Plan for Meeting the Goal of Having 100% of Core Academic Classes Taught by Highly Qualified Teachers

All state educational agencies (SEAs) that receive Title I, Part A funds were required to develop and implement a plan to have all teachers of core academic subjects highly qualified no later than the end of the 2005-06 school year.

In October of 2005, with the realization that states were not meeting the 100 percent goal, the Secretary of Education provided the assurance that federal funds would not be withheld from states that were implementing the law and making a good-faith effort to reach the highly qualified teacher goal as soon as possible. Each state had the opportunity to negotiate and implement a revised plan for meeting the 100 percent goal established in statute. Four determining elements of acceptable good-faith effort included: (1) the state's definition of a "highly qualified teacher," (2) how the state reports to parents and the public on classes taught by highly qualified teachers, (3) the completeness and accuracy of HQT data reported to the Department, and (4) the steps the state has taken to ensure that experienced and qualified teachers are equitably distributed among classrooms with poor and minority children and those with their peers.

South Carolina's plan included the required criteria and was one of nine approved by the U.S. Department of Education without changes. The plan is, however, revised each year to reflect updated data and additional strategies implemented by the State.

South Carolina's approved Revised State Plan for Meeting the Highly Qualified Teacher Goal and annual updates:

DISTRICT PLANS

Each district that has failed to meet the 100 percent goal must have a plan describing how it will meet the federal requirement that all teachers of core academic subjects are highly qualified [Section 1119(a)(1) and (3)]. Plans must include how each teacher whose name appears on the 135-day (QDC3) report for classes taught by non-highly qualified teacher will meet the requirements.

DISTRICT ACCOUNTABILITY AND CORRECTIVE ACTION: §2141

The state must impose corrective actions described in §2141 of the Act for districts that have failed to meet annual measurable objectives.

 


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Last Updated: 02/01/2012