HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHER

Teachers may go to the OEA ESEA website at to find out more about Ohio’s definition of a "Highly Qualified" teacher.

How Ohio Teachers May Demonstrate Their Qualifications

Click this website link of the Ohio Department of Education for a worksheet that offers several options by which teachers may demonstrate their qualifications, and a rubric to interpret qualifications relative to one of those options.

Ohio's Highly Qualified Teacher Definition: Key Information

The Ohio Education Association

May 16, 2003

OEA Is Proud of Ohio Teachers' Qualifications

The Ohio Education Association is rightfully proud of the qualifications of our teacher members and of the standards for the teaching profession in Ohio. 
 

State of Ohio Is Responding to a New Federal Mandate

By enacting the new “highly qualified teacher definition,” the Ohio Department of Education and the state's 600+ school districts are responding to a new federal mandate.  
 

NCLB Requires Documentation of Teachers' Qualifications

The federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) statute requires school districts and the Ohio Department of Education to assemble and maintain substantial evidence of teacher qualifications for those teachers assigned to core academic subjects (English, reading, language arts, mathematics, science, foreign languages, civics and government, economics, arts, history, and geography). Ohio and its school districts must comply with the statute in order to receive federal funds. 
 

High Ohio Standards Mean Most Ohio Teachers Are Highly Qualified

Because of Ohio's high standards for teacher education and licensure, the vast majority of Ohio teachers already have evidenced qualifications that match or exceed those promulgated by the federal NCLB statute. Those who have not evidenced the qualifications, have until 2005-06 to do so. 
 

Teachers Assigned Out of Field to Shortage Areas Might Not Meet Definition

Of those teachers who currently fall short of the new definition, most have been assigned to teach subjects outside their primary area of qualification and certification or licensure. These assignments occur because some school districts cannot employ fully-credentialed teachers due to a shortage of teachers in some subjects (e.g., mathematics and science) and in some rural and urban communities of the state. The Governor's Commission on Teaching Success addresses this issue specifically in the recommendations the Commission set forth in its February 2003 report. 

No New Tests of Teachers

No currently practicing teacher will be required to take a test to meet the new highly qualified teacher definition unless she or he seeks an additional area of licensure. In other words, the definition does not require additional tests of teachers beyond the current requirements for the initial licensure, which became effective first in 1991 and updated in 1998. 
 

Ohio's “HOUSE” (High Objective Uniform State Standard of Evaluation) Offers Several Paths to Being Deemed “Highly Qualified Teacher”

Teachers who have been licensed since1991 and who have completed the Praxis or NTE tests required for licensure, meet the definition.  

Those teachers, who earned their initial credentials before the testing requirement of 1991, may demonstrate they are highly qualified through any one of the following means:

• in addition to holding at least a bachelor's degree and full state certification/licensure for each teaching assignment, the teacher must have evidenced either of the following:

  • completed the examination approved by the State Board of Education; OR

  • earned a graduate degree in the teaching assignment; OR

  • earned an academic major or equivalent (30 semester hours) in the teaching assignment (for those assigned to teach grades 7-12); OR

  • obtained advanced certification defined as a professional or permanent certificate, and if assigned to middle and secondary grades the teacher has completed at least 30 semester hours distributed across academic subject matter knowledge, teaching skills, and state academic content standards related to the teaching assignment; OR

  • acquired advanced credentialing defined as National Board Certification; OR

  • provided evidence of the following “high objective uniform state standard of evaluation” (“HOUSE”):

    • achieved 100 points on the Ohio Highly Qualified Teacher Rubric (The rubric credits a combination of teaching experience, coursework, professional development, professional activities, and awards. This rubric is still under development); OR

    • will have met the following requirements by 2006:

1. Have an individual professional development plan approved by the local professional development committee that includes a plan to complete by 2006 at least ninety (90) clock hours of high quality professional development (as defined in No Child Left Behind, Section 9101) well distributed over the following areas:  grade appropriate academic subject matter knowledge, teaching skills, and state academic content standards.

2. Upon completion of the 90 clock hours submit documentation to the Local Professional Development Committee that includes a description of the content of the activities, the contact hours, and documentation of attainment of learning by the teacher. 

3. Convert to a five year professional license by 2006.