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PAPERWORK REDUCTION ACT SUBMISSION SUPPORTING STATEMENT

Highly Qualified Teacher Collection

through EDFacts

March 2014

Attachment B
High Qualified Teacher Collection through EDFacts

Attachment B

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OVERVIEW AND BACKGROUND

This clearance submission is the Highly Qualified Teacher data set to be collected through the 

EDFacts Submission System for school year (SY) 2013-14. 

These data are required for 53 respondents – all 50 states, the District of Columbia (DC), Puerto 

Rico (PR), and the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE). 

ED anticipates that the data will be due to the Department by June 30, 2014.

GENERAL NOTES:

 No staff-level data are collected. The data are aggregated at the local educational agency

(LEA) and state levels. Although some of the data files may contain small numbers, none of 

the information is linked to specific staff members. In submitting data to ED, state 

educational agencies (SEAs) and other data suppliers cannot suppress the data in small data 

cells except as specifically authorized by federal statute.
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DATA PROPOSED FOR COLLECTION

The highly qualified teacher data set will consist of the collection of six numbers for each LEA and each 

SEA. The tables below explain the six numbers that will be collected. All counts are in full time 

equivalencies (FTE).

For all teachers in the LEA and in the state: 

(1) Highly Qualified Teachers (HQT) teaching #

(2) HQTs teaching who are currently enrolled in an alternative route to certification 

program

#

For all special education teachers, regardless of source of salaries, in the LEA and in the state: 

(3) Special education HQTs, regardless of source of salaries #

(4) Special education HQTs, regardless of source of salaries, who are 

currently enrolled in an alternative route to certification program

#

For all teachers in Title III language instruction educational programs, regardless of source of salaries, in 

the LEA and in the state: 

DEFINITIONS

What does “highly qualified” mean?

Section 9101(23) of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) defines the term 

“highly qualified.” The definition can be found at: 

http://www.ed.gov/policy/elsec/leg/esea02/pg107.html#sec9101.

How is a teacher defined?

A teacher is an individual who provides instruction to kindergarten, grades 1 through 12, or 

ungraded classes, or individuals who teach in an environment other than a classroom setting and 

(5) Highly qualified teachers in Title III language instruction educational 

programs, regardless of source of salaries

#

(6) Highly qualified teachers in Title III language instruction educational 

programs, regardless of source of salaries, who are currently enrolled in an 

alternative route to certification program

#
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who maintain daily student attendance records. For the purpose of this collection, do not include 

teachers who teach preschool. 

What is a special education teacher? 

Special education teachers are teachers contracted or employed to provide special education to 

children with disabilities who receive special education under the Individuals with Disabilities 

Education Act (IDEA) according to an Individualized Education Program (IEP), Individual 

Family Service Plan (IFSP), or services plan.

What is a Title III language instruction educational program?

A Title III language instruction educational program is an instruction course:

(A) in which a limited English proficient child is placed for the purpose of developing 

and attaining English proficiency, while meeting challenging State academic content and 

student academic achievement standards, as required by Section 1111(b)(1) of ESEA and

(B) that may make instructional use of both English and a child’s native language to 

enable the child to develop and attain English proficiency and may include the 

participation of English proficient children if such course is designed to enable all 

participating children to become proficient in English and a second language.

What is an alternative route to certification program?

An alternative route to certification program is a state-approved teacher preparation program in 

which the participants, who are still actively participating in the program, are concurrently 

deemed highly qualified by their state because they are doing the following (according to 34 

CFR 200.56(a)(2)(ii)):

• Receiving high-quality professional development that is sustained, intensive, and 

classroom-focused in order to have a positive and lasting impact on classroom 

instruction, before and while teaching;

• Participating in a program of intensive supervision that consists of structured guidance 

and regular ongoing support for teachers or a teacher mentoring program;

• Assuming functions as a teacher only for a specified period of time not to exceed three 

years; and

• Demonstrating satisfactory progress toward full certification as prescribed by the State. 

By the same regulation, the state must have ensured, through its certification and licensure 

process, that the provisions in the four bullets above have been met.
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NOTE: An alternative route certification program primarily serves candidates whom states 

permit to be the teachers of record in a classroom while participating in the teacher preparation 

program. For purposes of this study, we are interested only in an alternative route certification 

program that meets the definition above. It may be housed within an institution of higher 

education (IHE) (commonly referred to as “alternative, IHE-based”) or outside an IHE 

(commonly referred to as “alternative, not IHE-based”).

COLLECTION OF THE DATA

What LEAs should be reported?

Report LEAs that were operational and had teachers for elementary or secondary classes on the 

state determined date used for the teacher count. 

How are teachers reported?

Report staff in terms of FTE (full-time equivalent). FTE should be counted in hundredths. For 

example, if a teaching position is filled by four people, each working the same amount of time, 

each person would count as .25 FTE. The total FTE counts must be reported to the nearest 

hundredth (e.g., 59.20).

What is the reporting period?

Report the count of teachers as of a state determined date that represents SY 2013-14 and occurs 

prior to June30, 2014.