Special Education Teachers Teaching to Alternate Achievement Standards
Teachers new or not new to the profession may either:
Meet applicable ESEA highly qualified requirements (may use HOUSSE)
OR
Meet highly qualified requirements at the elementary level (may use HOUSSE) or, if instruction above elementary level, must have subject matter knowledge "appropriate to the level of instruction being provided, as determined by the State"
Speaker Notes:
Section 602(10)
IDEA offers an exception to NCLB's route to become a highly qualified for special education teachers who teach students with disabilities who are assessed with alternate achievement standards. Special education teachers teaching these students may meet the applicable NCLB definition of highly qualified and may do so using the high objective uniform state standard of evaluation (HOUSSE) even if the teacher is new to the profession.
In addition, IDEA offers another alternative route to become highly qualified for these teachers. These teachers, whether new or not new to the profession, may become highly qualified using the elementary level definition of highly qualified regardless of the age level of the student.
According to IDEA, states may determine if teachers have the subject matter knowledge to teach students assessed with alternate performance indicators, if the instruction is above the elementary level.