HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHERS AND

IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY STATE GRANTS (*ESEA* TITLE II, PART A)

MONITORING REPORT

**Michigan Department of Education**

**March 4--6, 2008**

**U.S. Department of Education Monitoring Team:**

Elizabeth Witt

Carol Manitaras

Elizabeth Dabney (Westat)

**Michigan Department of Education (MDE):**

MaryAlice Galloway, Special Assistant to the Chief Academic Officer

Dr. Flora Jenkins, Director, Office of Professional Preparation Services
(OPPS)

Michael Radke, Assistant Director, Field Services Unit, Office of School
Improvement (OSI)

Paul Bielawski, Manager of Educational Accountability

Kelly Blessing, Auditor

Louis Burgess, Supervisor, Grants Administration and Coordination

Dr. Frank Ciloski, Supervisor, Client Services, OPPS

Margaret Madigan, Supervisor, Field Services Unit, OSI

Jayne Klein, Department Analyst, Office of Early Childhood Education and
Family Services

Glenda Rader, Assistant Director, State Aid and School Finance

Krista Ried, Teacher Quality Coordinator, OPPS

Bianca Robertson, Secretary, Field Services Unit, OSI

Robert Rock, Financial Manager, OSI

Kathleen Weller, Director, Office of Audits

**State Agency for Higher Education (SAHE):**

Donna Hamilton, Education Consultant, OPPS

Catherine Smith, Supervisor, Program Preparation, OPPS

**Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) participating in the monitoring
visit:**

1.  Detroit Public Schools (on-site visit)

2.  Muskegon City School District (telephone interview)

3.  Marquette Area Public Schools (telephone interview)

**Overview:**

### Number of LEAs: 552 (plus 264 charter schools)

### Number of Schools: 4,090

### Number of Teachers: 99,838

 

  ------------------------ --------------------------------- -- ----------------------- ---------------------------------
  **State Allocation (FY   **\$[109,399,197]{.underline}**      **State Allocation (FY  **[\$108,503,695]{.underline}**
  2005**[^1]**)**                                               2006**[^2]**)**         

  LEA Allocation (FY 2005) [\$102,889,946]{.underline}          LEA Allocation (FY      [\$102,047,727]{.underline}
                                                                2006)                   

  "State Activities" (FY   [\$2,707,630]{.underline}            "State Activities" (FY  [\$2,685,466]{.underline}
  2005)                                                         2006)                   

  SAHE Allocation (FY      [\$2,843,012]{.underline}            SAHE Allocation (FY     [\$2,819,739]{.underline}
  2005)                                                         2006)                   

  SEA Administration (FY   [\$958,609]{.underline}              SEA Administration (FY  [\$950,763]{.underline}
  2005)                                                         2006)                   

  SAHE Administration (FY  [\$135,382]{.underline}              SAHE Administration (FY [\$134,273]{.underline}
  2005)                                                         2006)                   
  ------------------------ --------------------------------- -- ----------------------- ---------------------------------

**Scope of Review:**

Like all State educational agencies (SEAs), the Michigan Department of
Education, as a condition of receiving funds under Title I, Part A and
Title II, Part A of the *Elementary and Secondary Education Act*
(*ESEA*) of 1965, as amended by the *No Child Left Behind Act* (*NCLB*)
of 2001, provided an assurance to the U.S. Department of Education (the
Department) that it would administer these programs in accordance with
all applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, including those in
Title I, Part A that concern "Highly Qualified Teachers" (HQT) and those
that govern the use of Title II, Part A funds. See §9304(a)(1) of the
*ESEA*. One of the specific requirements the Department established for
an SEA's receipt of program funds under its consolidated state
application (§9302(b)) was submission to the Department of annual data
on how well the State has been meeting its performance target for
Performance Indicator 3.1: "The percentage of classes being taught by
'highly qualified' teachers (as the term is defined in §9101(23) of the
*ESEA*), in the aggregate and in 'high-poverty' schools (as the term is
defined in §1111(h)(1)(C)(viii) of the *ESEA*)."

The Department's monitoring visit to Michigan had two purposes. One was
to review the progress of the State in meeting *ESEA*'s HQT
requirements. The second was to review the use of *ESEA* Title II, Part
A funds by the SEA, selected LEAs and the SAHE to ensure that the funds
are being used to prepare, retain and recruit high-quality teachers and
principals so that all children will achieve to a high academic
achievement standard and to their full potential.

**Summary of Monitoring Indicators**

+-----+---------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----+
| *   |                                 |           |           |    |
| *St |                                 |           |           |    |
| ate |                                 |           |           |    |
| Ed  |                                 |           |           |    |
| uca |                                 |           |           |    |
| tio |                                 |           |           |    |
| nal |                                 |           |           |    |
| Ag  |                                 |           |           |    |
| enc |                                 |           |           |    |
| y** |                                 |           |           |    |
+-----+---------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----+
| *   | **Requirement**                 | **C       | *         | ** |
| *Cr |                                 | itation** | *Status** | Pa |
| iti |                                 |           |           | ge |
| cal |                                 |           |           | ** |
| Ele |                                 |           |           |    |
| men |                                 |           |           |    |
| t** |                                 |           |           |    |
+-----+---------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----+
| I   | The State has established       | §9101(23) | Met       | NA |
| .1. | appropriate HQT requirements    |           | Req       |    |
|     | for all teachers who teach core |           | uirements |    |
|     | subjects.                       |           |           |    |
+-----+---------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----+
| I   | The State has established       | §602(10)  | Met       | NA |
| .2. | appropriate HQT requirements    | of the    | Req       |    |
|     | for *special* *education*       | IDEA      | uirements |    |
|     | *teachers who teach core        |           |           |    |
|     | academic subjects.*             |           |           |    |
+-----+---------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----+
| I   | Teachers who are enrolled in    | (34 CFR   | Met       | NA |
| .3. | approved alternative            | 200.56(a  | Req       |    |
|     | certification programs AND who  | )(2)(ii)) | uirements |    |
|     | have already earned a           |           |           |    |
|     | bachelor's degree AND           |           |           |    |
|     | successfully demonstrated       |           |           |    |
|     | subject matter competence may   |           |           |    |
|     | be counted as highly qualified  |           |           |    |
|     | for a period of 3 years.        |           |           |    |
+-----+---------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----+
| I   | The SEA ensures that all        | §1        | Met       | NA |
| .4. | teachers hired after the first  | 119(a)(1) | Req       |    |
|     | day of the 2002-2003 school     |           | uirements |    |
|     | year to teach in Title I        |           |           |    |
|     | programs were highly qualified  |           |           |    |
|     | at the time of hire.            |           |           |    |
+-----+---------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----+
| I   | The SEA ensures that all        | §2123     | Met       | NA |
| .5. | teachers paid with Title II,    | (a)(2)(B) | Req       |    |
|     | Part A funds for class size     |           | uirements |    |
|     | reduction are highly qualified. |           |           |    |
+-----+---------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----+
| I   | The SEA ensures that all LEAs   | §1111     | Met       | NA |
| .6. | that receive Title I funds      | (h)(6)(A) | Req       |    |
|     | notify parents of their right   |           | uirements |    |
|     | to request and receive          |           |           |    |
|     | information on the              |           |           |    |
|     | qualifications of their         |           |           |    |
|     | children's teachers.            |           |           |    |
+-----+---------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----+
| I   | The SEA ensures that all        | §1111(h)( | Finding   | 6  |
| .7. | schools that receive Title I    | 6)(B)(ii) |           |    |
|     | funds notify parents when their |           | Recom     |    |
|     | children are taught by teachers |           | mendation |    |
|     | who are not highly qualified.   |           |           |    |
+-----+---------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----+
| I   | The SEA reports annually to the | §1111     | Finding   | 6  |
| I.A | Secretary in the Consolidated   | (h)(4)(G) |           |    |
| .1. | Performance Report (CSPR) the   |           | Com       |    |
|     | number and percentage of        |           | mendation |    |
|     | classes taught by highly        |           |           |    |
|     | qualified teachers, in the      |           |           |    |
|     | aggregate and in high- and      |           |           |    |
|     | low-poverty schools.            |           |           |    |
+-----+---------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----+
| I   | The SEA has published an annual | §1        | Findings  | 7  |
| I.B | report card with the required   | 111(h)(1) |           |    |
| .1. | teacher information.            | (c)       |           |    |
|     |                                 | (viii)    |           |    |
+-----+---------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----+
| I   | The SEA has ensured that LEAs   | §1111     | Finding   | 7  |
| I.B | have published annual report    | (h)(2)(B) |           |    |
| .2. | cards with the required teacher |           | Recomm    |    |
|     | information for both the LEA    |           | endations |    |
|     | and the schools it serves.      |           |           |    |
+-----+---------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----+
| II  | The SEA ensures that each LEA   | §2141(a)  | Met       | NA |
| I.A | that has not met annual         | and       | Req       |    |
| .1. | measurable objectives for       | §2141(b)  | uirements |    |
|     | highly qualified teachers for   |           |           |    |
|     | two consecutive years has an    |           |           |    |
|     | improvement plan in place and   |           |           |    |
|     | that the SEA has provided       |           |           |    |
|     | technical assistance to the LEA |           |           |    |
|     | in formulating the plan.        |           |           |    |
+-----+---------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----+
| II  | The SEA enters into an          | §2141(c)  | Recom     | 8  |
| I.A | agreement on the use of funds   |           | mendation |    |
| .2. | with any LEA that has not made  |           |           |    |
|     | progress toward meeting its     |           |           |    |
|     | annual measurable objectives in |           |           |    |
|     | meeting the highly qualified    |           |           |    |
|     | teacher challenge for three     |           |           |    |
|     | consecutive years and has also  |           |           |    |
|     | failed to make AYP for three    |           |           |    |
|     | years.                          |           |           |    |
+-----+---------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----+
| II  | The SEA has a plan in place to  | §1111     | Finding   | 8  |
| I.B | ensure that poor and minority   | (b)(8)(C) |           |    |
| .1. | students are not taught at      |           |           |    |
|     | higher rates than other         |           |           |    |
|     | students by inexperienced,      |           |           |    |
|     | unqualified or out-of-field     |           |           |    |
|     | teachers.                       |           |           |    |
+-----+---------------------------------+-----------+-----------+----+

  ------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------- ----------
  **State                                                                                                                
  Educational                                                                                                            
  Agency**                                                                                                               

  **Critical    **Requirement**                                                       **Citation**     **Status**        **Page**
  Element**                                                                                                              

  III.B.2.      The SEA ensures that LEA plans include an assurance that through the  §1112(c)(1)(L)   Met Requirements  NA
                implementation of various strategies, poor and minority students are                                     
                not taught at higher rates than other students by inexperienced,                                         
                unqualified- or out-of-field teachers.                                                                   

  IV.A.1.       Once hold-harmless provisions are taken into consideration, the SEA   §2121(a)         Met Requirements  NA
                allocated additional funds to LEAs using the most recent Census                                          
                Bureau data found at [http**:** //www.census.gov/hhes/www/saipe/\                                        
                district.html](http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/saipe/district.html).                                      

  IV.A.2.       The SEA has ensured that LEAs have completed assessments of local     §2122(c)         Met Requirements  NA
                needs for professional development.                                                                      

  IV.A.3.       To be eligible for Title II, Part A funds, LEAs must "submit an       §2122(b)         Met Requirements  NA
                application to the State educational agency at such time, in such                                        
                manner and containing such information as the State educational                                          
                agency may reasonably require."                                                                          

  IV.B.1.       The SEA has ensured that LEAs maintain effort.                        §9521            Met Requirements  NA

  IV.B.2.       The SEA ensures that LEA funds do not supplant other, non-Federal     §2123(b)         Met Requirements  NA
                funds.                                                                                                   

  IV.B.3.       The SEA and LEAs are audited, as required by *EDGAR* §80.26.          EDGAR §80.26     Met Requirements  NA

  IV.B.4.       The SEA regularly and systematically monitors LEAs for compliance     EDGAR §76.770    Recommendation    8
                with Federal statutes and regulations, applicable State rules and     and §80.40(a)                      
                policies and the approved sub-grantee application, as required by                                        
                *EDGAR* §76.770 and §80.40(a).                                                                           

  IV.B.5.       The SEA ensures that LEAs comply with requirements with regards to    §9501            Met Requirements  NA
                services to eligible nonpublic schools.                                                                  

  V.1.          The SEA ensures that State-level activity funds are expended on       §2113(c)         Recommendations   9
                allowable activities.                                                                                    

  V.2.          The SEA ensures that State-level activity funds do not supplant       §2113(f)         Met Requirements  NA
                other, non-Federal funds.                                                                                
  ------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------- ----------------- ----------

  ------------- ------------------------------------ -------------- ---------------- ----------
  **State                                                                            
  Agency for                                                                         
  Higher                                                                             
  Education**                                                                        

  **Critical    **Requirement**                      **Citation**   **Status**       **Page**
  Element**                                                                          

  1\.           The SAHE manages a competition to    §2132 and      Met Requirements NA
                award grants to carry out            §2133                           
                appropriate professional development                                 
                activities.                                                          

  2\.           The SAHE works in conjunction with   §2132(a)       Not Applicable   NA
                the SEA (if the two are separate                                     
                agencies) in awarding the grants.                                    

  3\.           The SAHE awards grants only to       §2131          Met Requirements NA
                eligible partnerships that include                                   
                at least an institution of higher                                    
                education and the division of the                                    
                institution that prepares teachers                                   
                and principals, a school of arts and                                 
                sciences and a high-need LEA.                                        

  4\.           The SAHE ensures that each           §2134          Met Requirements NA
                partnership awarded a grant engages                                  
                in eligible activities.                                              

  5\.           The SAHE has procedures in place to  §2132(c)       Met Requirements NA
                ensure that no partner uses more                                     
                than 50 percent of the funds in the                                  
                grant.                                                               

  6\.           The SAHE regularly and               EDGAR §76.770  Recommendation   9
                systematically monitors grantees for and §80.40(a)                   
                compliance with Federal statutes and                                 
                regulations, applicable State rules                                  
                and policies and the approved                                        
                sub-grantee application, as required                                 
                by EDGAR §76.770 and §80.40(a)                                       
  ------------- ------------------------------------ -------------- ---------------- ----------

**[State Educational Agency]{.smallcaps}**

**Area I: HQT Definitions and Procedures**

**[Critical Element I.7]{.underline}: The SEA ensures that all schools
that receive Title I funds notify parents when their children are taught
by teachers who are not highly qualified.**

**[Citation]{.underline}:** §1111(h)(6)(B)(ii)

**[Finding]{.underline}:** The State did not ensure that all districts
with schools that receive Title I funds notify parents when their
children were taught by teachers who were not highly qualified. Because
the State allowed secondary special education teachers to demonstrate
subject matter competence using an elementary test, the teachers who
used this option were not correctly identified as not highly qualified,
and, thus, the parents were not notified.

**[Further Action Required]{.underline}:** Within 30 business days, the
State must submit to the Department a plan and a timeline the State will
implement for ensuring that Title I schools send out the required
letters. The State must also provide the Department with evidence that
it is taking this corrective action.

**[Recommendation]{.underline}:** In the 2008-09 school year, the State
should follow up with districts early in the fall semester to ensure
that the districts have sent out the required notification letters to
parents whose children are taught by teachers who are not highly
qualified in a timely way.

**Area II: HQT Data Reporting and Verification**

**[Critical Element II.A.1]{.underline}: The SEA reports annually to the
Secretary in the Consolidated Performance Report (CSPR) the number and
percentage of classes taught by highly qualified teachers, in the
aggregate and in high- and low-poverty schools.**

**[Citation]{.underline}:** §1111(h)(4)(G)

**[Finding]{.underline}:** The State did not report accurate HQT data in
the Consolidated State Performance Report (CSPR). Because the State
allowed secondary special education teachers to demonstrate subject
matter competence using an elementary test, the teachers who used this
option were not correctly identified as not highly qualified.

**[Further Action Required]{.underline}:** The State must proceed with
carrying out the terms of its grant condition and report accurate data
in the next CSPR (December 2008).

**[Commendation]{.underline}:** The State is commended for the
development and implementation of the Michigan Technical Assistance
Project (MiTAP). In order to provide monitoring and intensive technical
assistance to districts on the HQT provisions and expectations, trained
MiTAP consultants visited over 500 districts in the past year. Visits
were prioritized based on the most recent HQT data available for each
district. MiTAP consultants verified the HQT data reported by each
district and assisted districts in analyzing their needs regarding HQT
and in developing an action plan for meeting the HQT requirements.

**[Critical Element II.B.1]{.underline}: The SEA has published an annual
report card with the required teacher information.**

**[Citation]{.underline}:** §1111(h)(1)(C)(viii)

**[Finding 1]{.underline}:** The State has not published an Annual
Report Card in a timely manner. The most recent report card is for the
2005-06 school year.

**[Finding 2]{.underline}:** The State did not report accurate HQT data
in its Annual Report Card. Because the State allowed secondary special
education teachers to demonstrate subject matter competence using an
elementary test, the teachers who used this option were not correctly
identified as not highly qualified.

**[Finding 3]{.underline}:** The State must revise its Annual Report
Card to include the HQT data in the required format. The State's Annual
Report Card must include the percentage of classes NOT taught by HQT
rather than those taught by HQT. Also, the State's Annual Report Card
must include the percentage of teachers on emergency or provisional
credentials.

**[Further Action Required]{.underline}:** Within 30 business days, the
State must submit to the Department a written plan with specific
procedures and a timeline that the State will implement to ensure that
the Annual Report Card is published in a timely manner and to correct
deficiencies in the HQT data reported in its Annual Report Card. The
State must also provide the Department with evidence that it is taking
these corrective actions.

**[Critical Element II.B.2]{.underline}: The SEA has ensured that LEAs
have published annual report cards with the required teacher information
for both the LEA and the schools it serves.**

**[Citation]{.underline}:** §1111(h)(2)(B)

**[Finding]{.underline}:** The State has not ensured that districts have
published Annual Report Cards with the required teacher information for
both the district and the schools it serves. The State requires
districts to publish their own annual reports, but the reports reviewed
did not contain the required teacher information.

**[Further Action Required]{.underline}:** Within 30 business days, the
State must provide the Department with a plan with specific procedures
and a timeline that the State will implement to ensure that LEAs' annual
report cards include the required teacher information for both the LEAs
and the schools they serve in the required format. The State must also
provide the Department with evidence that it is taking this corrective
action.

**[Recommendation 1]{.underline}:** The State may want to consider
creating and publishing the Annual Report Cards for the districts and
schools instead of having the districts publish these report cards. This
would ensure that the state, district and school report cards are
published in a uniform manner, and all contain the required teacher
information.

**[Recommendation 2]{.underline}:** If the State chooses not to produce
the Annual Report Cards for districts and schools, it should provide
more intensive technical assistance to districts on the development and
publication of the annual district and school report cards. The State
should also more closely monitor and review these report cards to ensure
that they contain the required teacher information.

**Area III: HQT Plans**

[]{.mark}

**[Critical Element III.A.2]{.underline}: The SEA enters into an
agreement on the use of funds with any LEA that has not made progress
toward meeting its annual measurable objectives in meeting the highly
qualified teacher challenge for three consecutive years and has also
failed to make AYP for three years.**

**[Citation]{.underline}:** §2141(c)

**[Recommendation]{.underline}:** The State should create written policy
concerning the requirements of §2141, including what the agreements
cover, the tracking of data and the notification of districts. In
addition, the State should provide technical assistance to all districts
in understanding both the requirements and the consequences associated
with the statute. The State should provide written guidance and
technical assistance as soon as possible.

**[Critical Element III.B.1]{.underline}: The SEA has a plan in place to
ensure that poor and minority students are not taught at higher rates
than other students by inexperienced, unqualified or out-of-field
teachers.**

**[Citation]{.underline}:** §1111(b)(8)(C)

**[Finding]{.underline}:** The State did not provide evidence that it
has measured or publicly reported on its progress in carrying out its
plan to ensure that poor and minority children are not taught at higher
rates than other children by inexperienced, unqualified or out-of-field
teachers.

**[Further Action Required]{.underline}:** Within 30 business days, the
State must provide the Department with a plan with specific procedures
and a timeline that the State will implement to ensure that it will
measure and publicly report on its progress in carrying out its plan to
ensure that poor and minority children are not taught at higher rates
than other children by inexperienced, unqualified or out-of-field
teachers. The State must also provide the Department with evidence that
it is taking this corrective action.

**Area IV: Administration of Title II, Part A**

**[Critical Element IV.B.4]{.underline}:** **The SEA regularly and
systematically monitors LEAs for compliance with Federal statutes and
regulations, applicable State rules and policies and the approved
sub-grantee application.**

**[Citation]{.underline}:** *EDGAR* §76.770 and §80.40(a)

**[Recommendation]{.underline}:** The State may want to consider
revising its district monitoring schedule to ensure that both high-risk
and low-risk districts are regularly monitored. The State can continue
to focus on the high-risk districts but should also put a standard
monitoring schedule into place for districts that are not considered
high-risk.

**Area V: Title II, Part A State-Level Activities**

**Critical Element V.1: The SEA ensures that State-level activity funds
are expended on allowable activities.**

**[Citation]{.underline}:** §2113(c)

**[Recommendation 1]{.underline}:** The State should continue to use
state-level activity funds for MiTAP. MiTAP has been successful in
providing data verification and intensive monitoring and technical
assistance to many districts in the state, but over 300 districts have
not yet received a MiTAP visit.

**[Recommendation 2]{.underline}:** The State may want to consider
reducing the amount of state-level activity funds used for the Michigan
LearnPort (MiLP). More than 65 percent of the state-level activity funds
in fiscal years 2005 and 2006 were allocated for MiLP. However, state
and district staff reported that use of this website is limited.

**[State Agency for Higher Education]{.smallcaps}**

**[Critical Element 6]{.underline}: The SAHE regularly and
systematically monitors grantees for compliance with Federal statutes
and regulations, applicable State rules and policies and the approved
sub-grantee application.**

**[Citation]{.underline}:** *EDGAR* §76.770 and §80.40(a)

**[Recommendation]{.underline}:** The SAHE should revise its materials
and monitoring protocol to clarify that a high-need district, not
school, must be an eligible partner in a SAHE grant.

[^1]: FY 2005 funds are those that became available to the State on July
    1, 2005.

[^2]: FY 2006 funds are those that became available to the State on July
    1, 2006.