Since I'm no longer teaching, I have to hear about things
secondhand. Of course that's how I found out about most
things when I was teaching. I'm told that in Kansas no teacher
was considered "Highly Qualified" who began teaching prior to
1982. I guess that is when testing of teachers began. All staff
beginning prior to 1982 had to complete a survey using a rubric
to determine if they were highly qualified. Teachers had to
score over 100 points inorder to meet the standard. Only the
last five years of experience was allowed to be counted toward
the 100 points. Of course no one came into a classroom to observe
any teaching as part of all this. What a joke, I'm glad I retired
prior to the real circus.
Woody in KC (for now)
The Austin's wrote:
>
> In Kansas there is now a fine arts requirement for high school graduation
> (effective with this year's 7th graders). How NCLB fits in is that according
> to NCLB each subject must be taught by "highly qualified instructors". That
> means you must be certified in your subject. An industrial arts teacher who
> has students create furniture, an English teacher who teaches a drama class,
> the business instructor who teaches photography - non of these qualify
> because the key is "fine arts being taught by highly qualified" teachers.
> ~Michal
