualifies?

• Be sure to reach out to any teacher on leave,
  administrator, or college faculty member and let
  them know that in order to ever be the TEACHER of
  RECORD in a CORE CONTENT AREA CLASS with a SPED,
  ALT ED or ESL cert they must HOUSSE now. (PDE)

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State-level HOUSSE

• PA developed procedure for determining the HQT
  status of elementary teachers who were certified
  before 1988
• May 2006 - State Board of Education adopted
  resolution
• Recognized elementary teachers certified before
  1988 are Highly Qualified as defined by federal
  law

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State-level HOUSSE

• The year 1988 is the key
• Prior to 1988
• Graduation Certification
• Graduating teachers were given a teaching
  certificate
• In 1988, PA instituted Standardized Testing
• PRAXIS or its predecessor (slide 7 of PDE power
  point)

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State-level HOUSSE

• Includes teachers certified in both Special
  Education and Elementary
• Only assignments have been Elementary and/or
  students taking the PASA
• No paperwork required

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HOUSSE - 100 Point System

• Years of satisfactory teaching in the core
  academic subject
• Public or charter school - satisfactory
  evaluation
• Out of state or nonpublic experience accepted
  with a written annual evaluation that was
  satisfactory
• 5 points per year
• Minimum of 5 points required
• Maximum of 45 points (9 years)
• Can go back to beginning of teaching career

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100 Point System

• Years of satisfactory teaching in the core
  academic subject
• Can count points for satisfactory teaching
  experience on each HOUSSE rubric
• Not double-dipping
• Secondary covers grades 7-12 but not grade 6
• HOUSSE 7-12 - gives flexibility
• Not as stringent as Bridge program or PRAXIS

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100 Point System

• Years of satisfactory teaching in the core
  academic subject
• Teacher has some students taking the PSSA and
  others taking the PASA
• Must complete the Elementary HOUSSE because of
  PASA students
• Must complete HOUSSE for all core content
  subjects taught because of PSSA students

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100 Point System

• College and Graduate Coursework in the Core
  Academic Subject
• Verified by an official transcript from an
  accredited college/university
• Can use both undergraduate and graduate courses
• Passed course with a 2.0 or above
• 5 points for every 1 semester credit
• Maximum of 95 points

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100 Point System

• College and Graduate Coursework in the Core
  Academic Subject
• Course must DIRECTLY relate to what teacher is
  being asked to teach
• Accounting - Does the teacher teach accounting
  content in his/her assignment?
• 50-50 Rule
• 50 content 50 pedagogy

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100 Point System

• College and Graduate Coursework in the Core
  Academic Subject
• Elementary - contains 4 main content areas (Math,
  Science, Language Arts Social Studies)
• College coursework such as Freshman Composition,
  Economics, Freshman Biology, Business Math can be
  use
• Trigonometry wouldnt count because elementary
  teachers dont teach Trig

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100 Point System

• College and Graduate Coursework in the Core
  Academic Subject
• Check course prefix
• Unsure- contact college or university for course
  description or syllabi
• Executive Director/Superintendent has final
  authority
• Special Education, Alternative Education and ESL
  are not content areas - are populations
  taught/programs and methods

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100 Point System

• Professional Education Courses in Core Academic
  Subject
• Can be related to teaching and curriculum
  instruction or assessment courses related to the
  core academic subject
• Course must be provided by a PDE approved
  provider
• 5 points for every 30 professional development
  hours
• No maximum given

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100 Point System

• Advanced Degree in Teaching, Curriculum
  Instruction or Assessment Related to the Core
  Academic Subject
• 25 points
• Masters in Special Education does not count
• At least 50 of coursework related to core
  academic subject area - supports teaching,
  curriculum instruction or assessment in the core
  academic subject area

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100 Point System

• Advanced Degree in Teaching, Curriculum
  Instruction or Assessment Related to the Core
  Academic Subject
• Cannot double dip
• Can either use degree in 4th section of rubric or
  count coursework in second area
• Coursework more points

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100 Point System

• Academic Scholarship and Awards related to Core
  Academic Subject
• Teacher Awards - state or national, district
  level
• Authored journal articles or textbooks
• Instructor of college courses
• Can earn from 5 - 135 points

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100 Point System

• Pennsylvania Instructional II, Special Education
  Certificate
• 25 points

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HQT Designation

• Highly Qualified Teacher status is designated
  upon verification of the 100 point documentation
  by the school district Superintendent or IU
  Executive Director

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HOUSSE Process

• Teacher completes HOUSSE rubric form
• Attach all required documentation
• Sign and date rubric form
• Submits form and appropriate documentation to the
  Superintendent /Executive Director or human
  resources office immediately
• Elementary teachers must submit one application
• Middle/secondary teachers must submit one for
  each assignment area

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HOUSSE Process

• School district/IU staff designee(s) will review
• Teachers current and previous assignment(s)
• Certification status
• Application and documentation
• Verify and sign the HOUSSE rubric form
• Maintain completed rubric form and documentation

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HOUSSE Process

• If the required 100 points are achieved, the
  school district/IU designee will upload the HQT
  designation information via the PDE On-Line
  Application Submission
• Teacher Certification System on PDE website

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HOUSSE Process

• Teachers become Highly Qualified at the time the
  application is accepted and verified by the
  district/IU and logged into PDEs HOUSSE database
• A central listing of HOUSSE Highly Qualified
  Teacher will be maintained
• Consult the Teacher Education Record on the
  Teacher Certification System on the PDE website
  for verification of HQT Designation

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HQT Designation

• Portable throughout PA but not outside of PA

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HQT Designation

• Only applicable to current Instructional
  Certificate
• Teacher is tied to actual certificate to
  determine population of students s/he can teach
• Example A special education teacher who pursues
  a Secondary English HQT Designation will only be
  a HQT in English when s/he is teaching special
  education students in grades 7-12

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IPDP

• Individualized Professional Development Plan
• Any teacher who is not Highly Qualified and has
  not demonstrated subject matter competency by
  June 30, 2007, must develop, in consultation with
  his/her district/IU, an IPDP to attain Highly
  Qualified Teacher Status by December 31, 2008

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IPDP

• Must be updated yearly until teacher completes
  the plan and attains HQT status
• Teacher may continue to teach the core content
  area(s) if making progress
• Not considered Highly Qualified until plan is
  completed

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IPDP

• Teachers not Highly Qualified and who do not have
  a IPDP, should not be assigned as the primary
  instructor of any core content area class
• Districts must report to the public and parents
  the Highly Qualified status of all teachers in
  accordance with NCLB
• Must send letter to parents if teacher is not
  Highly Qualified - even if on IPDP

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Timelines

• HOUSSE ends June 30, 2007
• You have to HOUSSEd or be on an IPDP BY JUNE 30,
  2007. Folks on an IPDP have until 12/31/08 to
  complete the HOUSSE rubric. After that- there is
  no más. Nada. Nothing. (PDE)

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Elementary Special Education

• Providing core content area instruction to
  elementary (K-6) level students or to special
  education students taking an alternate assessment
• Dual certification - Highly Qualified

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Elementary Special Education

• Special Education Certificate only
• Pass the PRAXIS II - Fundamental Subjects
  Content Knowledge
• OR
• Attain the HOUSSE HQT Designation

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Middle/Secondary Sp. Ed.

• Must be Highly Qualified in each core content
  area they teach
• Options
• Pass the required PRAXIS II exam
• Have an undergraduate major in core content area
• Have a graduate degree in core content area
• Complete the Bridge 1 Certificate Program
• Attain the HOUSSE HQT Designation
• NBPTS Certification in core content area

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Middle/Secondary Sp. Ed.

• New special education teachers who teach multiple
  core content areas were Highly Qualified at the
  time of hire for math, science or language arts -
  have 2 years from their date of hire to
  demonstrate content expertise in the remaining
  content areas they teach

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Flexibility for Special Ed. Teachers

• Not the teacher of record
• Not providing instruction
• May provide services supports to special
  education students without obtaining HQT status
• Consultation and support services
• Adapting curricula
• Assistance in the use of behavioral supports and
  interventions
• Co-teaching and itinerant support

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Analysis Protocol

• Determine WHAT the teacher teaches/taught -
  content
• Use teachers schedules - need to analyze by
  class period
• Determine WHO the teacher teaches
• Age/grade level - for each class period
• What state test do the students take - PSSA or
  PASA

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Analysis Protocol

• Determine HOW the teacher teaches
• Is he or she the teacher of record - who gives
  the grades
• Co-teaching
• Supplemental instruction or resource room

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Analysis Protocol

• Determine WHAT CERTIFICATE(S) the teacher holds
• Verify validity of certificate for assignment
  held
• Use CSPGs

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Example

• WHAT is/was taught
• WHO is/was taught
• HOW
• WHAT CERTIFICATION
• RESULTS OF ANALYSIS

• 7th Grade English
• Middle level special education students - take
  PSSA
• Teacher of Record
• Special Education
• Teacher is not HQ needs Middle Level English
  certification or HQT Designation in English

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Example (cont)

• OPTIONS
• Teacher must take pass the Middle Level English
  PRAXIS add Middle Level English to certificate
• Teacher could already be enrolled in Bridge 1 for
  Middle Level English
• Do HOUSSE analysis to see if teacher qualifies
  for HQT Designation in Secondary English

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Example (Cont)

• REQUIREMENTS
• Complete one of the options on previous slide
  ASAP - if unable to do so get IPDP in place
• Change teacher assignment
• Send NCLB Notification Letter to parents of each
  student

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Timelines - HOUSSE

• Letter to parents regarding teacher not being
  Highly Qualified
• According to NCLB - if in position for 20
  consecutive days - must send letter

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Bridge 1

• Phase II

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Bridge 1 - Phase II

• Must be completed within 3 years of entering the
  Bridge 1 program
• Must earn 18 points
• Progress Report - Guidelines issued last year -
  September 30, 2006
• Must earn a minimum of 3 points each year
• Teacher is Highly Qualified while on Bridge 1 in
  that core content area only

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Bridge 1 - Phase II

• Teacher must
• Complete PDE generated form
• Attach supporting documentation
• Submit to Superintendent / Executive Director or
  Human Resources Office

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Bridge 1 - Phase II

• Superintendent/Executive Director must
• Verify the information provided by the teacher
• Sign and date form
• Keep form and documentation in teachers file for
  audit purposes
• Nothing is sent to PDE - kept in personnel file

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Bridge 1 - Phase II

• When teacher has satisfied all the requirements,
  the Superintendent or Executive Director
  recommends that the teachers Bridge certificate
  be converted into an Instructional certificate
  for the content area that has been earned
• Done via the PDE 338B form
• Teacher will receive a new instructional
  certificate

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Bridge 1 ? HOUSSE?

• If teacher decides not to complete the Bridge
  certification program - can use the courses
  counted to get on Bridge to complete the HOUSSE
  program
• Certificate vs. HQT designation
• Teacher can HOUSSE in same core content area s/he
  is on the Bridge 1 for in case Bridge 1 isnt
  completed

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Recordkeeping for NCLB

• Bridge 1 worksheet application
• HOUSSE Rubric(s)
• Original transcripts - including for transfer
  credits
• Act 48 records
• Teacher schedule - assignments by period
• Copy of Instructional I and II certificates
• PRAXIS test results
• Experience history
• Any other supporting documentation

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More Information
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More Information
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More Information
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• For more information on No Child Left Behinds
  Highly Qualified Teacher initiative, please
  contact
• Pennsylvania Department of Education
• Bureau of Teacher Certification Preparation
• Virginia Montgomery, Bureau Director
• 333 Market Street
• Harrisburg, PA  17126-0333
• CALL CENTER HOURS M-F, 830 a.m.- 430 p.m.
• Telephone  [phone]

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Highly Qualified Teachers