ABCTE’s Recommendations on the Highly Qualified Teacher Definition

As Congress begins its process to reauthorize No Child Left Behind (NCLB), there is still much work to be done to determine what defines a “highly qualified teacher”. As the Nation faces an impending teacher shortage, it is our hope that Congress will also consider the impact that this shortage is having in school districts across the country. They should consider how that definition may help address this problem as well as how it can help improve teaching and learning in the classroom. One thing that Congress can do is to recognize that traditional teacher certification programs are faced with a greater challenge than they can meet – providing enough highly qualified teachers for every classroom in this Nation. During the reauthorization of NCLB, it our hope that Congress will place greater emphasis on the role that alternative teacher certification programs can play in helping states address teacher shortages.