Teacher Standards and Practices Commission

465 Commercial Street NE

Salem OR  97301

 

February 9-11, 2011

 

ITEM:

 

 

REVIEW OF NCLB ALTERNATIVE ROUTE TEACHING LICENSE

 

ACTION:

 

INFORMATION ITEM

INFORMATION:

 

In September 2010, the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals found that regulations passed by the U.S. Department of Education requiring states to create an alternative route to licensure and declaring the holder of the license to be “highly qualified” to violate the language in the law contained within the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB).

 

At the November 2010 meeting, the Executive Director proposed amendment to TSPC’s administrative rules related to the NCLB Alternative Route Teaching License.

 

The Executive Director also suggested that if the Department did not take action on the ruling, the Commission would be poised to take action on the rules and repeal those provisions contained in the Commission’s administrative rules.

In December, Congress amended Title I of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act as part of its Continuing Resolution to fund the government to allow the U. S. Department of Education’s regulation on Alternative Route licenses to remain valid through 2013.

 

The issue is expected to be addressed whenever Congress reauthorizes the NCLB former ESEA (Elementary-Secondary Education Act) sometime in the next two years. 

 

Therefore, there is no immediate need to amend TSPC’s current administrative rules related to alternative route licensure.  And all current people with the license remain highly qualified as well as any future licenses issued under these rules.

 

There are currently 34 NCLB Alternative Route Teaching Licenses (six license holders hold two endorsements).  These licenses are issued to persons who would otherwise qualify for the Restricted Transitional Teaching License, but also meet the definitions of “highly qualified” teacher by virtue of a major or a test in a core academic subject.

 

4 Advanced Math                     2 French

3 Art                                        2 Language Arts

1 Basic Math                            9 Multiple Subjects Self-Contained

1 Biology                                  9 Music

2 ESOL                                   4 Spanish

3 ESOL/Bilingual