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Annual Highly Qualified Reporting Forms
All teachers in the district have received their “Official Michigan Highly Qualified Reporting” form. There are separate reporting forms for elementary school, middle school, high school, elementary special education and secondary special education teachers. It is recommended by the Michigan Department of Education that teachers of core academic subjects complete a reporting form each academic year, to be placed in their personnel file. The core academic subjects are defined as: English, language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, the arts (music, visual art, and dance), history, geography, economics, and government.
Teachers may have received more than one reporting form. As this is the first time the new forms are being used we sent out forms for each endorsement code that is reflected in our computer records. If you received a form with an endorsement code that is not a core subject you can simply return the form unsigned. If you have an endorsement and did not receive a form with that endorsement shown, please send a note indicating the missing endorsement and we will update our records.
For a general education teacher to demonstrate their HQ status, they must hold a valid Michigan teaching certificate (including the proper endorsements or authorizations for the classes they are assigned to teach) and meet one of the following:
- An academic major or its equivalent
- Successful testing in the subject area (MTTC)
- An earned advanced degree in the subject area or in an area that supports the teaching of the subject area
- National Board Certification
Any of the HOUSSE options:
- Option #1 - Three years of teaching experience with a minimum of 18 semester hours in the core subject or towards an advanced degree that supports the teaching of the core academic subject
- Option #2 – Three years of teaching experience and have completed (in the last 5 years) an individual professional development plan of 90 clock hours or 6 semester hours in the content area
- Option #3 – Demonstrated competence by a portfolio or classroom observation
Recently the U.S. Department of Education notified the Michigan Department of Education that the use of the Elementary Education MTTC was no longer an acceptable method for secondary special education teachers to demonstrate that they are highly qualified. The exclusion to this is a teacher that is providing direct instruction in an elementary (K-5) or middle (6-8) self-contained classroom or to secondary (9-12) students who are assessed by an alternative achievement standard (MI-Access). Special education teachers negatively impacted by this change have until June 30, 2009 to demonstrate their highly qualified status.
There are now separate HQ reporting forms for elementary special education and secondary special education teachers. The elementary reporting form is to be used by elementary certified special education teachers and secondary certified special education teachers providing direct instruction in an elementary (K-5) or middle (6-8) self-contained classroom or to secondary (9-12) students who are assessed by an alternative achievement standard. To demonstrate their HQ status they must hold a valid Michigan teaching certificate (with the proper special education endorsement for the grades assigned) and meet one of the following:
Passed a comprehensive elementary content exam
Any of the HOUSSE options:
- Option #1 - Minimum of 18 semester hours in the core subject or towards an advanced degree that supports the teaching of the core academic subject
- Option #2 – Have completed (in the last 5 years) an individual professional development plan of 90 clock hours or 6 semester hours in the content area
- Option #3 – Demonstrated competence by a portfolio or classroom observation
The secondary special education reporting form will be used by secondary certified special education teachers who provide direct core content instruction to students in grades 6-12 who are assessed by the MEAP/MME. To demonstrate their HQ status they must hold a valid Michigan teaching certificate (with the proper special education endorsement for the grades assigned) and meet one of the following:
- Passed either the elementary or secondary MTTC test in the content area (the teacher does NOT need to hold the specific endorsement)
- Have earned an academic major or the equivalent coursework of an academic major in the content area
- Have completed any of the HOUSSE options noted above.
NCLB does not require special education teachers who co-teach or facilitate instruction to be highly qualified.
NCLB does not require teachers assigned to non-core academic subjects to be HQ. If a student taking a non-core academic class will receive core academic graduation credit for a non-core academic class, then the non-core teacher will be required to demonstrate that they meet the definition of a highly qualified teacher.
If you have any questions regarding the completion of the HQ reporting form, please contact Bill Middel (2036) in the Human Resources Department. |
