AToolkit

forTeachers

AToolkit

forTeachers

No Child Left Behind No Child Left Behind

UPDATED 2004

AToolkit

forTeachers

AToolkit

forTeachers

No Child Left Behind No Child Left Behind

U.S. Department of Education

2004
ii A Toolkit for Teachers

U.S. Department of Education

Rod Paige

Secretary

Office of the Deputy Secretary

Eugene W. Hickok

Deputy Secretary

First published August 2003

Revised May 2004

This booklet is in the public domain. Authorization to reproduce it in 

whole or in part is granted. While permission to reprint this publication 

is not necessary, the citation should be: U.S. Department of Education,

Office of the Deputy Secretary, No Child Left Behind: A Toolkit for Teachers,

Washington, D.C., 2004.

To order copies of this booklet,

write to: ED Pubs, Education Publications Center, U.S. Department of

Education, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, Md. 20794-1398;

fax your request to: (301) 470-1244;

e-mail your request to: edpubs@inet.ed.gov;

call in your request toll-free: 1-877-433-7827 (1-877-4-ED-PUBS). If 877

service is not yet available in your area, call 

1-800-872-5327 (1-800-USA-LEARN). Those

who use a telecommunications device for the

deaf (TDD) or a teletypewriter (TTY) should

call 1-877-576-7734;

or order online at: www.edpubs.org/webstore/content/search.asp.

No Child Left Behind: A Toolkit for Teachers is also available at:

www.ed.gov/teachers/nclbguide/nclb-teachers-toolkit.pdf.

On request, this publication is available in alternate formats, such as 

Braille, large print, audiotape, or computer diskette. For more information,

please contact the Department’s Alternate Format Center at (202) 260-9895 

or (202) 205-8113.
No Child Left Behind iii

March 18, 2004

I send greetings to our country’s teachers.

Education is the gateway to a hopeful future for America’s children.

America relies on good teachers to pass on the knowledge and skills

our young people need to achieve their dreams.

My administration is committed to helping educators teach students 

to read and write, add and subtract. We also want to help our students

make healthy choices and become responsible citizens. The Department

of Education’s Toolkit for Teachers contains information to help you

take advantage of the resources of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001.

I commend America’s teachers for your dedication to excellence in the 

classroom. By setting high standards and believing in each student,

you make a real difference in their lives and in the life of our country.

Laura joins me in sending our best wishes. May God bless you and 

your students, and may God continue to bless America.
iv A Toolkit for Teachers
April 6, 2004

Dear Colleague:

Recently, we celebrated the second anniversary of the passage of the 

historic No Child Left Behind Act. In the last two years, our nation has 

made tremendous progress toward our common goal of offering educational

excellence to every child.

Thank you, our nation’s teachers, for your daily efforts to reach students 

in your classrooms. Great teachers are the key to unlocking the potential in

every child and finally closing the staggering achievement gap. Regardless of

circumstances, all children deserve an excellent education.

Here at the U.S. Department of Education, we recognize that the real hard work

is in the classroom. To support state and local efforts, we have updated our 

No Child Left Behind: A Toolkit for Teachers to include more guidance on the

law and how it supports teachers and schools. We have also included valuable

information on special education, English language learners, scientifically

based research, using data to inform instruction, and examples of interesting

initiatives to improve teaching and learning. I hope you find it helpful.

In his fiscal year 2005 budget request, President Bush is seeking a record 

$5.1 billion in support of teachers through training, recruitment and retention

incentives, loan forgiveness, tax relief, and more. No nation has ever before so

wholly committed itself to the goal of educating every child. Working together—

from the federal level to the state, from districts to schools, and finally to each

and every classroom—I know we can achieve this goal.

Thank you again for your dedicated service to America’s children.

Sincerely,

Rod Paige

No Child Left Behind v
vi A Toolkit for Teachers
Contents 

Foreword

A Letter from the President of the United States . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . iii

A Letter from the U.S. Secretary of Education . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

What Is No Child Left Behind?

No Child Left Behind at a Glance: The Law That Ushered in a New Era . . . . . . . 1

Why No Child Left Behind Is Important to America . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

What Does “Highly Qualified” Mean for Teachers?

The Highly Qualified Teacher Provisions of No Child Left Behind . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

How the Federal Government Helps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Report Cards and Parent Notification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Questions Teachers Frequently Ask About No Child Left Behind

Highly Qualified Teacher Requirements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Accountability . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Student Assessment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

Reading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

Scientifically Based Research . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

Safe Schools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

Learning More About No Child Left Behind . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

No Child Left Behind: Supporting America’s Teachers

Liability Protection, Loan Forgiveness and Tax Relief . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Reading First: A $6 Billion Investment to Improve the 

Reading Skills of Young Children . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Helping Teachers Improve Math and Science Achievement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39

Teaching English Language Learners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41

Teaching Students With Disabilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43

Data-Driven Decision Making . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

At a Glance: Some Federal, State and Local Responsibilities 

Under No Child Left Behind (NCLB) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Around the Nation: Examples of State, District and School 

Initiatives to Support Teaching and Learning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Additional Resources for Teachers

Internet Resources for Teachers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56

Publications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Notes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62

No Child Left Behind vii

What Is 

No Child Left Behind?

What Is 

No Child Left Behind?

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB)1 is a landmark in education reform designed

to improve student achievement and close achievement gaps. Passed with overwhelming

bipartisan support from Congress, the law was signed by President George W. Bush on

Jan. 8, 2002. Clearly, our children are our future, and, as President Bush has expressed,

“Too many of our neediest children are being left behind.”

With passage of No Child Left Behind, Congress reauthorized the Elementary and

Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA)—the principal federal law affecting education

from kindergarten through high school. In amending ESEA, the new law represents a

sweeping overhaul of federal efforts to support elementary and secondary education in

the United States. It is built on four common-sense pillars: accountability for results, an

emphasis on doing what works based on scientific research, expanded parental options,

and expanded local control and flexibility.

Accountability for Results

Identifies Where Improvement is Needed

As part of the accountability provisions set forth in the law, No Child Left Behind has set

the goal of having every child make the grade on state-defined education standards by the

end of the 2013–14 school year. To reach that goal, every state has developed benchmarks

to measure progress and make sure every child is learning. States are required to separate

(or disaggregate) student achievement data, holding schools accountable for subgroups of

students, so that no child falls through the cracks. A school or school district that does not

meet the state’s definition of “adequate yearly progress” (AYP) for two straight years

(schoolwide or in any subgroup) is considered to be “in need of improvement.”

No Child Left Behind does not label schools as “failing.” Instead, schools are identified as

“in need of improvement,” and they are given assistance to improve by doing such things

as instituting a school improvement plan or increasing professional development for

teachers. The regular assessments that NCLB calls for help schools to identify subject areas

and teaching methods that need improvement. For example, if student reading scores do

not reach the state’s benchmark for two consecutive years, the school knows it needs 

to improve its reading program. In the past, these schools might not have received the

No Child Left Behind at a Glance:

The Law That Ushered 

in a New Era

No Child Left Behind 1

Clearly, our children are our future, and, as

President Bush has expressed, “Too many of our

neediest children are being left behind.”
attention and help they need to improve. Through No

Child Left Behind, every state has made a commitment

that it will no longer turn a blind eye when schools are

not meeting the needs of every student in their care.

Provides Schools in Need of Improvement 

With Help to Get Back on Track

When a school is “in need of improvement,” school 

officials are required to work with parents, school staff,

district leaders and outside experts to develop a plan 

to turn around the school. The district must ensure 

that the school receives needed technical assistance as 

it develops and implements its improvement plan.

Examples of technical assistance include:

 Identifying problems in instruction or curriculum.

 Analyzing and revising the school’s budget so 

that resources are more effectively targeted 

to activities most likely to help students learn.

The school’s improvement plan must incorporate strategies, relying on scientifically based research, that will

strengthen the learning of core academic subjects, especially the subject areas that resulted in the school being

deemed in need of improvement. Schools in need of

improvement must spend at least 10 percent of their

Title I funds to assist teachers. For example they could

provide professional development that will improve subject-matter knowledge in the subjects taught. These schools are also expected to develop

strategies to promote effective parental involvement in the school and to incorporate a

teacher-mentoring program. No Child Left Behind provides several additional funding

sources that schools can use to support teachers and help them improve their skills. See

page 13 for more information on funds available.

Improves Teaching and Learning by Providing 

Better Information to Teachers and Principals

States have the flexibility to create high-quality assessments, aligned with state standards

for schools and focused on higher-level thinking skills. Districts and schools use these

assessments to measure progress in student learning. These annual tests provide educators with information about each child’s academic strengths and weaknesses. With this knowledge, teachers can craft lessons to make sure each

student meets or exceeds the standards. In addition, principals can use the

data to assess where the school should invest resources. For example, tests

may show that the school’s students are doing fine when it comes to multiplication but are struggling with fractions. That might mean that the

curriculum for teaching fractions needs to be adjusted or that teachers

need additional professional development in teaching fractions.

2 A Toolkit for Teachers

Myth: 

No Child Left Behind labels

schools as “failing,” and those

schools lose federal money.

Reality: 

NCLB does not label any school as

“failing.”In fact, states are responsible for identifying schools as “in

need of improvement” if they do

not reach the state-defined standards for two consecutive years.

And far from losing federal funds,

schools in need of improvement

actually qualify for additional

support to help them get back on

track. Federal funds have steadily

increased to support schools 

in need of improvement. These

schools have increased funds 

targeted for professional development, and are specifically

required to work with parents,

school staff, district and outside

experts to develop an improvement plan.

1⁄2

1⁄2
Ensures That Teacher Quality is a High Priority

No Child Left Behind outlines the minimum qualifications needed by

teachers: a bachelor’s degree, full state certification and demonstration 

of subject-matter competency for each subject taught. NCLB requires 

that states develop plans to achieve the goal that all teachers of core 

academic subjects are highly qualified by the end of the 2005–06 school

year. States must include in their plans annual, measurable objectives that

each local school district and school must meet in moving toward the goal.

They must also report on their progress in annual report cards.

Gives More Resources to Schools

States and local school districts are now receiving more federal funds than ever before for

programs under No Child Left Behind: $24.3 billion, most of which will be used during the

2004–05 school year. This represents an increase of 39.8 percent from 2001 to 2004 for all

NCLB-related programs. A large portion of these funds is for grants under Title I of NCLB,

called “Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged.” Title I grants are

awarded to states and districts to help them improve the education of disadvantaged students, turn around low-performing schools, improve teacher quality and increase choices

for parents. For fiscal year (FY) 2004, funding for Title I alone is $12.3 billion—an increase

of 40.8 percent since the passage of NCLB. President Bush’s FY 2005 budget request would

increase spending on Title I by 52.3 percent since 2001.

No Child Left Behind 3

Myth: 

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is an unfunded mandate.

Reality: 

Taking federal funds under NCLB requires that states actually set standards and

enforce them, which is a reasonable expectation for taxpayers, as well as a mechanism to determine schools in need of improvement and to target additional

resources to students. The standards are the state’s assurance that they will do

the job of educating children.

More federal education funding has been provided by this administration

than any previous one. Funding is at historic levels. In President Bush’s FY 2005

budget, funding for K-12 education would be $38.7 billion, an increase of 39 

percent since 2001. This school year alone, the United States invested more than

$501 billion in education at the local, state, and federal levels.

The law is fully funded, according to several expert analyses, including a

study by Massachusetts State Board Chairman James Peyser and economist

Robert Costrell; a study by the General Accounting Office; and an analysis by the

nonprofit group “Accountability Works.”2

There is no federal mandate except this: NCLB asks that children read and

do math at grade level, and all students have opportunities for success. This 

is the goal of public education. For more information, visit www.ed.gov/news/

pressreleases/2003/10/10302003.html.
Scientifically Based Research

Focuses on What Works

No Child Left Behind puts a special emphasis on implementing education programs and practices that have been clearly demonstrated to be effective through

rigorous scientific research. Federal funding is targeted to support such programs.

For example, the Reading First program makes federal funds available to states 

to help reading teachers in the early grades strengthen existing skills and gain 

new ones in effective, scientifically based instructional techniques. To increase

awareness and assess the quality of specific studies of the effectiveness of education interventions, the U.S. Department of Education created the What Works

Clearinghouse. For more information, visit http://whatworks.ed.gov/. 

Supports Learning in the Early Years, Thereby Preventing 

Many Learning Difficulties That May Arise Later

Children who enter school with language skills and pre-reading skills are more 

likely to learn to read well in the early grades and succeed in later years. In fact, research

shows that good instruction in the early childhood years can prevent many types of adolescent and adult reading problems.3 No Child Left Behind targets resources for early

childhood education through Early Reading First, so that all youngsters get the right start. 

Expanded Parental Options

Provides More Information for Parents About Their Child’s Progress

Under No Child Left Behind, by the 2005–06 school year each state must

measure every public school student’s progress in reading and math in each

of grades 3 through 8 and at least once during grades 10 through 12. By

school year 2007–08, assessments in science for grade spans 3 – 5, 6 – 8, and

10 - 12 must be under way. These assessments must be aligned with state

academic content and achievement standards. They will provide parents

with objective data about their child’s academic strengths and weaknesses.

They will also provide the public with general information about the

progress of their area schools.

Alerts Parents to Important Information on 

the Performance of Their Child’s School

No Child Left Behind requires states and school districts to give parents detailed

report cards on schools and districts, telling them which ones are succeeding and

why. Included in the report cards are student achievement data broken out by race,

ethnicity, gender, English language proficiency, migrant status, disability status and

low-income status, as well as information about the professional qualifications of

teachers. With these provisions, NCLB ensures that parents have important, timely

information about the schools their children attend.

Gives New Options to Parents Whose Children 

Attend Schools in Need of Improvement 

In the first year that a school is considered to be in need of improvement, parents receive

4 A Toolkit for Teachers
the option to transfer their child to a higher-performing public school, including a 

charter school, in the district. Transportation must also be provided to the new school,

subject to certain cost limitations. In the second year that a school is considered to be 

in need of improvement, the school must continue offering public school choice, and 

the school must also offer supplemental services (e.g., free tutoring) to low-income 

students. For more information, visit the U.S. Department of Education’s Web site at:

www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oii/about/choice.html.

Expanded Flexibility 

and Local Control

Allows For More Flexible Spending

In exchange for strong accountability, No Child Left Behind gives

states and districts more flexibility in the use of their federal education funding. For instance, NCLB makes it possible for districts to

transfer up to 50 percent of federal formula-grant funds they

receive under different parts of the law (Title II—Improving

Teacher Quality and Educational Technology, Title IV—Safe and

Drug-Free School Grants, Title V—Innovative Programs) to any one

of these programs or to the Title I program (Improving the

Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged). This allows districts

the opportunity to target resources as they see fit, without any

additional approval. As a result, principals and administrators

spend less time filling out forms and dealing with federal red 

tape and devote more time to students’ needs. Districts have 

more freedom to implement innovations and allocate resources,

thereby giving local people a greater opportunity to affect decisions regarding school programs. The flexibility and transferability

provisions for states and districts are described in greater detail on

the U.S. Department of Education’s Web site at www.ed.gov/nclb/

freedom/local/flexibility/index.html.

Encourages Teacher Development 

No Child Left Behind gives states and districts the flexibility to find

innovative ways to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers,

including alternative routes to certification, merit pay plans for

master teachers and incentive pay for those who teach in highneed schools and subject areas like math and science.

The Improving Teacher Quality State Grants program (Title II of No Child Left Behind)

gives states and districts flexibility to determine, based on a district needs assessment, how

to spend professional development dollars. Districts must consult with teachers and school

leaders as they determine the appropriate use of funds. These funds should provide

teachers with professional development that is relevant, useful and focused on raising

student achievement. Since 2001, Title II funds have increased 39 percent, totaling $822

million. Contact your state department of education or district to find out how these

funds are used to support teaching and learning.

No Child Left Behind 5

Myth: 

No Child Left Behind is a “one size

fits all” approach to schools and

does not account for the uniqueness of each state, district and

school.

Reality: 

NCLB provides an unprecedented

amount of flexibility for states to

tailor their standards, assessments, and definitions of proficiency, highly qualified teacher,

and adequate yearly progress

according to their own unique

needs and challenges. It also gives

states and districts flexibility in

how they use their funds, encouraging them to focus on student

achievement and what works to

improve teaching and learning. If

there is anything “one size fits all”

about NCLB, it is that the law

demands that all children have

the opportunity for a high-quality

education, with high standards

and high-quality teachers. For

more information on the flexibility in the law, go to www.ed.gov/

news/pressreleases/2004/01/

01142004.html.
Why No Child Left Behind

Is Important to America

6 A Toolkit for Teachers

Despite decades of hard work and dedication to education in our nation, achievement

gaps remain stubbornly wide. Since 1965, when the Elementary and Secondary Education

Act (ESEA) was enacted in Congress, the federal government has spent more than $267.4

billion to assist states in educating disadvantaged children. Yet, according to the most

recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) on reading in 2002, only 31

percent of fourth-graders can read at a proficient (passing) or advanced level.

Achievement among the highest-performing students remained stable, and America’s

lowest performers have improved only slightly. A wide achievement gap remains

between poor and more economically advantaged students, as well as between white

and minority students.4

The good news is that many schools in cities and towns across the country have improved

academic achievement for children with a history of low performance. Teachers and

administrators are working together in schools to target areas of weakness, improve skills

and spend money more wisely, producing better results for all children. 

While spending increased in the 1980s and 1990s, achievement remained flat. Clearly,

resources and effort are not lacking as educators around the nation work to improve student achievement. The reauthorized Elementary and Secondary Education Act, called No

Child Left Behind, calls for states, districts and schools to be accountable for dollars spent

on education. NCLB creates a culture of accountability, requiring schools to reassess what

they are doing to raise achievement of all students and support teaching and learning.

Federal Spending on K-12 Education Under the Elementary 

and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) and National Assessment 

of Educational Progress (NAEP) Reading Scores (Age 9)

Source: U.S. Department of Education Budget Service and NAEP 1999 Trends in Academic Progress.

5

Notes: Appropriations do not include funding for special education. Reading scores are the average scores for 

9-year-olds, according to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). A score of 200 implies

an ability to understand, combine ideas, and make inferences based on short, uncomplicated passages

about specific or sequentially related information. 

NAEP Reading Scores (Age 9) and ESEA Funding (in 2004 dollars)

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

1984198519861987198819891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005

Funding (in billions of dollarrs)

185

235

285

NAEP Scale Score

ESEA Funding 

(constant dollars)

Reading Score
What Does 

“Highly

Qualified”

Mean for

Teachers?

What Does 

“Highly

Qualified”

Mean for

Teachers?

Why No Child Left Behind Includes 

Provisions on Teacher Qualifications

Recent studies offer compelling evidence that teachers are one of the most critical factors

in how well students achieve. For instance, studies in both Tennessee and Texas found that

students who had effective teachers greatly outperformed those who had ineffective

teachers. In the Tennessee study, students with highly effective teachers for three years in

a row scored 50 percentage points higher on a test of math skills than those whose teachers were ineffective.6

Thus, No Child Left Behind includes provisions stating 

that all teachers in core academic areas must be highly

qualified in the core academic subjects they teach by the

end of the 2005–06 school year. It also requires that newly

hired teachers in Title I programs or schools be highly qualified immediately. A more flexible timeline is allowed for

teachers in eligible small, rural schools, who often teach

multiple subjects. See page 25 for more information.

All teachers hired after the first day of the 2002–03 school

year in Title I schoolwide programs must be highly 

qualified. However, in Title I targeted-assistance schools,

only those teachers paid with Title I funds need to be

highly qualified immediately. Check with your district to

determine your school designation.

“Highly qualified” is a specific term defined by No Child

Left Behind. The law outlines a list of minimum requirements related to content knowledge and teaching skills

that a highly qualified teacher would meet. The law,

however, also recognizes the importance of state and

local control of education and therefore provides the

opportunity for each state to develop a definition of

highly qualified that is consistent with NCLB as well as with the unique needs of the state.

The Highly Qualified

Teacher Provisions of 

No Child Left Behind

No Child Left Behind 9

There is much confusion about exactly what No Child Left Behind’s

(NCLB) highly qualified teacher provisions include and what they mean

for individual teachers. In addition to the following brief overview,

refer to the section entitled “Questions Teachers Frequently Ask

About No Child Left Behind” for more detailed information.

Myth:

No Child Left Behind requires all

teachers to earn a bachelor’s

degree in every subject they teach,

as well as certification in every

subject.

Reality:

The law requires teachers to have

a bachelor’s degree and full state

certification and to demonstrate

content knowledge in the subjects

they teach. NCLB requires neither

separate degrees nor separate

certifications for every subject

taught. In fact, under NCLB states

decide what is necessary for certification and for determining subject-matter competency.
Teachers Who Teach Core Academic Subjects

Must Meet the Definition of Highly

Qualified for the Subjects They Teach

The law requires public school elementary and secondary teachers to meet 

their state’s definition of highly qualified teacher for each core academic

subject they teach. According to No Child Left Behind, these subjects are

English, reading or language arts, math, science, history, civics and government, geography, economics, the arts and foreign language. Special

education teachers and teachers of English language learners must be

highly qualified if they teach core academic subjects to their students.

How States Determine Their 

Highly Qualified Teacher Provisions

In general, under No Child Left Behind a highly 

qualified teacher must have:

 A bachelor’s degree.

 Full state certification, as defined by the state.

 Demonstrated competency, as defined by 

the state, in each core academic subject he 

or she teaches.

The first requirement is straightforward. For the second, the state has freedom to define certification

according to its needs. The state can use this opportunity to strengthen and streamline its certification

requirements. It can also create alternate routes to certification.

Regarding the third requirement, states have significant

flexibility to design ways to allow teachers to demonstrate competency in the subjects they teach, especially

for teachers with experience. The law also requires that

states consider the differences between elementary and

secondary teachers, as well as differences between

newly hired and experienced teachers.

New Elementary School Teachers

Elementary school teachers who are new to the profession must demonstrate

competency by passing a rigorous state test on subject knowledge and teaching

skills in reading and language arts, writing, math and other areas of the basic elementary school curriculum.

10 A Toolkit for Teachers

Why No Child Left Behind

Focuses on the Importance

of Teachers Knowing the

Subjects They Teach 

Students, parents and educators

intuitively believe that a teacher’s

knowledge of subject matter is

critical if students are going to

achieve to high standards. As

Sandra Feldman, president of the

American Federation of Teachers,

says, “You can’t teach what you

don’t know well.”7 In addition,

research shows that teachers who

know the subject matter that they

teach are more effective in the

classroom.8 Having teachers who

know well the content they are

teaching is good practice because

it leads to improved student

learning.

1⁄2

1⁄2

1⁄2
New Middle and High School Teachers

At the middle and high school levels, new teachers must demonstrate competency either

by passing a rigorous state test in each subject they teach or by completing an academic

major or coursework equivalent to an academic major, an advanced degree or advanced

certification or credentials.

Experienced Elementary, Middle School and High School Teachers 

Teachers with experience must either meet the requirements for new teachers or

demonstrate competency based on a system designed by each state. No Child Left

Behind recognizes that many teachers who have experience may already have the

qualifications necessary to be considered highly qualified. Therefore, the law

allows states to create a high, objective, uniform state standard of evaluation

(HOUSSE). This standard is defined by each state in line with six basic criteria established in NCLB. HOUSSE allows states to evaluate teachers’ subject matter knowledge by recognizing, among other things, their teaching experience, professional

development and knowledge in the subject garnered over time in the profession.

The law requires that such standards

 Are set by the state for grade-appropriate academic subject-matter 

knowledge and teaching skills.

 Are aligned with challenging state academic content standards and 

student achievement standards and developed in consultation with 

core content specialists, teachers, principals and school administrators.

 Provide objective, coherent information about the teacher’s attainment of 

core content knowledge in the academic subjects in which a teacher teaches.

 Are applied uniformly to all teachers in the same academic subject 

and the same grade level throughout the state. 

 Take into consideration, but are not based primarily on, the time a 

teacher has been teaching the academic subject.

 Are made available to the public upon request.

This evaluation may involve multiple, objective measures of teacher competency.

Important: Most states have developed their high, objective, uniform state standard of

evaluation (HOUSSE) standards for experienced teachers. Many are using point systems

that allow teachers to count a combination of years of successful classroom experience,

participation in high-quality professional development that evaluates what the teacher

has learned, service on curriculum-development teams and other important activities

related to the development of content-area expertise. As states begin implementing

these standards, many experienced teachers will find that they already meet the 

competency requirements for the subjects they teach. Others may need to take only

minimal steps to meet the requirements. Teachers should contact their state department of education to learn about the status of their state’s HOUSSE provision for

experienced teachers.

No Child Left Behind 11

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12 A Toolkit for Teachers

Teacher Testing

Under No Child Left Behind, it is not mandatory for all teachers to take

a test to determine that they meet their state’s highly qualified teacher

requirements in the subjects they teach. Testing is required only for new

elementary teachers. States have the flexibility to create and make

determinations regarding subject-matter tests for teachers, and NCLB

allows new and experienced secondary teachers to demonstrate competency through a major or its equivalent in the subject, or through 

an advanced degree or certification. As each state defines its own grade-level content

standards, it should choose appropriate assessments for new teachers and provide opportunities for experienced teachers to demonstrate subject-matter knowledge through a

test or other means.

Information and Assistance

Teacher Assistance Corps

At the direction of Secretary Rod Paige, the U.S. Department of Education

formed the Teacher Assistance Corps (TAC), to assist states in implementing the

highly qualified teacher requirements in the law. Consisting of practitioners,

state and district officials, researchers, higher education leaders and others,

TAC teams have provided assistance in understanding the law, shared innovative practices

from other states and listened to states as they shared implementation challenges. Many

states invited principals, superintendents and teachers to these meetings, allowing them a

chance to ask questions and voice concerns. The TAC initiative will provide further assistance, as needed, while states are in the process of all phases of implementation.

Teacher-Quality Web Site

The U.S. Department of Education sponsors the Web site www.teacher

quality.us. It includes links to information on many interesting state and

district initiatives around the nation focused on improving teaching 

and learning, along with other information specifically designed for

classroom teachers.

Teacher-to-Teacher Summer Workshops

The U.S. Department of Education has brought together some of the

nation's most effective teachers and education experts to share with their

colleagues research-based practices and effective methods of using data

to inform instruction that have been successfully applied in the classroom.

How the Federal 

Government Helps
Research-to-Practice Summit

The U.S. Department of Education will

sponsor a Research-to-Practice Summit,

where the latest findings of effective

teaching and learning will be presented. Teacher practitioners will share how

they have applied those findings in

everyday teaching and how they have

equipped their students to reach

unprecedented levels of success. 

Funding for Teacher Quality

No Child Left Behind provides funds to states and districts to conduct a wide variety of

activities aimed at supporting teachers. It is important to note that districts can transfer

up to 50 percent of federal formula grant funds they receive under different parts of the

law (Title II—Improving Teacher Quality and Educational Technology, Title IV—Safe and

Drug-Free School Grants, Title V—Innovative Programs) to any one of these programs or

to their Title I program (Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged).

This allows districts the opportunity to target resources as they see fit, including moving

funds into Title II to provide even more support for teachers. This can be accomplished

without separate requests and approval.

Improving the Academic Achievement of the Disadvantaged (Title I)

Each district that receives Title I funds must spend at least 5 percent of its Title

I allocation on professional development activities to assist teachers. In fiscal

year (FY) 2004, Title I funding included about $605.2 million targeted to 

professional development alone. With a record request of $13.3 billion for 

the program in FY 2005, the amount targeted to professional development

would be at least $653.7 million.

Improving Teacher-Quality State Grants (Title II)

No Child Left Behind makes funds available specifically to help all

states support teachers and improve teaching and learning. Funding

for FY 2004 was $2.93 billion; total funding from FY 2002-04

amounts to more than $8.7 billion. States have already submitted

applications to the Department describing their annual goals for

increasing the percentage of highly qualified teachers. States have

also described how they will use funds to meet the teacher and paraprofessional requirements of the law and how they will hold districts

accountable for their progress in helping all teachers reach the highly qualified standard for the subjects they teach.

Educational Technology State Grants Program (Title II)

Each district receiving Educational Technology State Grants funds

must spend at least 25 percent (a total of $173 million in FY 2004) 

on high-quality professional development in the integration of 

No Child Left Behind 13

Teachers may sign up to receive

electronic updates from the

Department.These short e-bytes

address some of the hot topics

from our teacher outreach and

provide links to resources to aid

teachers in learning about the latest policy,

research and professional issues affecting the

classroom. Sign up at www.teacherquality.us.

District Needs Assessment

To receive Title II funds, each 

district must conduct a needs

assessment, outlining activities

that must be implemented to give

teachers the content knowledge

and teaching skills they need,

and to give principals the instructional leadership skills they need

to help teachers. No Child Left

Behind requires that teachers

participate in the needs assessment process. Teachers should

contact their state or district

about getting involved in this

process, if they have not already

been invited to participate.
technology into curricula and instruction, unless a district can demonstrate that it already

provides such training.

English Language Acquisition State Grants Program (Title III)

In FY 2004, $548 million is available to states for English Language Acquisition State Grants

under Title III of NCLB. States may use up to 5 percent of these funds for professional development and other uses to support teachers. In addition, more than $68 million dollars is

available specifically for professional development projects to assist districts and schools in

improving the teaching of English language learners. Of this amount, $39 million is available for project-grants under the NCLB Title III English Language Acquisition State Grants

program. These competitive grants are awarded for up to five years to colleges and universities to provide professional development to improve instruction for English language

learners. The remaining $29 million is available to continue professional development projects that were awarded under the 1997 version of the Elementary and Secondary

Education Act, before it was reauthorized as NCLB. 

Other Programs to Improve Teaching and Learning

The federal government supports several other grant programs for teachers, such as

Teaching American History; Math and Science Partnerships; Troops for Teachers;

Transition to Teaching; Teach for America; and the American Board for the

Certification of Teacher Excellence, among others. The U.S. Department of Education

also funds programs to support school leadership, as well as the teaching of students

with disabilities, English language learners, and Native American and migrant children. For more information on grants to improve teacher quality, recruitment and

retention, visit www.ed.gov/admins/ tchrqual/learn/tpr.

14 A Toolkit for Teachers
Report Cards and 

Parent Notification

No Child Left Behind 15

Under No Child Left Behind, states and districts must provide

the public with information about schools and teachers. Among

the required reports are annual state and district report

cards and notifications under the “Parents’ Right to Know”

provisions in the law. These reports will begin with data

from the 2002–03 school year.

Report Cards

Annual state report cards must include:

 State assessment results by performance level (basic, proficient,

advanced), broken out into groups of students by: race, ethnicity, disability status, English language learners, low-income 

status, gender, and migrant status.

 Accountability information comparing achievement goals and actual performance.

 Percentage of each group of students not tested.

 An additional indicator of student performance, selected by the state, for elementary and middle school academic achievement.

 Graduation rates for secondary school students.

 District and school progress in making Adequate Yearly 

Progress goals.

 Teacher information:

Professional qualifications of teachers in the state (degrees, certification).

Percentage of teachers teaching under emergency or provisional credentials.

Percentage of classes statewide taught by teachers not meeting the 

highly qualified teacher requirements, in total and broken out by 

high-poverty and low-poverty schools.

(Note: State report cards may include other information for parents.)

Annual district report cards must report the same information as the state 

reports, broken down by district level and school level.

States and districts must present this information, to the extent that is feasible, in a language that parents can understand, and make it available to the public. For more information on state and district report cards, see the U.S. Department of Education guidance

at www.ed.gov/programs/titleiparta/reportcardsguidance.doc.

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Parents’ Right to Know

The Parents’ Right to Know provision requires that two types of communication

be provided to parents of students in Title I schools.

Parent notification by district: A district receiving Title I funds must send a notification to parents, informing them of their right to request information on the

qualifications of their child’s teacher. The information that the district must provide (if requested) includes the following:

 Whether or not the teacher has met the certification requirements of

the state.

 Whether or not the teacher is teaching under an emergency or other 

provisional status.

 The bachelor’s degree major of the teacher and any other graduate 

certification or degree held by the teacher in the field or discipline of 

his or her certificate or degree.

 Whether or not the child receives service from a paraprofessional and, 

if so, his or her qualifications.

Parent notification by school: Additionally, schools receiving federal Title I

funds must send parents certain information in a timely manner, in a language that is understandable, to the extent that is feasible. Title I schools

must provide the following:

 Information on the child’s level of achievement on state assessments.

 Timely notice that the child has been assigned to or been taught by

a teacher who does not meet the highly qualified teacher requirements for four or more consecutive weeks.

16 A Toolkit for Teachers

Parent notifications are meant to encourage parent involvement and improve

communication between the family and the school. Districts and schools have a

great deal of flexibility in designing these notices. NCLB describes the minimum

amount of information to be provided. Districts and schools can provide additional information to ensure that parents more fully understand the notification. Contact your principal to determine whether your school receives Title I

funds and whether these parent notification requirements apply to your school.

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Questions

Teachers

Frequently 

Ask About 

No Child Left Behind

Questions

Teachers

Frequently 

Ask About 

No Child Left Behind

No Child Left Behind 19

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) amends the Elementary and Secondary

Education Act of 1965 (ESEA) by making significant changes in the major federal programs that support schools’ efforts to educate all children. NCLB is based on the principles of increased flexibility and local control, stronger accountability for results, expanded options for parents and an emphasis on effective teaching methods scientifically

proven to increase student academic achievement.

The following are commonly asked questions about No Child Left Behind, specifically as

the law applies to teachers. This information will help teachers understand the content

and intent of this landmark legislation and how it affects them as they serve in our

nation’s classrooms. Of course, as states, districts and schools implement these changes,

new questions will arise and new issues will surface. Teachers should also pursue answers

from their district and state department of education as the majority of these questions

arise from state and district implementation of the law.

Highly Qualified 

Teacher Requirements

Why is teacher quality such an important issue?

A major objective of No Child Left Behind is to ensure that all students, regardless of race,

ethnicity or income, have the best teachers possible. A well-prepared teacher is vitally

important to a child’s education. In fact, research demonstrates the clear correlation

between student academic achievement and teacher quality.9 Studies also show that

many classrooms and schools, particularly those with economically disadvantaged 

students, have disproportionately more teachers who teach out-of-field or are not fully

qualified in the subjects they teach.10

What does “full state certification” mean?

Full state certification is determined by the state in accordance with state policy. No Child

Left Behind allows states to set their own certification requirements. NCLB encourages

states to have high standards and to use this opportunity to strengthen and streamline

their certification requirements to make sure that talented individuals are not discouraged from becoming teachers, or continuing to teach. 

Questions Teachers

Frequently Ask About

No Child Left Behind

NCLB is based on the principles of increased flexibility and local control, stronger accountability for

results, expanded options for parents and an emphasis

on effective teaching methods scientifically proven

to increase student academic achievement.
Which subjects are considered 

the core academic subjects?

No Child Left Behind defines “core academic subjects”

to include English, reading or language arts, math, 

science, foreign languages, civics and government, 

economics, arts, history and geography.

What are the deadlines for meeting the

highly qualified teacher requirements?

Beginning with the 2002–03 school year, teachers of

core academic subjects who are newly hired to teach in

Title I programs must meet all requirements. By the end

of the 2005–06 school year, all teachers of core academic subjects must meet the requirements in every

state that receives Title I funds. However, teachers who

teach multiple subjects in eligible small, rural schools

must meet the highly qualified teacher requirements 

in one subject, but have additional time to meet the requirements in other subjects. 

(See page 25 for more information on flexibility for eligible small, rural school teachers.)

How do I become highly qualified if I am a new teacher?

Those who are considering teaching core academic subjects must meet their state’s 

definition of highly qualified teacher, which includes demonstrating knowledge 

in their subject area. For this reason, the law requires that new teachers hold a

bachelor’s degree, have full state certification and demonstrate subject-matter

competency. The teacher can do this by passing a rigorous subject test in each of

the academic subjects he or she teaches. A middle or high school teacher may

demonstrate subject-matter competency by having successfully completed, in each

of the core academic subjects he or she teaches, an academic major, a graduate

degree, coursework equivalent to an undergraduate academic major, or advanced

certification or credentialing. New elementary school teachers must demonstrate

the required competency by passing a state-approved test.

How do I become highly qualified if I am an experienced teacher?

Many experienced teachers have already met the highly qualified teacher requirements.

Experienced teachers must meet the three basic requirements by the end of the 2005–06

school year. They must have a bachelor’s degree and full state certification (no emergency

certificates). For the third requirement, there are multiple ways for experienced teachers

to demonstrate that they have sufficient content knowledge. Teachers may opt for taking a subject-matter test (as determined by the state) or demonstrate competency

through the state-developed high, objective, uniform state standard of evaluation

(HOUSSE). In addition, middle and high school teachers may demonstrate competency

through a major (or its equivalent) or through advanced certification or credentials in 

the subject they teach. Teachers should contact the state department of education for 

more information about meeting the highly qualified teacher definition in the subjects

they teach.

20 A Toolkit for Teachers

What are the basic 

requirements in the 

federal law for highly 

qualified teachers?

The law requires that teachers

of core academic subjects meet

three basic requirements:

 Hold a bachelor’s degree.

 Obtain full state certification, which can be “alternative certification.”

 Demonstrate subject-matter

competency in the core 

academic subjects taught.
What is the “high, objective, uniform state 

standard of evaluation” (HOUSSE)?

HOUSSE is a system by which the state can determine that an experienced teacher meets the subject-matter competency requirements in

the law. Under No Child Left Behind, the criteria for such a system

 Are set by the state for grade-appropriate academic subjectmatter knowledge and teaching skills.

 Are aligned with challenging state academic content standards and student

achievement standards and developed in consultation with core content specialists,

teachers, principals and school administrators.

 Provide objective, coherent information about the teacher’s attainment of core 

content knowledge in the academic subjects in which a teacher teaches.

 Are applied uniformly to all teachers in the same academic subject and the same

grade level throughout the state. 

 Take into consideration, but are not based primarily on, the time a teacher has been

teaching the academic subject.

 Are made available to the public upon request.

The law clearly recognizes that teachers who have been in the classroom have a variety

of experiences and training that may demonstrate their competency in the subjects they

teach. Therefore, the HOUSSE system may involve multiple, objective measures of teacher

competency. Teachers should contact their state department of education regarding 

specific HOUSSE procedures.

Do highly qualified teacher requirements 

apply to special education teachers?

Yes. If a teacher teaches any core academic subject, No Child Left Behind requires that 

he or she be highly qualified. However, special educators do not have to meet the 

highly qualified teacher requirements if they do not directly instruct students in a core

academic subject. 

No Child Left Behind 21

For teachers who teach multiple subjects, states may develop one streamlined

HOUSSE procedure for determining subject-matter competency in multiple 

subjects, such as in discipline families.

Congress is considering the requirements for highly qualified special education

teachers as part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) 

reauthorization, with completion expected this year.
What activities may special education

teachers carry out if they are not highly

qualified in the core academic content

areas being taught?

Special education teachers often carry out activities

that would not, by themselves, require them to 

be highly qualified in a particular subject. Special 

educators do not have to demonstrate subject-matter

competency in core academic subjects if they do not

directly instruct students in those subjects, or if their role is limited to providing highly

qualified teachers with consultation on the adaptation of curricula, the use of behavioral

supports and interventions, or the selection of appropriate accommodations. In addition,

they do not need to meet highly qualified requirements in a subject area if they assist 

students with study or organizational skills and reinforce instruction that the child has

already received from a teacher who is highly qualified in that core subject. 

Would a teacher who provides core academic instruction 

to English language learners need to be highly qualified,

even if the child already receives instruction in the same 

subject from a teacher who is highly qualified?

Yes. A teacher of English language learners who provides instruction in core academic

subjects needs to meet the requirements, even if he or she is not the only one instructing

the students in that subject. However, if the teacher is reinforcing instruction already

delivered, or is only providing advisory assistance to a teacher who has delivered the

instruction, the highly qualified teacher requirements do not apply.

Can English-as-a-Second Language (ESL) teachers 

demonstrate subject-matter competency in the subjects 

they teach through an advanced certificate or degree in ESL?

An endorsement, degree or certification in ESL may not be used to demonstrate

subject-matter competency, unless the endorsement or certification includes

coursework equivalent to that of a subject major, or is in line with other means

allowable under No Child Left Behind and required by the state to determine subject-matter competency. 

No Child Left Behind requires that ESL teachers demonstrate subject-matter competency

in the core subjects they teach. For example, a teacher who teaches math using ESL

methodologies would need to demonstrate subject-matter competency in math. A

teacher who uses ESL methodologies to teach parts of the general elementary curriculum

to fourth-graders must demonstrate competency as an elementary teacher.

In No Child Left Behind, the list of core academic subjects 

includes the arts. What does the law mean by “the arts”?

While No Child Left Behind includes the arts in its list of core academic subjects, it does not

define the term. Each state can determine its own definition of “the arts.” For example,

some states define the arts to include music, visual arts and dance.

22 A Toolkit for Teachers

Special educators have critical

knowledge that supports teaching and learning, and collaboration is important in order to

meet the needs of students with

disabilities, in both regular

classroom settings and special

settings.
No Child Left Behind does not list biology, chemistry and physics in

the list of core academic subjects. Does the law require teachers

who teach science to demonstrate competency in each discrete

science, or as a general category?

While the list of core academic subjects in the law does not break out the sciences,

states must consider their current teacher certification standards and student

achievement standards to determine what is an appropriate demonstration of 

subject-matter competency. If a state currently requires subject-specific certification

in the discrete fields of science, then the state may require teachers to demonstrate

competency in each discrete field. Alternatively, a state may certify teachers as general science teachers or use other broad categories, such as life sciences and physical sciences. In that case, the state may require new teachers to demonstrate content knowledge through a content exam or major and, for experienced teachers,

may develop a high, objective, uniform state standard of evaluation (HOUSSE) procedure, aligned with current certification standards.

What is “alternative certification”?

It can mean two things. First, alternative certification programs are those that allow candidates to teach while they are meeting state certification requirements. These programs

must provide solid professional development to the teachers before they enter the classroom and while they are teaching and must also include a mentoring or induction component. Teachers in these programs may teach for up to three years while they earn their

state certification, provided that they have met the bachelor’s degree and subject-matter

competency requirements.

Second, states can create alternate routes to certification. For example, they can adopt a

new system supported by the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence

(ABCTE), which allows teacher candidates to demonstrate their competency through a

comprehensive, multi-faceted assessment rather than through coursework in specific 

education school courses. Teachers who pass the assessment would be considered fully

certified before they enter the classroom.

Do long- and short-term substitute teachers need to 

meet the highly qualified teacher requirements?

It is vital that substitutes be able to perform their duties well. Although short-term 

substitute teachers do not need to meet the highly qualified teacher requirements under

No Child Left Behind, it is strongly recommended that a long-term substitute teacher

meet the requirements for a highly qualified teacher as defined in the law. In addition, as

states and districts establish a definition for “long-term substitute,” they should bear in

mind that the law requires parent notification if a student has received instruction for

four or more consecutive weeks by a teacher who is not highly qualified.

Must elementary school subject specialists be highly 

qualified in all subjects or just the subject they teach?

A fully certified, experienced elementary school teacher who teaches only a single subject

(e.g., a reading or math specialist) does not necessarily have to demonstrate subjectmatter knowledge across the entire elementary curriculum. Rather, such a teacher must

No Child Left Behind 23
pass a rigorous state test in the subject area or demonstrate competency in that subject through the state’s

high, objective, uniform state standard of evaluation

(HOUSSE) procedures.

On the other hand, new elementary school teachers

must pass a rigorous state test in all areas of the elementary school curriculum. As a practical matter, most states are already requiring new teachers,

whether generalists or specialists, to pass a general test before they can obtain full state certification. In these states, teachers who choose to pursue subject-area specializations will

already have satisfied the requirements for being highly qualified in elementary school.

May teachers teach with an emergency certificate or 

temporary permit and still be considered highly qualified?

No. New teachers must meet their state’s definition of highly qualified in the subjects they

are teaching at the time of hire, and full state certification is one of these requirements.

Experienced teachers teaching under an emergency certificate or temporary permit have

until the end of the 2005–06 school year to earn full state certification. Teachers who are

part of an alternative certification program already have a bachelor’s degree and have

demonstrated subject-matter competency. These teachers meet the definition of highly

qualified and are given full state certification, under the condition that they will complete

certain certification requirements in three years or less.

Do charter school teachers need to be highly qualified?

Yes. All charter school teachers who teach core academic subjects, like other public school

teachers, must hold a bachelor’s degree and demonstrate competency in the core academic areas in which they teach. They also must have full state certification, unless the

state charter school laws specify that such certification is not required for charter school

teachers.

For the purposes of demonstrating subject-matter competency 

for teachers in middle grades, who determines whether middle 

grades are designated elementary or secondary school?

States may determine whether a grade level is elementary or secondary.

Therefore, No Child Left Behind does not directly address the issue of whether

teachers in middle grades are to be considered elementary school teachers, with

general core content knowledge, or secondary content specialists. For the purposes of determining whether a middle school teacher meets the subject-matter

competency requirements of NCLB, states are encouraged to examine, for each

core academic subject, the degree of rigor and technicality of the subject matter

that a teacher needs to know in relation to the state’s content standards and 

academic achievement standards. The intent of NCLB is to ensure that teachers

have sufficient subject-matter knowledge and skills to instruct effectively in the

core academic subject they teach.

Is middle school certification allowable under No Child Left Behind?

Yes. The state determines certification requirements. 

24 A Toolkit for Teachers

Specialists in non-core academic

subjects (e.g., vocational or physical education teachers) do not

have to meet the highly qualified

teacher requirements.
Are middle and high school teachers in small, rural schools required

to be highly qualified in every core academic subject they teach?

Yes. All teachers who teach core academic subjects must be highly qualified in each 

subject they teach. 

The secretary of education recognizes, however, that small, rural districts face special challenges in ensuring that all of their teachers are highly qualified by the end

of the 2005–06 school year. As a result, new teachers who teach multiple subjects in

eligible small, rural districts must demonstrate competency in one of the subjects

they teach; they may have additional time to do the same in additional subjects. The

eligible districts must provide high-quality professional development and a program

of intensive support or teacher mentoring for these teachers, as they earn additional

subject-matter competencies. Teachers will have three years from their date of hire

to demonstrate subject-matter competency in additional subjects, and current

teachers in eligible small, rural districts will have until the end of the 2006–07 school

year to meet the requirements in every subject they teach. To find out about eligibility of

a particular district for this extended time, contact the district or state department of education. To find out more about this flexibility, see the secretary of education’s letter to the

states, available at www.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/secletter/040331.html. 

Almost 4,900 districts—or about one-third of all districts nationally— meet the criteria 

for small, rural districts. There are, however, districts with rural schools that do not meet

the eligibility criteria and therefore do not qualify for the flexibility described above. These 

districts should examine how the resources provided through Title II, Part A and other 

federal, state, or local resources can be used to improve and expand professional development opportunities, so that experienced teachers who are not yet highly qualified in 

the subjects they teach receive high-quality, content-specific professional development and

meet the HOUSSE standard for each subject they teach. These teachers can also pass 

rigorous subject-specific state tests or earn a major or advanced certification.

What are other options for rural schools in 

need of teachers who meet the highly qualified

teacher requirements in each core subject?

In addition to the professional development that all rural districts can offer teachers to help them meet the requirements,

districts and schools should consider how distance learning

arrangements that enlist the services of highly qualified

teachers in other localities can help them meet this goal. 

Districts may also hire experts (e.g., scientists, engineers 

or artists) to provide content enrichment and practical 

applications to the content being taught. As long as these

experts are reinforcing the regular teacher and not providing

direct instruction in the core content areas, they do not have

to meet the highly qualified teacher requirements. Some

states have made it possible for experts who meet the subjectmatter requirements and have a bachelor’s degree to earn 

full state certification through an alternate route.

No Child Left Behind 25

Adjunct Teacher Corps. As

part of his FY 2005 budget,

President Bush has proposed an

Adjunct Teacher Corps initiative. This initiative would support partnerships between

school districts and public or

private institutions that would

bring well-qualified individuals

from business, especially those

involving technology, industry

and other areas into secondary

schools to teach on an adjunct

basis. It would thereby help

meet needs in critical shortage

areas, such as math and science.
What are the requirements in No Child Left Behind

for paraprofessionals or teachers’ aides?

Paraprofessionals—aides who support services provided in a school—are a valuable

resource in any school setting. No Child Left Behind sets clear guidelines for academic

qualifications for individuals assisting in instruction in Title I funded schools or classrooms.

The law allows teachers’ aides to support instruction if they have

met certain academic requirements: They must have at least an

associate degree or two years of college, or meet a rigorous standard of quality as demonstrated through a formal state or local

assessment. Paraprofessionals in Title I schools do not need to

meet the requirements if their role does not involve facilitating

instruction. For example, paraprofessionals who serve only as

hall monitors do not have to meet the same academic requirements. If a person working with special education students does

not provide any instructional support (such as one who solely

provides personal care services), that person is not considered a

paraprofessional and the academic requirements do not apply. 

What is advanced certification or advanced credentialing?

Advanced certification programs around the nation provide opportunities for teachers to

challenge themselves as educators and lifelong students, and to take teaching to a new

level as master teachers. In addition, for the purposes of meeting the highly qualified

teacher requirements in No Child Left Behind, advanced certification and credentialing

are vehicles by which middle and high school teachers may demonstrate subject-matter

competency in the subjects they teach. Each state may define these terms and choose how

to implement them for the purpose of allowing middle and high school teachers to

demonstrate subject-matter competency. To learn more about the different opportunities

in your state, contact your state certification or credentialing office.

Accountability

What is “adequate yearly progress”? How

does measuring it help to improve schools?

No Child Left Behind requires each state to define adequate yearly progress (AYP) for

school districts and schools, within the parameters set by NCLB. In defining AYP, each state

sets the minimum levels of improvement—measurable in terms of student performance—

that school districts and schools must achieve within time frames specified in the law. In

general, it works like this: Each state begins by setting a starting point that is based on

the performance of its lowest-achieving demographic group or of the lowest-achieving

schools in the state, whichever is higher. The state then sets the level of student achievement that a school must attain in order to make AYP. Subsequent thresholds must

increase at least once every three years, until, at the end of 12 years, all students in the

state are achieving at the proficient level on state assessments in reading and language

arts, math and science. 

26 A Toolkit for Teachers

Paraprofessionals

Contact your state or district for

more information about requirements for paraprofessionals in

your school. For guidance on

paraprofessionals from the U.S.

Department of Education, visit

www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/guid/

paraguidance.doc.
No Child Left Behind 27

English Language Learners: For newly arrived, first-year English language learners

(ELL), states may, but are not required to, include results from the math and, if

given, reading and language arts content assessments in adequate yearly progress

(AYP) calculations. Either way, students taking both the math and English language proficiency (ELP) assessment would count toward the NCLB requirement

that 95 percent of all students participate in the state assessments. Schools and districts can also get credit for ELL students who have attained English language proficiency as part of the ELL subgroup for up to two additional years after they have

become English proficient. This way, schools are not penalized for doing an excellent job helping students become proficient in English. For more information go

to www.ed.gov/nclb/accountability/schools/factsheet-english.html.

Students With Disabilities: When measuring AYP, states and school districts have the 

flexibility to count the “proficient” (passing) scores of students with the most significant

cognitive disabilities who take alternate assessments based on alternate achievement

standards—as long as the number of those proficient scores does not exceed 1 percent of

all students in the grades assessed, which amounts to about 9 percent of students with

disabilities. (The 1 percent cap is based on current incidence rates of students with the

most significant cognitive disabilities, allowing for reasonable local variation in prevalence.) For more information, visit www.ed.gov/nclb/freedom/local/specedfactsheet.html.

Uniform Averaging Procedure: States have the opportunity to determine how many 

years of data will be used to make an adequate yearly progress (AYP) determination.

States may use one, two or three years of data in calculating AYP. Further, states have the

latitude to compare one year of data to two or three years of data in making final AYP

determinations. This flexibility enables a state to give schools the benefit of recent

improvements (with one year of data) or limit the effect of poor achievement in one year

(with two or three years of data). In addition, states can apply this averaging procedure

to their 95 percent testing requirement. For more information, visit www.ed.gov/news/

pressreleases/2004/03/03292004.html. 

What happens when a school does not 

make adequate yearly progress (AYP)?

When a school does not make AYP for two consecutive years, it is identified as in need of

improvement. States and districts must provide resources and assistance to support it in

making meaningful changes that will improve its performance. Title I funds are set aside

by state to use specifically for these schools. No Child Left Behind lays out an action plan

and timetable for steps to be taken when a Title I school does not improve, as follows:

 Second Year: A Title I school that has not made AYP, as defined by the state, for two

consecutive school years will be identified by the district as needing improvement

before the beginning of the next school year. School officials will develop a twoyear plan to turn around the school. The district will ensure that the school receives

needed technical assistance as it develops and implements its improvement plan.

Students must be offered the option of transferring to another public school in the

district—which may include a public charter school—that has not been identified as

needing school improvement.

 Third Year: If the school does not make AYP for three years, the school remains in

school-improvement status, and the district must continue to offer public school
choice to all students. In addition, students from low-income families are eligible to

receive supplemental educational services, such as tutoring or remedial classes, from

a provider who is approved by the state and selected by parents.

 Fourth Year: If the school does not make AYP for four years, the district must implement certain corrective actions to improve the school, such as replacing certain staff

or fully implementing a new curriculum, while continuing to offer public school

choice for all, as well as supplemental educational services for low-income students.

 Fifth Year: If the school does not make AYP for a fifth year, the district must initiate

plans for restructuring the school. This may include reopening the school as a charter school, replacing all or most of the school staff, or turning over school operations either to the state or to a private company with a demonstrated record of

effectiveness.

Teachers may go to www.ed.gov/admins/lead/improve/sigwebcast.html, to view a webcast

on school and district improvement.

How are teachers or schools that 

raise student achievement rewarded?

No Child Left Behind requires states to provide state academic achievement awards 

to schools that close achievement gaps between groups of students or that exceed

academic achievement goals. States may also financially reward teachers in schools

that receive academic achievement awards. In addition, states must designate as 

“distinguished” schools that have made the greatest gains in closing the achievement gap or in exceeding achievement goals.

Student Assessment

On which subjects are students tested? When are they tested?

No Child Left Behind requires that, by the 2005–06 school year, each state measure every

child’s progress in reading and math in each of grades 3 through 8 and at least once during grades 10 through 12. In the meantime, each state must administer assessments in

reading and math at three grade spans (3-5, 6-9 and 10-12). By school year 2007–08, states

must also have in place science assessments to be administered at least once during grades

3-5, grades 6-9 and grades 10-12. Further, states must ensure that districts administer tests

of English language proficiency—measuring oral language, listening, reading comprehension, reading and writing skills in English—to all English language learners, as of the

2002–03 school year.

Students may still undergo state assessments in other subject areas (e.g., history, geography and writing skills), if and when the state requires it. However, NCLB requires assessments only in the areas of reading or language arts and math, and soon in science.

How do annual assessments support teaching and learning?

It is important to measure a student’s progress over time in the subjects taught so that

teachers, school leaders and parents understand how well that student is achieving.

Annual assessments allow teachers to compare student progress across time. They allow

teachers to determine areas of strength and weakness in student understanding and in

28 A Toolkit for Teachers
No Child Left Behind 29

their own teaching. They also help teachers and administrators

in evaluating curriculum choices. Annual assessments help

identify problem areas for students and give teachers an idea

of which students need extra help. A recent Education Trust

report entitled The Real Value of Teachers affirms the importance of regular student assessment as a means of providing

teachers with data to inform them not only about a student’s

progress, but also about their own teaching.11 Using data from

state assessments gives schools a powerful tool to determine

the needs of students, so teachers and administrators can work

together to develop the appropriate professional development for teachers.

How are assessments handled for 

students with disabilities?

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 requires

that all students with disabilities participate in regular assessments to determine whether or not they are meeting the

achievement goals set for them under their Individual

Education Plans (IEP), as determined by their IEP teams.

Alternate assessments are only appropriate when students

cannot be assessed through the regular state assessments,

even with appropriate accommodations. 

How are assessments handled for English language learners?

No Child Left Behind requires that all children be assessed. In order to make

AYP, schools must test at least 95 percent of the various subgroups of children,

including English language learners. For English language learners who take

the regular assessments, states must provide reasonable accommodations.

Accommodations may include native-language versions of the assessments.

However, in the area of reading and language arts, students who have been in

U.S. schools for three consecutive years must be assessed in English, with an

additional two years as needed, on a case-by-case basis.

Recognizing that there are small groups of students who are unable to take the reading/language arts assessment because of language barriers, the secretary of education

provides the following flexibility in determining who is tested: English language learners

in their first year of enrollment in U.S. schools have the option of not taking the reading

and language arts assessment. These students would take the math assessment, with

accommodations as appropriate, and the English language proficiency (ELP) assessment. 

Reading

What do we know about teaching reading effectively?

Research has consistently identified the critical skills that young students need to

learn in order to become good readers.12 Teachers across different states and districts have demonstrated that scientifically based reading instruction can and

Students With Disabilities

Under the direction of the 

state, schools have the following

options for testing students 

with disabilities: 

 Regular state assessment.

 Regular state assessment

with accommodations, such

as changes in presentation,

response, setting and timing.

(For more information about

accommodations, visit http://

education.umn.edu/NCEO/

OnlinePubs/Policy16.htm.)

 Alternate assessment aligned

to grade level achievement

standards.

 Alternate assessment aligned

to alternate achievement

standards.
30 A Toolkit for Teachers

does work with all children. The key to helping all children learn is to help teachers in each

and every classroom benefit from the relevant research. That can be accomplished by providing professional development for teachers on the use of scientifically based reading

programs, by using instructional materials and programs that are also based on sound scientific research, and by ensuring accountability through ongoing assessments. To find out

more about National Reading Panel findings, visit www.nationalreadingpanel.org.

What is being done to help children learn to 

read well by the end of the third grade?

Improving the reading skills of children is a top priority for leaders at all levels of 

government and business, as well as for parents, teachers and countless citizens who volunteer at reading programs across the nation. At the national level, No Child

Left Behind reflects this concern with the new program called Reading First.

This ambitious national initiative is designed to help every young child in

every state become a successful reader. It is based on the expectation that

instructional decisions for all students will be guided by the best available

research. In recent years, scientific research has provided tremendous insight

into exactly how children learn to read and the essential components for

effective reading instruction. 

Does No Child Left Behind support programs to help children build

language and pre-reading skills before they start kindergarten?

Yes. The Early Reading First program supports preschool programs that provide a highquality education to young children, especially those from low-income families. While

early childhood programs are important for children’s social, emotional and physical

development, they are also important for children’s early cognitive and language development. Research stresses the importance of early reading skills, including phonemic

awareness and vocabulary development. Early Reading First supports programs to help

preschoolers improve these skills. These programs can include professional development

of staff and the identification and provision of activities and instructional material.

Programs must be grounded in scientifically based research, and their success evaluated

continuously. For more information on Early Reading First, visit www.ed.gov/programs/

earlyreading/index.html.

Scientifically Based Research

What is scientifically based research?

Scientifically based research is research that involves the

application of rigorous, systematic and objective procedures to obtain reliable and valid knowledge relevant to

education activities and programs. Because scientifically

based research includes different types of research methods, it is critical that the research methods used in a particular study are appropriate 

for answering the questions that are addressed by the study. Understanding the quality

of a research study is critical. Low quality studies of the effectiveness of an intervention
No Child Left Behind 31

or program do not provide trustworthy answers to the question, “Does this intervention

or program work?” 

How can teachers determine the effectiveness 

of an educational intervention or program?

As teachers prepare lessons for their students, they are faced with these questions: 

 How do I know what works? 

 What intervention is best to support a student who lacks certain skills? 

 How do I analyze a program’s or intervention’s effectiveness?

The field of education includes a vast array of education interventions that

claim to improve achievement and be supported by evidence. Practitioners are

often faced with the challenge of deciding if the evidence is credible and clear

as to whether the practice or intervention is truly effective. To help practitioners assess the quality of evidence about the effectiveness of an education practice, the U.S. Department of Education has developed a guide titled Identifying

and Implementing Educational Practices Supported by Rigorous Evidence.13

This guide provides information on how to tell if a research study provides

trustworthy information on whether or not an education practice is effective. 

Safe Schools

How big a problem is crime in schools nationwide?

In 2001, students ages 12 through 18 were victims of about 2 million

crimes at school, including about 161,000 serious violent crimes

(including rape, sexual assault, robbery and aggravated assault). Also

in 2001, about 29 percent of students in grades 9 through 12 reported that someone had offered, sold or given them an illegal drug on

school property.14 While overall school crime rates have declined over the last few years,

violence, gangs and drugs are still present, indicating that more work needs to be done.

How can schools be made safer?

Title IV of No Child Left Behind provides support for programs to prevent violence in and

around schools; to prevent the illegal use of alcohol, drugs and tobacco by young people;

What Works Clearinghouse (WWC). Judging the quality of a research study is

not always easy.The Department of Education’s WWC provides assessments of the

quality of specific studies of the effectiveness of education interventions. The

reports indicate whether specific studies provide strong evidence about the effectiveness (or lack thereof) of an education practice. Teachers are encouraged to

check on the WWC web site periodically. To find out more about the WWC, visit

http://whatworks.ed.gov/.
32 A Toolkit for Teachers

and to foster a safe and drug-free learning environment that supports academic achievement. Most of the funds are awarded to states, which, in turn, award money to districts

and community-based organizations for a wide range of drug- and violence-prevention

programs. These programs must address local needs as determined by objective data and

be grounded in scientifically based prevention activities. They must also involve parents.

The effectiveness of these programs must be measured and evaluated continuously.

What is the Gun-Free Schools Act?

The Gun-Free Schools Act requires each state that receives funds under No Child

Left Behind to have in effect a state law requiring districts to expel for at least one

year any student who brings a firearm to school or possesses a firearm in school.

Additionally, it requires districts receiving funds under NCLB to have a policy requiring referral to the criminal justice or juvenile delinquency system for any student

who brings a firearm or other weapon to school. These requirements not only

remove potentially dangerous students from the school environment but also provide a deterrent, discouraging other students from bringing firearms to school.

Over time, this has the potential to make the school environment safer by reducing

the number of firearms present in schools. As teachers and students feel safe in their

schools, they can focus on learning. 

Learning More About No Child Left Behind

What if my questions are not answered in this toolkit?

While the U.S. Department of Education strives to provide timely and complete

information on No Child Left Behind and how it affects teachers and schools, we

realize that implementation is an ongoing process. As new questions, issues and

ideas surface, more information and guidance may be added. If your questions are

not answered here, please go to www.nclb.gov or call 1-800-USA-LEARN.

Teachers also should contact their state department of education or district for

more detailed answers to specific questions about state and local requirements

and policies regarding highly qualified teachers.
No Child Left Behind

Supporting

America’s

Teachers 

No Child Left Behind

Supporting

America’s

Teachers 

As part of the historic effort to improve America’s schools, No Child Left Behind and other

federal education laws and policies provide strong support for the classroom teacher.

Liability Protection

Title II of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as reauthorized by

the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, ensures that teachers, principals and other school

professionals can undertake reasonable actions to maintain order and discipline in the

classroom without the fear of litigation. It provides protection to teachers, instructors,

principals, administrators and other education professionals for reasonable actions taken

to maintain discipline, order or control in the school or classroom. Specifically, the law protects educators by:

 Limiting the financial liability of teachers for harm they may cause acting on 

behalf of the school in disciplining students or maintaining classroom order.

 Shielding teachers from liability when they act within the scope of their 

employment and in accordance with applicable federal, state and local 

laws, and any harm done to a person was not caused by misconduct, gross 

negligence, or flagrant indifference to the person’s rights or safety. 

 Generally limiting the availability of punitive and non-economic 

(“pain and suffering”) damages against teachers when they are 

determined to be liable for their acts. 

 Extending protection not only to teachers, but also to administrators, 

other school professionals, non-professional employees responsible for 

maintaining discipline or safety, and individual school board members.

To find out more, review the specific language of the law at

www.ed.gov/legislation/ESEA02.

Liability Protection, Loan

Forgiveness and Tax Relief

No Child Left Behind 35

“Teachers deserve all the knowledge and support 

we can give them. And children deserve the quality

education that comes from excellent teachers. 

This is their birthright”.

– Laura Bush, First Lady of the United States
Loan Forgiveness

Under current law, teachers in schools that serve low-income families are 

eligible for up to $5,000 in loan forgiveness if they were new recipients 

of Federal Family Education Loans or Direct Stafford Loans after October

1998 and have taught for five consecutive years. For FY 2005, President Bush

proposed increasing this amount to as much as $17,500 in loan forgiveness

for each highly qualified teacher of math, science and special education

who teaches in a high-poverty school.

Additionally, teachers of special education, math, science, foreign language,

bilingual education and other fields where a state has found a shortage of

teachers may qualify for Perkins loan cancellation. To find out more about loan forgiveness and financial aid, visit www.ed.gov/finaid/landing.jhtml?src=rt>.

Tax Relief

Teachers often use their own resources to provide classroom supplies, supplemental materials and other classroom necessities. In 2004, teachers, instructors, counselors, principals

and school aides who work at least 900 hours during the school year are eligible to deduct

up to $250 of their non-reimbursed classroom expenses from their federal income tax,

even if they do not itemize deductions. Eligible expenses include books; school supplies;

computer equipment, software and services; and other equipment and supplemental

materials used in the classroom. 

36 A Toolkit for Teachers

In his FY 2005 budget, President Bush proposed increasing the tax deduction

for teachers to $400, to cover costs they may incur for classroom materials.
Research shows, and teachers know, that children who read well in the early grades 

are far more successful in later years, and that those who fall behind often stay behind

when it comes to academic achievement.15 Reading opens the door to learning about

math, history, science, literature, geography and much more. Those students who cannot

read well are much more likely to drop out of school and be limited to low-paying jobs

throughout their lives. Reading is undeniably critical to success in today’s society.

Reading First Will Help Teachers Teach Reading

Reading First is a critical part of No Child Left Behind. These grants do four things in 

each state:

 Implement reading programs using scientifically based reading 

research—focusing on what works. 

 Ensure early and ongoing assessment of every child’s 

progress using the best analytical tools.

 Provide professional development and support for teachers.

 Help monitor reading achievement gains in grades K-3. 

Reading First Does Not Just Spend More for Reading;

It Spends More Money More Wisely

Reading First requires that every state evaluate how resources are being used in its reading initiatives, where there are gaps in current instruction, how money can be spent to

better teach children and whether teachers are getting the support they need to teach

reading skills effectively. It also requires teachers to use curricula and methods that are

based on sound scientific evidence so that they can effectively reach children. 

Reading First Ensures That Federal Grants Go to Those 

Programs That Help Teachers Teach and Help Students Excel

No Child Left Behind created a Reading First Expert Review Panel made up of more than

70 researchers, experienced reading specialists and other professionals who understand

the need for scientifically based reading instruction and the importance of early reading

Reading First: A $6 Billion 

Investment to Improve the 

Reading Skills of Young Children

No Child Left Behind 37

President Bush has requested increasing funds each year

to ensure that states use scientifically based reading

instruction and teaching methods. Unprecedented amounts

of money are being put into improving the teaching of

reading in our nation—more than $6 billion over six

years. Clearly, this is a strong commitment toward 

helping all children learn to read.
skills. This panel reviews all state grant applications prior to making the awards. Through

the awards, states and districts provide technical knowledge and practical training to

ensure that children get the help they need to excel in reading.

Each state’s grant application must pass 25 specific review criteria to ensure that the state

has a high-quality, comprehensive plan to improve student achievement in reading. Each

plan includes the implementation of reading instruction based on the components that

scientifically based research has shown are most effective in teaching children to be proficient readers. Research shows that explicit and systematic instruction must be provided

in these five areas:

 Phonemic Awareness: The ability to hear and identify

individual sounds in spoken words.

 Phonics: The relationship between the letters of written

language and the sounds of spoken language.

 Fluency: The capacity to read text accurately and quickly.

 Vocabulary: The words students must know to communicate effectively.

 Comprehension: The ability to understand and gain

meaning from what has been read.

The plans also must include how the state will provide professional development for all

teachers in the state to learn how to put instructional practices based on scientifically

based reading research into action in their classrooms. Finally, states must outline how

they will provide technical assistance to districts and schools implementing Reading 

First programs.

To find out more about the Reading First program, visit www.ed.gov/programs/readingfirst/

index.html. To find out about implementation of Reading First in your state, contact your

state department of education.

38 A Toolkit for Teachers

According to the 2001 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), for

two decades reading achievement has not improved overall (National Center for

Education Statistics, 2002).16

 Fewer than one in three fourth-graders are deemed proficient 

in reading at grade level.

 By 12th grade, only 36 percent of seniors are proficient in reading 

for their grade.

 About 55 percent of low-income fourth-grade students cannot read at a 

basic level. In other words, these children struggle with foundational 

reading skills like summarizing and understanding a story.

 Almost half of students living in urban areas and attending 

public schools cannot read at a basic level.
Improving Math and Science 

Instruction Around the Nation

No Child Left Behind supports the belief that developing teachers’ knowledge and skills

in math and science will contribute substantially to the goal of improving student learning, and that students will perform better on assessments of math and science if their

teachers have in-depth knowledge of the subjects they teach.

In the United States, the professional preparation programs for many teachers at the elementary, middle school and high school levels include very little math and science. Only

43 percent of middle school students take science from teachers who have a major in science and are certified to teach science.18

No Child Left Behind requires that federal funds go only to those programs that are

backed by evidence of their effectiveness. Over the last decade, researchers have scientifically proven the best ways to teach reading. We must do the same in math. We must

work toward using research-based teaching methods.

Helping Teachers Improve

Math and Science Achievement

No Child Left Behind 39

According to the Teaching Commission’s report Teaching 

at Risk: A Call to Action, the U.S. job market is so 

scientifically and technologically based that math and

science knowledge is critical for the health of our

economy.17 While science and technology advance at lightning speed, stagnant math and science performance in

schools shortchanges our students’ future and endangers

our prosperity and our nation’s security. 

How well did students perform in 2003?19

The figures to the right show that 32 percent

of fourth-graders and 29 percent of eighthgraders performed at or above the Proficient

level in 2003. The percentages of students 

performing at or above Basic in 2003 were 77

percent at grade 4 and 68 percent at grade 8.

At or above

Proficient

At or above

Basic

Grade 8

‘03

5%

23%

39%

32%

29%

68%

Grade 4

‘03

4%

29%

45%

23%

32%

77%

Advanced

Proficient

Basic

BELOW

Note: Basic Detail may not sum to totals because of rounding.

Source: U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education

Sciences, National Center for Education Statistics, National Assessment

of Educational Progress (NAEP), 2003 Mathematics Assessment.
No Child Left Behind Creates Math 

and Science Partnerships to Rally Every

Sector of Society to Work With Schools 

to Increase Math and Science Excellence

The Mathematics and Science Partnership (MSP) program is the signature program

for improving math and science education in No Child Left Behind. This program

provides funding to every state in the nation on a formula-grant basis to support

high-quality professional development for math and science teachers. Each state

is required to conduct a competitive grant program to support projects that are

partnerships among science, engineering, and mathematics, and other high-tech

departments at institutions of higher education, high-need school districts, and

other interested organizations, with the purpose of enhancing the content knowledge of math and science teachers. Those interested in competing for funding

under this program should contact their district for more information.

The President Calls for Increasing the Ranks

and Pay of Math and Science Teachers

No Child Left Behind requires states to fill the nation’s classrooms with teachers who are

qualified to teach math and science by the end of the 2005-06 school year. In areas where

there are critical shortages, President Bush supports paying math and science teachers

more in order to help attract experienced and excellent teachers. Title II funds may be

used to fund programs that attract teachers in areas of critical need.

40 A Toolkit for Teachers

According to the National Assessment of Educational 

Progress (NAEP) on math:20

 Only a quarter of our fourth- and eighth- graders are performing at or above

proficient levels in math.

 Twelfth-grade math scores have declined since 1996, and a closer look at those

scores reveals that this drop may be attributed to an increase in the percentage of students who fail to achieve basic skill levels.

 While the scores of black and Hispanic students have been improving at the

fourth- and eighth-grade levels, there are significant gaps in achievement

between black and Hispanic students and their white and Asian counterparts

at all grade levels.

According to a recent international comparison on math and science:21

 American students generally perform less well in math and science as they

move through school, when compared to other industrialized countries. Our

fourth-graders are above the international average, while our twelfth-graders

are near the bottom.

For more information on the Math and Science Partnership program, visit:

www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/progs/mathscience/index.html.
Under No Child Left Behind, the academic progress of

every child, including those learning English, will be

assessed in reading, math and eventually science. English

language learners will be assessed annually to measure

how well they are learning English, so parents and teachers will know how well they are progressing, and states

and schools will be held accountable for results.

No Child Left Behind Gives Schools the

Freedom to Find the Best Methods of

Instruction and Assessment

 No Child Left Behind does not dictate a particular method of instruction for learning English and other academic content. Districts and schools have the prerogative

to choose the methods of instruction that best meets the needs of students, including methods of instructing in another language or in English.

 States must establish English language proficiency standards and assessments.

 Schools must provide high-quality instruction to English language learners 

in reading, math and other academic subjects. 

 States and districts must ensure that there are highly qualified teachers 

in all classrooms, including classrooms with English language learners. 

Children who are acquiring English are also learning academic content

in areas such as reading, math and science. They will be tested in these

areas to evaluate progress. States must provide these assessments to

new English language learners in their native language to the extent

that is feasible, or with language accommodations (such as having the

directions on a math test read to them). These decisions are left up to

the states, as they work with districts and schools and consider their

programs for English language learners.

Teaching English 

Language Learners

No Child Left Behind 41

Research shows that students who cannot read or

write in English have a greater likelihood of

dropping out of school, and they often face a

lifetime of diminished opportunity.22

For more information on teaching

English language learners, visit

the National Clearinghouse for

English Language Acquisition

Web site at www.ncela.gwu.edu.
42 A Toolkit for Teachers

Myth:

No Child Left Behind requires new English language learners to take a test in reading and language arts the very first year they are in school and unfairly holds

schools accountable for the results.

Reality:

NCLB allows districts to work with states to determine appropriate tests for new

English language learners. The first year these students are in a U.S. school, they

can take the English language proficiency (ELP) test and not the regular assessment. Districts that also choose to give these students the regular reading/language

arts assessment in the first year are not required under the law to include their

scores in AYP calculations, and may use scores on the ELP test instead. In addition,

states with larger numbers of new English language learners receive more funds

(under Title III of NCLB) to meet the challenge of educating these students.

For more information on assessments for English language learners, visit

www.ed.gov/nclb/accountability/schools/factsheet-english.html.
No Child Left Behind strongly affirms that all students can achieve to high

standards, including students with disabilities. NCLB works in conjunction

with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1997 (IDEA),23 which

is the nation’s special education law. Under the law, students with disabilities must have access to the same high-quality curriculum and instruction

as all other students. 

Through IDEA reauthorization, Congress is considering how the highly

qualified teacher requirements should apply to special education teachers.

It is understood that:

 The highly qualified teacher requirements in No Child Left Behind apply to all 

general education teachers and special education teachers who teach core academic

subjects. All teachers must have in-depth understanding of the subject matter they

are teaching their students, so that students can meet grade-level standards. 

 These requirements apply whether the teacher provides core academic instruction

in a regular classroom, a resource room or another setting. 

 General education and special education teachers need to be knowledgeable and

skilled in how to teach all students, including students with disabilities, so that all

students can achieve to high academic standards. 

Teaching Students 

With Disabilities

No Child Left Behind 43

Over 20 years of research and experience has demonstrated

that the education of children with disabilities can be

made more effective by having high expectations for such

children and ensuring their access in the general curriculum to the maximum extent possible; coordinating the Act

with other local, educational service agency, State, and

Federal school improvement efforts in order to ensure that

such children benefit from such efforts and that special education

can become a service for children rather than a place where they are

sent; providing appropriate special education and related services

and aids and supports in the regular classroom to such children

whenever appropriate; supporting high quality intensive professional

development for all personnel who work with such children in order

to ensure that they have the skills and knowledge necessary to

enable them to meet developmental goals and to the maximum extent

possible, those challenging expectations that have been established

for all children...

– Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Sec. 601(c)(5)(A, C, D, E)
How No Child Left Behind Bridges the Gap:

Focusing on Educating All Students

Collaboration: No Child Left Behind promotes collaboration between general education

teachers and special education teachers. Both NCLB and IDEA require that all students

have access to the general curriculum. 

Accountability: No Child Left Behind requires that accountability

measures be put in place to ensure that students with disabilities have

access to the general curriculum.

Decision Making: States and school districts across the country are

examining the curriculum they provide to students with disabilities,

changing testing policies with regard to those students, and taking

positive steps to ensure that all teachers who instruct students in the

core academic subjects have strong content knowledge as well as

knowledge of how to best serve students with disabilities.

Using Funds: No Child Left Behind encourages states and districts to use professional

development funds to support general education teachers and special education teachers. States can use a variety of funds to meet the needs of both general education teachers and special education teachers, as these educators strive to provide high-quality

instruction. Funds are available through Titles I, II and V of NCLB to provide high-quality

professional development for teachers. In addition, funding may be available under the

IDEA and from other sources. For more information on how funds are used to support

professional development for teachers in a particular area, contact the district or state

department of education. 

For more information on resources and supports for teachers of students with disabilities,

see page 56-57.

44 A Toolkit for Teachers

Myth:

No Child Left Behind requires students with significant cognitive disabilities to

take the same test as all other students on their grade level and then unfairly

holds schools accountable for the results.

Reality:

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) requires alternate assessments be made available to students who cannot take the regular assessments,

even with accommodations. When measuring AYP, states and school districts

have the flexibility to count the “proficient” (passing) scores of students with the

most significant cognitive disabilities who take alternate assessments based on

alternate achievement standards—as long as the number of those proficient

scores does not exceed 1 percent of all students in the grades assessed, which is

about 9 percent of students with disabilities.This allows schools and districts to

receive credit for student progress.

For more information on assessing students with disabilities, go to

www.ed.gov/nclb/freedom/local/specedfactsheet.html.
 Districts can use information provided from state and local assessments to 

determine specific needs in their schools and to strategically target resources. 

 Schools can use information from state and local assessments to identify areas 

in which teachers need support or additional training and help to meet the 

needs of all subgroups of students. 

 Teachers can use information from assessments required under No Child Left 

Behind to make informed decisions and provide the best possible instruction 

for student learning.

 Parents have access to regular school, district and state report cards so they can

monitor progress and make informed decisions.

Effective teachers use data to make informed decisions and are constantly improving

classroom practice to better serve their students. One of the most important aspects of

good teaching, as most teachers know, is the ability to discern which students are learning and which are not, and then to tailor instruction to meet individual learning needs.

Research shows that teachers who use student test performance to guide and improve

their teaching are more effective than teachers who do not use such information. For

example, researchers have found that achievement in math accelerated for low-performing students when teachers received weekly summaries and performance graphs of their

students’ performance.24

Although testing is an important part of measuring progress, how teachers use the resulting data from test results to drive instruction is critical. Teachers have the opportunity to

use data from assessments to make good decisions when adapting instruction, evaluating

progress, highlighting successes and improving weaknesses.

Using Standardized Assessments

Standardized assessments are professionally developed tests administered under standard conditions, producing scores that can be used to

evaluate programs or children. The type of standardized tests required

by No Child Left Behind is designed to determine whether children within a state are meeting the state standards of learning for their grade and

Data-Driven 

Decision Making

No Child Left Behind 45

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 holds states, districts

and schools accountable for student achievement. NCLB requires

regular assessments to mark progress and highlight weaknesses

in core academic subjects. These assessment results must 

be reported in the aggregate as well as disaggregated by

individual subgroups of students (low-income or disability

status, race or ethnicity).
subject. These assessments start with decisions at the state level about what a fourthgrader, for example, should know and be able to do in math by the end of the fourth

grade. Next, questions are developed that are aligned with these standards. After children take the test and it is scored, a report is generated that indicates not only whether

the child scored well enough to meet the state standard but also how well the child performed in each area of math tested. Score reports also indicate how children within each

tested grade in each school performed, how districts performed and how children across

the state performed. NCLB requires that scores for schools, districts, and states be disaggregated so that the performance of children from different subgroups can be examined.

Standardized tests aligned with state standards are essential for administrators to determine whether schools are meeting their goals under NCLB.

Using Dynamic Assessments

Dynamic assessments are embedded in ongoing instruction in the classroom.

Teachers assess individual students according to their instructional goals during

teaching and learning interactions. Teachers conduct these assessments frequently and keep a systematic record of how individual children perform. They use this

information to tailor and shape instruction to the needs of children in the class,

as well as to measure their progress against instructional goals.

46 A Toolkit for Teachers

Classroom Example:

An eighth-grade math teacher collects and records the scores his entering students

received at the end of seventh grade on the math section of the state assessment.

By studying these results, he is able to identify children who may need extra help

with certain objectives. He records the same students’ scores at the end of the

eighth-grade school year, analyzing skills tested and objectives mastered. By comparing the two sets of scores, the teacher can see which students he had the most

success with. He also compares the end-of-the-year average score for his whole

class with the scores for all the eighth-grade students in his school, in his district

and across the state.

Classroom Example:

A first-grade teacher has created a short performance checklist keyed to the

reading skills her students are expected to master during a 6-week marking period. While children take turns reading aloud in a small group reading lesson, the

teacher notes on each child’s performance checklist which skills have been mastered, which are progressing and which need improvement. Later in the day, the

teacher reviews each student’s performance checklist. She is able to plan future

lessons and target instruction to the specific needs of individual children.
Using Screening Assessments

Screening assessments are given to all children at the beginning of the class or

school year. The purpose is to identify children who may have difficulties in a

subject area. These difficulties need to be addressed if the children are going to

succeed. Screening tests are short and involve questions that probe for the presence of basic skills and abilities.

No Child Left Behind 47

Classroom Example:

A fourth-grade teacher always begins the year by meeting with each

student individually and having the students read aloud for a minute

from a page of a book they will read later in the year. She performs

an individual reading analysis, focusing on each student’s fluency

and decoding abilities. She carefully notes how many words each student reads per minute, his or her accuracy and whether or not the

student reads with expression. She knows that those who struggle in

this exercise are likely to be struggling readers who are not ready for

the academic tasks of their peers. She works with them over the first

few weeks of class to increase their skills.
Who defines “highly qualified”teacher?

At a Glance: Some Federal,

State and Local Responsibilities

Under No Child Left Behind (NCLB)

48 A Toolkit for Teachers

Federal State Local

NCLB sets the minimum

requirements:

 A bachelor’s degree.

 Full state certification, 

as defined by the state.

 Demonstrated competency, as defined by 

the state, in each core 

academic subject the

teacher teaches.

NCLB sets a deadline:

 All new teachers of 

core academic subjects in

Title I schools/programs

hired beginning with the

2002–03 school year must

meet the requirements

before entering the 

classroom.

 All teachers of core 

academic subjects 

hired before the 2002–03

school year must meet 

the requirements by 

the end of the 2005–06

school year. 

(Special considerations

may apply for multi-subject teachers in eligible

small, rural schools.)

The secretary of education

is responsible for monitoring state plans and

providing assistance to

states as they seek to

meet these requirements.

States define “highly qualified teacher” according to

the requirements of NCLB.

States may develop this

definition according to

their own unique needs.

States determine what 

is meant by “full state 

certification.”They may

streamline requirements

to make it less burdensome for talented 

individuals to enter 

the profession.

States develop a plan with

goals for their districts,

detailing how they will

ensure that all teachers 

of core academic subjects

will be highly qualified 

by the end of the 2005-06

school year.

States determine ways 

in which teachers can

demonstrate competency

in the subjects they teach,

according to the requirements in NCLB. (For

example, states choose

whether or not to adopt

their own high, objective,

uniform state standard of

evaluation [HOUSSE] for

current teachers.)

Districts ensure that

newly hired teachers in

Title I schools/programs

meet their state’s definition of “highly qualified

teacher.”

Districts work with 

states to communicate

with current teachers

regarding the “highly

qualified” teacher definition, and provide a way

for teachers to determine

whether or not they meet

the state definition of

“highly qualified teacher”.

Districts work with states

to support teachers who

do not meet the “highly

qualified” teacher definition in the subjects they

teach, providing opportunities or options for them

to meet the requirements

by the end of the 2005–06

school year.
No Child Left Behind 49

Who determines what is high-quality

professional development?

Federal State Local

In NCLB, the term 

“high-quality professional

development” refers to 

the definition of professional development in

Title IX, Section 9101(34).

It includes, but is not 

limited to, activities that:

 Improve and increase

teachers’ knowledge 

of academic subjects. 

 Are integral to broad

schoolwide and districtwide educational 

improvement plans.

 Give teachers and 

principals the knowledge

and skills to help students

meet challenging state

academic standards.

 Improve classroom 

management skills.

 Are sustained, intensive

and classroom-focused

and are not one-day or

short-term workshops.

 Advance teacher understanding of effective

instructional strategies that

are supported by scientifically based research.

 Are developed with 

extensive participation of

teachers, principals, parents

and administrators. 

States report to the 

secretary of education 

the percentage of teachers

involved in high-quality

professional development.

States monitor the districts’ use of professional

development dollars provided by Title II grants, as

well as by other federal

and state funds.

States must use a 

minimum of 5 percent 

of their Title I funds for 

professional development

for teachers and other

school-level employees.

To receive federal funds

for improving teacher

quality (Title II, Part A),

districts must perform a

needs assessment and use

data to make decisions

regarding the type of

high-quality professional

development to be provided for teachers. Teachers

must be involved in this

process.

Districts and schools look

at student achievement

levels and set professional

development goals for

teachers.
50 A Toolkit for Teachers

Who defines and determines adequate

yearly progress (AYP)?

Federal State Local

NCLB sets requirements

for state definitions of

AYP, which is the progress

that schools and districts

must show in educating

all students to grade-level

standards, as reflected in

student assessments.

NCLB requires subgroup

accountability: 

English language learners,

students with disabilities,

economically disadvantaged youth, and breakouts by race and ethnicity.

NCLB sets a goal for

AYP—100 percent proficiency for all students and

each subgroup by the end

of the 2013–14 school year.

The secretary of education

approves and monitors

each state’s accountability

plan, ensuring that it

meets the NCLB minimum

requirements.

States use assessment

data to set benchmarks

and determine a trajectory

for meeting the goal of

100 percent proficiency 

by the end of the 2013–14

school year.

States use their own 

reading and math tests,

participation rates in 

testing and at least one

other academic indicator

(such as performance on

science assessments or

graduation rate) when

determining AYP.

States must provide 

assistance to districts in

need of improvement and

may choose to implement

supports for districts,

such as professional

development, targeting 

of funds and other 

assistance.

States oversee districts’

actions to help support

schools identified as in

need of improvement.

Districts provide information to the state about

performance on all indicators—math and reading

assessments, assessment

participation rates,

and others.

Districts use this information, as well as determinations of achievement

gaps in subgroups of students, to inform decision

making at the district and

school levels.

At the school level,

principals and teachers

use assessment data,

participation rates and

other indicators to help

improve student 

achievement.
Last fall, Secretary Rod Paige formed the Teacher Assistance Corps (TAC)

to work with states as they implement the highly qualified teacher provisions. Teachers, principals, district officials, representatives from higher education, researchers and national leaders made up this group of 45

experts in teacher quality. Department officials and staff joined the

group as they traveled to states to listen, learn and share. By spring

2004, TAC visited 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico,

where teams explained the requirements of the law, answered policy

questions, heard about innovative state and local initiatives and learned

more about each state’s unique environment. Below are some examples of these initiatives. For more complete information, visit www.teacherquality.us.

Note: These descriptions of state and local initiatives are intended to share information

that may be useful or of interest to teachers. The Teacher Assistance Corps found numerous efforts around the nation to promote teacher quality. The information provided does

not reflect any determination by the U.S. Department of Education that the efforts

described are effective or scientifically based, nor is the information intended as an

endorsement of any of the efforts or programs described.

Professional Development

Pennsylvania Governor’s Institutes and Academies for Educators

The Pennsylvania Department of Education created these professional development

opportunities for teachers and administrators. These intensive summer professional education programs help strengthen educators’ subject knowledge and instructional strategies and equip educators with a broad range of tools they can use in the classroom. They

provide powerful opportunities to network with peers, to exchange ideas and to share

successful practices while receiving additional “tools of the trade.” Week-long summer

programs are held free of charge at various Pennsylvania institutions of higher education.

Teachers apply or are nominated for these opportunities. Examples of programs include

Mathematics, Early Childhood Literacy and Data-Driven School Improvement. For more

information, visit www.teaching.state.pa.us/teaching/cwp/view. asp?a=11&Q=102406.

Alabama Reading Initiative

This initiative focuses on teacher training to improve students’ reading abilities. 

To participate in the program, schools must adopt the goal of 100 percent literacy, and

85 percent of the faculty must attend a 10-day intensive summer training. The training

No Child Left Behind 51

Around the Nation: Examples

of State, District and School

Initiatives to Support Teaching

and Learning
covers eight modules, including language development, vocabulary, phonics, comprehension strategies and assessment. University faculty work as mentors, providing support, access to research, demonstration and problem-solving assistance. Teachers apply

new instructional concepts combined with periodic assessments of students’ reading

ability. Reading specialists participate in additional training. For more information, visit

www.aplusala.org/initiatives/ari/index.asp.

Teacher Advancement Program (TAP)

Several states have taken advantage of the Milken Family Foundation’s Teacher

Advancement Program (TAP), which provides teachers with career path and advancement

opportunities. The program focuses on compensating expert teachers for their skills 

and responsibilities, restructures school schedules to accommodate teacher-led professional development, introduces competitive hiring practices, and pays teachers based on

how well they instruct and how much their students learn. The program asserts that these

components make the teaching profession more appealing, the job conditions more manageable and the pay for high-quality teachers more generous. Currently, TAP is in eight

states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Minnesota and South

Carolina. TAP schools are supported by a variety of funding sources, including private

foundation grants, increases in property tax levies targeted for TAP-like programs, sales

tax increases, general revenues from state budgets, district funds and federal dollars available through No Child Left Behind. For more information, visit www.mff.org/tap/tap.taf.

Iowa’s Beginning Teacher Mentoring and Induction Program 

Iowa instituted the Iowa Beginning Teacher Mentoring and Induction Program to 

“promote excellence in teaching and enhance student achievement.” The goals of this

program include creating a supportive environment for beginning teachers, enhancing

student achievement and providing professional development. The two-year program

provides opportunities for coaching and classroom demonstrations and includes release

time for mentor-teacher activities such as planning, observing and providing feedback.

For more information, visit www.state.ia.us/educate/ecese/doc/btip.html.

Arizona’s School Services Through 

Education Technology (ASSET) Portal

The Arizona’s School Services Through Education Technology (ASSET) portal was launched

in May 2002 and is designed to offer educators nationwide access to professional development opportunities that are free to Arizona teachers and administrators. These include

a streamlined video library, a broadcast schedule of instructional programs, and access to

a variety of Web-based resources and standards-based lesson plans. Educators can create

a personalized professional development plan through an online vehicle called

MyCompass. ASSET is supported through grants, corporate donations and a school membership structure. For more information, visit www.asset.asu.edu.

Recruitment and Retention

Special Education Credentialing for Vermont’s 

General Education Teachers

Vermont’s Act 117, passed by the legislature in 2000, is designed to increase the number

52 A Toolkit for Teachers
of qualified special education teachers in the state and to curb special education 

cost increases. Under this act, the Vermont Department of Education has partnered with

institutions of higher education to qualify general education teachers in the area of 

special education, while focusing on cost-effective practices and consistent operation of

special education programs throughout the state. More than 100 general education

teachers have received this additional qualification. For more information, visit

www.state.vt.us/educ/new/html/pgm_act117.html.

New York City’s Teaching Fellows Program

When faced with a severe teacher shortage in New York City, education officials created

the Teaching Fellows Program in 2000. The program recruits candidates who hold at least

a bachelor’s or master’s degree in the subject they would teach. Candidates receive two

months of preservice training in the summer before they enter the classroom. The preservice training includes coursework toward a master’s degree in education, field-based

work with experienced New York City teachers, and meetings with an advisor to learn

teaching skills and classroom management techniques. A non-taxable stipend of $2,500 is

provided to defray living expenses over the summer. After completing training, teaching

fellows enter the classroom as full-time first-year teachers. The city pays for the fellows to

take evening and weekend coursework toward a master’s degree in education at one of

14 area colleges and universities. The coursework usually takes about two years. After

three years, candidates are eligible for the state’s professional certification. For more

information, visit www.nycteachingfellows.org.

Florida Employment Web Site

TeachinFlorida.com was created in November 2002 as a response to teacher shortages in

Florida schools. The Web site receives approximately 20,000 hits a day from teachers looking for jobs in Florida, district representatives looking for new teacher candidates, and

current Florida teachers searching for professional development opportunities or new

resources. Users have the ability to customize searches and receive notice when a match

is found. These services are free to teachers and school districts. For more information,

visit www.teachinflorida.com. 

Note: Other states, such as Arkansas, California, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa, and Louisiana,

and Nevada have similar Web sites.

Idaho Adopts Passport to Teaching

The American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence (ABCTE) offers a new

approach to certification for both prospective and experienced teachers that uses 

multi-faceted assessments based on rigorous standards for subject-area knowledge and

pedagogy. The focus of ABCTE’s assessment process is the identification of individuals

with the knowledge and abilities to make an impact on student achievement. Idaho has

adopted the assessment process for prospective teachers—Passport to Teaching—

as a way to offer interested, talented candidates a new pathway to earn full state certification. For more information, visit www.ABTeach.org.

No Child Left Behind 53

Additional

Resources 

for Teachers

Additional

Resources 

for Teachers
Internet Resources 

for Teachers

56 A Toolkit for Teachers

www.ed.gov/teachers/landing.jhtml This Web site is the U.S. Department of

Education’s home page just for teachers. 

www.ed.gov/free This Web site provides free resources for classroom use, 

contributed by more than 35 federal agencies.

www.ed.gov/admins/tchrqual/learn/tpr/index.html This Web site provides grant

information for states, school districts, communities and schools. 

Data-Driven Decision Making

National Center for Educational Accountability is a collaborative that works to improve

learning through the effective use of school and student data and the identification of

best practices. www.nc4ea.org

The Consortium for School Networking provides a publication on data-driven decision

making entitled: Vision to Know and Do: The Power of Data as a Tool in Educational

Decision-Making. http://3d2know.cosn.org/publications/index.html 

School Information Partnership is a public-private collaboration designed to empower

parents, educators and policy-makers to use NCLB data to make informed decisions and

improve school results. www.schoolresults.org

What Works Clearinghouse provides information on the quality of studies that evaluate

the effectiveness of education practices and interventions. http://whatworks.ed.gov

Teaching Students With Disabilities

Special Education Technical Assistance and Dissemination Network is a Web site that provides support for parents, individuals, school districts and states in special education and

disability research. http://preview.ed.gov/parents/needs/speced/resources.html

National Dissemination Center for Children with Disabilities (NICHCY) provides information on disabilities in children and youths; programs and services for infants, children and

youths with disabilities; the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and No Child

Left Behind. It also provides research-based information on effective practices for children

with disabilities. www.nichcy.org

National Center on Student Progress Monitoring: Improving Proven Practices in

Elementary Grades provides information and technical assistance to implement progress

monitoring, a scientifically based practice that is used to assess students’ academic performance and evaluate the effectiveness of instruction. www.studentprogress.org
The Access Center: Improving Outcomes for All Students K– 8 provides technical 

assistance to build the capacity of states, technical assistance systems, school districts and

schools to help students with disabilities learn from the general education curriculum.

www.k8accesscenter.org

National Center on Accessing the General Curriculum (NCAC) provides resources to 

assist states, school districts and schools in weaving new curricula, teaching practices and

policies together to create practical approaches for improved access to the general 

curriculum by students with disabilities. www.cast.org/ncac

National Center on Educational Outcomes (NCEO) provides information on the participation of students with disabilities in national and state assessments, on standards-setting

efforts and on graduation requirements. www.education.umn.edu/nceo

Center for Improving Teacher Quality provides information to assist states in reforming,

improving and aligning their teacher licensing systems for teachers of students with 

disabilities. www.ccsso.org/Projects/interstate_new_teacher_assessment_and_support_

consortium/780.cfm 

Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports provides schools with capacitybuilding information and technical assistance for identifying, adapting and sustaining

effective schoolwide disciplinary practices. www.pbis.org/english

Teaching English Language Learners

National Clearinghouse for English Language Acquisition provides a variety of information and supports for teachers of English language learners. www.ncela.gwu.edu

Office of English Language Acquisition, an office in the U.S. Department of Education,

provides assistance and support for state and local systemic reform efforts that emphasize

high academic standards, school accountability, professional training and parent involvement. www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oela/index.html

No Child Left Behind 57
Publications

The following publications, bookmarks and brochures are 

available for free for teachers and parents. Most are 

available in English and Spanish, and all are available in

alternate formats, such as Braille. To order, contact ED Pubs,

the U.S. Department of Education’s publications distribution

center, at edpubs@inet.ed.gov or 1-877-4-ED-PUBS. To order

online, visit www.edpubs.org.

Publications for Teachers

“Teachers are the heroes of the classroom ... on the front

line day after day, week after week, dedicated 

to meeting the needs of each child in their classroom.”

— Rod Paige, U.S. Secretary of Education

Teaching Our Youngest—A Guide for Preschool Teachers and Child Care and

Family Providers: This booklet draws from scientifically based research about

what can be done to help children develop their language abilities, increase

their knowledge, become familiar with books and other printed materials,

learn letters and sounds, recognize numbers and learn to count. Many examples of strategies for teaching these skills are included here. Also included are

examples of ways to create an environment in preschool classrooms that will

nurture children’s natural curiosity and their zest for learning. 

www.ed.gov/teachers/how/early/teachingouryoungest/index.html

Put Reading First: The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children to Read:

This booklet summarizes for teachers what researchers have discovered about

how to teach children to read successfully. It describes the findings of the

National Reading Panel Report and provides analysis and discussion in five areas

of reading instruction: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary and

text comprehension. Each section suggests implications for classroom instruction

and provides other information.

www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/publications/reading_first1.html

Tips for Reading Tutors (Brochure): Reading is the basis for learning and school success.

While reading is learned primarily in the classroom, many students need extra time and

help. Research shows that tutoring is a great way for individuals and groups outside

school to support learning. Effective tutoring requires appropriate training and careful

planning. This brochure presents some basic tips for reading tutors. (Available in English

and Spanish.) http://www.ed.gov/teachers/how/read/tutors.html

58 A Toolkit for Teachers
Ready to Read, Ready to Learn: This brochure presents First Lady Laura Bush’s education initiatives. It includes section titles such as: Bringing What Works to Parents;

The Tools to Teach What Works; Recruiting the Best and Brightest; Strong

Teachers, Strong Families, Strong Students. 

www.ed.gov/teachers/how/read/rrrl/index.html

Failure Is Not An Option (Two-Sided Bookmark):

This is No Child Left Behind’s guiding principle, with quotations by President George W.

Bush and Secretary of Education Rod Paige.

Publications for Teachers and Parents

“There is no more powerful advocate for children than a parent

armed with information and options.”

— Rod Paige, U.S. Secretary of Education

Helping Your Child Become a Reader: Other than helping their children to

grow up healthy and happy, the most important thing that parents can do

is to help them develop their reading skills. This booklet offers pointers on

how to build the language skills of young children, from infancy to age 6,

and provides numerous activities to boost children’s love of reading. It

includes a list of typical language accomplishments for different age groups,

suggestions for books children will love, and resources for children with

reading problems or learning disabilities. (Available in English and Spanish.)

www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/reader/index.html

Helping Your Child With Homework: Homework can help children to develop positive study skills and habits, improve their thinking and memory abilities, and encourage them to use time well, learn independently and take

responsibility for their work. This booklet helps parents of elementary and

middle school students understand why homework is important, and provides suggestions for helping children complete assignments successfully.

(Available in English and Spanish.)

www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/homework/index.html

No Child Left Behind 59
Helping Your Preschool Child: How well children will learn and develop and

how well they will do in school depends on a number of things, including

their health and physical well-being, social and emotional preparation, language skills and general knowledge of the world. This booklet highlights

techniques parents can use to encourage their children to develop the skills

necessary for success in school and life by focusing on activities that make

learning fun. (Available in English and Spanish.) 

www.ed.gov/parents/academic/preschool/part.html

Helping Your Child Through Early Adolescence: Learning as much as possible about the world of early adolescents is an important step toward helping children through the fascinating, confusing and wonderful years from

ages 10 to 14. Based on the latest research in adolescent development and

learning, this booklet addresses questions, provides suggestions and tackles

issues that parents of young teens generally find most challenging.

(Available in English and Spanish.)

www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/adolescence/index.html

Helping Your Child Become a Responsible Citizen: Just as children must be

taught to read and write, solve math problems and understand science concepts and events in history, so must they be guided in developing the qualities of character that are valued by their families and by the communities in

which they live. This booklet provides information about the values and

skills that make up character and good citizenship and what parents can do

to help children develop strong character. It suggests activities that parents

and school-aged children can do to put those values to work in their daily

lives and tips for working with teachers and schools to ensure that they act

together to promote the basic values they want their children to learn and

use. (Available in English and Spanish.)

www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/citizen/index.html

Helping Your Child Learn Mathematics: Our increasingly technological world

demands strong skills in math, not only in the workforce but also in everyday life, and these demands will only increase over the lifetimes of our children. The major portion of this booklet is made up of fun activities that parents can use with children from preschool age through grade 5 to strengthen their math skills and build strong, positive attitudes toward math.

(Available in English and Spanish.)

www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/math/index.html

60 A Toolkit for Teachers
Helping Your Child Learn Science: Every day is filled with opportunities to 

learn science —without expensive chemistry sets or books. Parents don’t

need degrees in chemistry or physics to help their children learn science. All

that is needed is a willingness to observe and learn with them and, above

all, to make an effort and take the time to nurture their natural curiosity.

This booklet provides parents of children ages 3 through 10 with information, tools and activities they can use in the home and community to help

their child develop an interest in the sciences and learn about the world

around them. (Available in English and Spanish.) 

www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/science/index.html

Helping Your Child Succeed in School: Every child has the power to succeed

in school and in life and every parent, family member and caregiver can

help. This booklet provides parents with information, tools and activities

they can use in the home to help their child develop the skills critical to academic success. (Available in English and Spanish.)

www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/succeed/index.html

Put Reading First: Helping Your Child Learn to Read: This brochure, designed for

parents of young children, describes the kinds of early literacy activities that should

take place at school and at home to help children learn to read successfully. It is

based on the findings of the National Reading Panel.

www.nifl.gov/partnershipforreading/publications/reading_first2.html

Questions Parents Ask About Schools: This publication provides answers to

commonly asked questions on topics such as getting ready for school, monitoring school, helping with reading and working with schools and teachers. It is

recommended for parents of elementary- and middle-school-aged children

who want to help their children learn and succeed. This brochure suggests

effective ways parents can support their children’s education. The researchbased tips in this publication provide both practical guidance and valuable

information about a range of topics. (This booklet has both Spanish and English

text.) www.ed.gov/parents/academic/help/questions/index.html

Reading Tips for Parents (Bookmark): This English/Spanish bookmark is for parents who

want to encourage their child to read. It suggests activities to help children become effective readers. The bookmark also provides Web addresses for the U.S. Department of

Education, and the Department’s toll free number, 1-800-USA-LEARN.

No Child Left Behind 61

Bookmark
62 A Toolkit for Teachers

Notes

1 The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 is the name for the reauthorized (and amended)

Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA). For the purposes of this 

document, the law is referred to as No Child Left Behind or NCLB.

2 Peyser, J. and Costrell, Robert. (2004). Exploring the Cost of Accountability. Available 

at www.educationnext.org/20042/pdf/22.pdf; United States General Accounting Office.

(May 8, 2003). Title I: Characteristics of Tests Will Influence Expense; Information

Sharing Will Help States Realize Efficiencies; and Accountability Works. (2004). Leading

Educational Change, Getting Results. NCLB Under A Microscope: A Cost Analysis of the

Fiscal Impact of the NCLB Act of 2001 on State and Local Educational Agencies.

Available at www.educationleaders.org/elc/events/elc_cost_study-04.pdf.

3 Snow, C.E., Burns, S.M. and Griffin, P. (Eds.) (1998). Preventing Reading Difficulties in

Young Children. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

4 National Center for Education Statistics. (2003). The Nation’s Report Card: FourthGrade Reading Highlights 2002. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education. 

5 National Center for Education Statistics. (2000). NAEP 1999 Trends in Academic

Progress: Three Decades of Student Performance. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department

of Education. Also, U.S. Department of Education Budget Service. (2004). Budget

History Tables. Available on www.ed.gov/about/overview/budget/history/index.html.

6 Sanders, W. and Rivers, J. (1996). Cumulative and Residual Effects of Teachers on

Future Student Academic Achievement. Knoxville, Tenn.: University of Tennessee

Value-Added Research and Assessment Center.

7 Sandra Feldman, president of the American Federation of Teachers, spoke at the

White House Conference on Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers, 2001. For her entire

speech, visit www.ed.gov/admins/tchrqual/learn/preparingteachersconference/

feldman.html.

8 Monk, D.H. (1994). Subject Area Preparation of Secondary Mathematics and Science

Teachers and Student Achievement. Economics of Education Review, 13,125-145.

9 Whitehurst, G. (2002). Research on Teacher Preparation and Professional Development.

Washington, D.C.: White House Conference on Preparing Tomorrow’s Teachers, 2001. 

10 Ingersoll, R. (2002). Out of Field Teaching, Educational Inequality, and the

Organization of Schools: An Exploratory Analysis. Seattle, Wash.: University of

Washington Center for the Study of Teaching and Policy.

11 The Education Trust. (2004). The Real Value of Teachers: If Good Teachers Matter,

Why Don’t We Act Like It? (Thinking K-12, vol. 8, no. 1). Available at

www2.edtrust.org/EdTrust/Product+Catalog/test+browse.htm.
12 National Reading Panel. (2000). Report of the National Reading Panel—Teaching

Children to Read: An Evidence-Based Assessment of the Scientific Research Literature

on Reading and Its Implications for Reading Instruction. Washington, D.C.: National

Institute of Child Health and Human Development. 

13 National Center for Educational Evidence. (2003). Identifying and Implementing

Educational Practices Supported by Rigorous Evidence: A User-Friendly Guide. 

To order the guide by mail, write to ED Pubs, Education Publications Center, U.S.

Department of Education, P.O. Box 1398, Jessup, Md. 20794-1398. To download 

this user-friendly guide, visit www.ed.gov/rschstat/research/pubs/rigorusevid/guide_

pg3.html?exp=0. 

14 Devoe, J.F., Peter, K., Ruddy, S.A., Miller, A.K., Planty, M., Snyder, T.D. and Rand, M.R.

(2003). Indicators of School Crime and Safety: 2003 (NCES 2004-009/NCJ 201257).

Washington, D.C.: U.S. Departments of Education and Justice. 

15 Snow, C.E., Burns, S.M. and Griffin, P. (Eds.). (1998). Preventing Reading Difficulties in

Young Children. Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press.

16 National Center for Education Statistics. (2002). The Nations Report Card: Reading

2001. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.

17 The Teaching Commission. (2004). Teaching at Risk: A Call to Action. Available at

www.theteachingcommission.org/publications/FINAL_Report.pdf.

18 National Center for Education Statistics. (2003). The Condition of Education 2003

(NCES 2003-067). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.

19 National Center for Education Statistics. (2004). The Nation’s Report Card,

Mathematics Highlights 2003. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.

20 National Center for Education Statistics. (2001). The Nation’s Report Card,

Mathematics 2000. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.

21 National Center for Education Statistics (1999). Third International Mathematics 

and Science Study (TIMSS). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.

22 National Center for Education Statistics. (2001). English Literacy and Language

Minorities in the United States. Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education.

23 Congress is in the process of discussing the requirements for highly qualified special

education teachers as part of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

reauthorization, expected to be completed this year. 

24 Fuchs, L.S., Fuchs, D., Hamlett, C.L., Phillips, N.B. and Bentz, J. (1994). Class-wide 

curriculum-based measurement: Helping general educators meet the challenge of

student diversity. Exceptional Children, 60, 518-537. 

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