NCLB Bulletin - Highly Qualified Teachers

THE SECOND ISSUE OF THE NCLB BULLETIN, just recently released, reviews the basic requirements under the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) for highly qualified teachers and provides local education agencies (LEAs) with the definition of alternative criteria by which experienced teachers may demonstrate competency. This alternative approach is based on the provisions of NCLB which allow states to establish a "high, objective, uniform standard of evaluation" (HOUSE) by which teachers who are not new to the profession ("experienced teachers") may demonstrate a sufficient level of competency to achieve the status of "highly qualified." The Texas Education Agency will continue to explore additional methods by which an experienced teacher may demonstrate subject matter competency. Any additional methods identified will be described in future guidance. Please find the bulletin here.

GRANT-WRITING SERIES The Best Practices Project is sponsoring the Embarrassingly Basic Grant-Writing series specifically designed to meet the needs of Texas charter schools. The training supports the very beginner in proposal submission, with each workshop building on previously learned skills. The three workshop series will take place on January 23, February 6 and February 20, 2004, from 8:30 - 5:00 pm at the Blackland Research and Extension Center in Temple, Texas. Space is limited to 40 participants and the registration deadline is December 12. CEU credit is available. The training series will also be available through the Texas Video-Conferencing Network. Contact Mary DeWalt at mdewalt@rapoportacademy.com for further information.