| CEC Resources on Highly Qualified Requirements for Special Education Teachers
The highly qualified requirements for special education teachers, as set forth in the 2004 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) are complex and it is important that special educators understand how these requirements affect them and their practice.
It is essential that the critical role special education teachers fulfill in the delivery of instruction be understood. Special education teachers exemplify the highest level of educational competence. The knowledge and skills licensed special education teachers possess enables them to develop individualized curriculum, effective learning strategies, and appropriate assessments for a wide range of students with disabilities in a variety of settings. Special educators have knowledge of liberal arts and general content area curriculum, pedagogy, and the effect of culture and language impact on student learning. These highly skilled educators are essential to the effective delivery of instruction to children and youth with disabilities.
To assist educators in determining the background special education teachers need to be deemed highly qualified, CEC has created a comprehensive, easy-to-use resource covering all aspects of this issue. Each part of the document builds on the preceding information, so educators can understand the law, terminology, how IDEA and NCLB intersect, and the requirements special educators must meet to be deemed highly qualified in different settings.
Check back on April 15 for information on HOUSSE, the procedures by which teachers can become highly qualified.
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