April 2005Dr. Pamela Luft Meeting NCLBA: Why Special Educators Are Highly Qualified Teachers Pamela Luft, Ph.D. Kent State University

April 2005Dr. Pamela Luft The LAW: No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 Title IX, Sec 9101 (23)(A&B) describes highly qualified as a public elementary or secondary school teacher who: Has obtained full State certification as a teacher (including certification obtained through alternative routes to certification) or passed the State teacher licensing examination and holds a license to teach in such State;

April 2005Dr. Pamela Luft For elementary teachers: Is a teacher who holds at least a bachelor’s degree, and has demonstrated, by passing a rigorous State test, subject knowledge and teaching skills in reading, writing, mathematics, and other areas of the basic elementary school curriculum. Is a teacher who holds at least a bachelor’s degree, and has demonstrated, by passing a rigorous State test, subject knowledge and teaching skills in reading, writing, mathematics, and other areas of the basic elementary school curriculum. (CEC, 2004; NBLBA, 2001)

April 2005Dr. Pamela Luft For secondary teachers: If new to the profession: If new to the profession: she or he holds at least a bachelor’s degree and has demonstrated a high level of competency in each of the academic subjects in which the teacher teaches she or he holds at least a bachelor’s degree and has demonstrated a high level of competency in each of the academic subjects in which the teacher teaches by passing a rigorous State academic subject test in each of the academic subjects in which the teacher teaches; or by passing a rigorous State academic subject test in each of the academic subjects in which the teacher teaches; or successful completion, in each of the academic subjects in which the teacher teaches, of an academic major, successful completion, in each of the academic subjects in which the teacher teaches, of an academic major, a graduate degree, a graduate degree, coursework equivalent to an undergraduate academic major, or coursework equivalent to an undergraduate academic major, or advanced certification or credentialing; advanced certification or credentialing; If not new to the profession: If not new to the profession: she or he holds at least a bachelor’s degree and has met standards for being highly qualified through: she or he holds at least a bachelor’s degree and has met standards for being highly qualified through: an option for a test; or an option for a test; or demonstrates competence in all the academic subjects in which the teacher teaches. demonstrates competence in all the academic subjects in which the teacher teaches.

April 2005Dr. Pamela Luft Special Education Teachers are qualified only if: They meet standards as general educators: They meet standards as general educators: At the elementary level they: At the elementary level they: have at least a bachelor’s degree and have at least a bachelor’s degree and have passed a rigorous State test of subject knowledge and teaching skills in reading, writing, mathematics, and other areas of the basic elementary school curriculum. have passed a rigorous State test of subject knowledge and teaching skills in reading, writing, mathematics, and other areas of the basic elementary school curriculum. At the middle and high school levels they: At the middle and high school levels they: pass a rigorous state test in each of the areas for which they teach, or pass a rigorous state test in each of the areas for which they teach, or have academic majors or degrees in these areas. have academic majors or degrees in these areas.

April 2005Dr. Pamela Luft The Problem with NCLBA: Unique Roles and Expertise are Ignored Roles include Roles include Instruction, remediation, support, and accommodations for students with disabilities Instruction, remediation, support, and accommodations for students with disabilities Information, support, and strategies to teachers Information, support, and strategies to teachers Roles cross multiple venues: Roles cross multiple venues: Several students with disabilities Several students with disabilities Several teachers and classrooms Several teachers and classrooms Several content areas Several content areas NCLBA treats special educators as general educators with majors or degrees in all subject areas. NCLBA treats special educators as general educators with majors or degrees in all subject areas. This requires doctoral-level quantities of coursework This requires doctoral-level quantities of coursework This ignores expertise and training in special education This ignores expertise and training in special education

April 2005Dr. Pamela Luft What are their Roles and Expertise? Special Educators are assigned roles based on— Special Educators are assigned roles based on— Expertise in: Expertise in: Disability-specific characteristics and their impact on learning, behavior, socialization, and achievement Disability-specific characteristics and their impact on learning, behavior, socialization, and achievement Accommodations, learning strategies, curriculum adaptation, behavior management, and individual learning strengths and preferences Accommodations, learning strategies, curriculum adaptation, behavior management, and individual learning strengths and preferences Which is utilized in instructional settings through assigned roles of: Which is utilized in instructional settings through assigned roles of: co-teacher co-teacher consultant teacher consultant teacher Resource room or itinerant teacher Resource room or itinerant teacher Self-contained teacher for students who cannot be accommodated through supportive aides and services Self-contained teacher for students who cannot be accommodated through supportive aides and services

April 2005Dr. Pamela Luft NCLBA Holds Special Educators to a Double Standard Special Educators are not recognized for their training and expertise in special education Special Educators are not recognized for their training and expertise in special education States must report on: States must report on: Degree level Degree level Testing in special education Testing in special education These are not included in “highly qualified” standards These are not included in “highly qualified” standards Qualifications are based on general education definitions Qualifications are based on general education definitions Elementary educators have bachelor’s degrees and basic skills testing Elementary educators have bachelor’s degrees and basic skills testing Secondary educators have bachelor’s degrees and content knowledge testing in each instructional area Secondary educators have bachelor’s degrees and content knowledge testing in each instructional area Special Educators must meet both sets of standards: Special Educators must meet both sets of standards: Degrees and testing in special education—which do not count in becoming “highly qualified” Degrees and testing in special education—which do not count in becoming “highly qualified” Elementary or Secondary coursework and testing: in each academic content area—at the secondary level Elementary or Secondary coursework and testing: in each academic content area—at the secondary level

April 2005Dr. Pamela Luft Secondary Special Educators’ Content Issues Do Special Educators really teach secondary-level content? Do Special Educators really teach secondary-level content? LRE requirements support general education placement— LRE requirements support general education placement— through an expanded range of services includes co-teaching and collaborative teaching, and through an expanded range of services includes co-teaching and collaborative teaching, and unless student cannot be accommodated through supportive aids and services unless student cannot be accommodated through supportive aids and services General Educators select and organize: General Educators select and organize: content area topics, texts, instructional sequencing, resources, and activities content area topics, texts, instructional sequencing, resources, and activities Students who are not in general education settings— Students who are not in general education settings— are likely to be disruptive or causes danger to self or others, or are likely to be disruptive or causes danger to self or others, or are substantially delayed in academic achievement are substantially delayed in academic achievement

April 2005Dr. Pamela Luft Special Education Content Teaching Responsibilities Secondary-level content typically remains with the general education teachers Secondary-level content typically remains with the general education teachers Special educators: Special educators: provide accommodations, adaptations, and learning strategies for students in general education classrooms and curriculum, through: provide accommodations, adaptations, and learning strategies for students in general education classrooms and curriculum, through: Co-teaching Co-teaching Consultation Consultation Resource room and itinerant teaching Resource room and itinerant teaching provide instruction to students in self-contained classrooms: provide instruction to students in self-contained classrooms: typically functioning at elementary skill and knowledge levels typically functioning at elementary skill and knowledge levels have severe behavioral, learning, and/or other needs. have severe behavioral, learning, and/or other needs.

April 2005Dr. Pamela Luft Instructional Roles and Responsibilities Sp. Ed Role Sp. Ed Responsibility Content Responsibility Consultant Teacher Provide learning and behavioral strategies, and curriculum adaptations General educator provides content area knowledge and skills and general Resource or Itinerant Provides instructional remediation to student; provides suggestions for strategies and adaptations to teacher General educator selects and organizes content Co-teacher Provide instructional support; ensures access to curricular adaptations and accommodations General educator selects and organizes content Self-contained Special educator selects and organizes content, typically several grades below peers Special educator may seek assistance from general educator

April 2005Dr. Pamela Luft Addressing the Exceptions: Special Educators Teaching Secondary Content Special educators may have self- contained students who need high-level secondary content Special educators may have self- contained students who need high-level secondary content Problem: role flexibility needs do not justify multiple permanent licensures for special educators Problem: role flexibility needs do not justify multiple permanent licensures for special educators Solution: one content area general educator could serve as a collaborative or co-teacher to provide curriculum and instructional guidance Solution: one content area general educator could serve as a collaborative or co-teacher to provide curriculum and instructional guidance Model is the “reverse” of current roles assigned to special educators in their work with general educators Model is the “reverse” of current roles assigned to special educators in their work with general educators

April 2005Dr. Pamela Luft Current Licensure Coursework Meets Role and Responsibility Assignments and NCLBA General Educators: General Educators: Elementary Levels—basic academic skills Elementary Levels—basic academic skills Secondary—specialized content knowledge and skills Secondary—specialized content knowledge and skills Special Educators: Special Educators: Elementary and Secondary—basic general education skills Elementary and Secondary—basic general education skills Special Education— Special Education— Disability-specific learning and accommodation strategies, curriculum and instructional adaptations Disability-specific learning and accommodation strategies, curriculum and instructional adaptations University degree with 30+ hours of advanced coursework University degree with 30+ hours of advanced coursework Evaluated through state-wide testing (Praxis II) Evaluated through state-wide testing (Praxis II)

April 2005Dr. Pamela Luft Special Educators are Highly Qualified Recognition for their unique training and expertise occurs at— Recognition for their unique training and expertise occurs at— National Level: National Level: Praxis II and other testing demonstrates special education content-area knowledge Praxis II and other testing demonstrates special education content-area knowledge State Level: State Level: State licensure is based upon degreed coursework and practicum completion State licensure is based upon degreed coursework and practicum completion Local Level: Local Level: Districts assign special educators as consultant, resource room, itinerant, and co-teachers to work with— Districts assign special educators as consultant, resource room, itinerant, and co-teachers to work with— general educators and general educators and special education students special education students

April 2005Dr. Pamela Luft Conclusion Special Educators meet qualifications under NCLBA Special Educators meet qualifications under NCLBA Content area must be redefined as Special Education Content area must be redefined as Special Education Special Education content includes disability-specific knowledge, strategies, and skills that meet NCLBA: Special Education content includes disability-specific knowledge, strategies, and skills that meet NCLBA: Is completed at the bachelor’s or master’s level Is completed at the bachelor’s or master’s level Includes 30 or more hours of content-area instruction in special education Includes 30 or more hours of content-area instruction in special education Is tested through rigorous standardized tests— Praxis II includes special education testing Is tested through rigorous standardized tests— Praxis II includes special education testing

April 2005Dr. Pamela Luft Summary of Current NCLBA Disparity Special Educators provide disability- specific expertise in their assigned roles and responsibilities Special Educators provide disability- specific expertise in their assigned roles and responsibilities Special Educators must meet training, coursework, and licensure requirements for state special education licensure Special Educators must meet training, coursework, and licensure requirements for state special education licensure Special Educators are not recognized for this training or licensure, therefore Special Educators are not recognized for this training or licensure, therefore they must still meet all additional general education requirements, they must still meet all additional general education requirements, even though they typically do not offer major secondary content instruction even though they typically do not offer major secondary content instruction

April 2005Dr. Pamela Luft NCLBA Next Steps: Special Educators are legally defined as “highly qualified” based on (1) content-area training, (2) testing, and (3) state licensure in special education

April 2005Dr. Pamela Luft References Council for Exceptional Children (2004, November). The new IDEA: CEC’s summary of significant issues. Educational Testing Service, (2005). ETS at a glance: The Praxis series: meeting the “highly qualified teacher” challenge. Available online: Idol, L., Nevin, A., Paolucci-Whitcomb, P. (2000). Collaborative consultation, 3 rd ed.). Austin, TX: Pro- Ed. Kampwirth, T. J. (2003). Collaborative consultation in the schools: Effective practices for students with learning and behavior problems (2 nd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill. Murawski & Dieker, (2004, May/June). Tips and strategies for co-teaching at the secondary level. Teaching Exceptional Children, 36, No Child Left Behind Act of 2001, Title IX, Sec 9101 (23)(A&B) Olson, J. L., & Platt, J. M. (2000). Teaching children and adolescents with special needs (3 rd ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Merrill. Ripley, S. (1997). Collaboration between general and special education teachers. ERIC Digest. Washington, DC: Office of Educatioal Research and Iprovement, ERIC Clearinghouse on Teaching and Teacher Education. Vaughn, S., Schumm, J. S., & Arguelles, M. (1997, November/December). The ABCDE’s of co- teaching. Teaching Exceptional Children, 32, Walsh, J. M., & Jones, B. (2004, May/June). New models of cooperative teaching.. Teaching Exceptional Children, 36,