TPID » Teacher Preparation & Induction Department

A key goal of the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act is that every student will receive instruction from a “highly qualified” teacher (HQT). To be considered “highly qualified” under NCLB, a teacher of core academic content must possess: a bachelor’s degree, a teaching or intern credential, and demonstrated core academic subject matter competence. The core academic areas for both general and special education include: multiple/general subjects (elementary); English/reading/language arts; mathematics; science; foreign languages; civics/government, economics, history, geography; and the arts. Teachers are categorized as “new” or “not new” by the original issuance date of their first full or intern teaching credentials. Districts are required to develop plans to ensure both “new” and “not new” teachers assigned to teach core academic content areas meet the highly qualified teacher criteria.

Each Fall, site master schedules are centrally reviewed to identify teachers needing to meet the “highly qualified” requirements for their assignments. Teacher Preparation and Student Support Division staff have trained a cadre of retired administrators that meet with principals to review their master schedules. The cadre then works with teachers not meeting the “highly qualified” criteria for their assignments, and together they develop an individual plan to help each teacher to become compliant.

For more information, visit the district’s Highly Qualified Teacher Requirement webpage at www.sandi.net/nclb/HOUSSE.html or contact:

Karen Evans, (858) 539-5330 or kevans@sandi.net

The California Subject Examination for Teachers (CSET) is a method by which teachers “new” to the profession may meet federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act highly qualified teacher requirements. The teacher’s current assignment or intern program focus determines which CSET the teacher must take and pass to be considered “highly qualified” in that subject area. Teachers must earn passing scores on each of the examination’s required subtests. Each subtest is scored separately, and performance is evaluated against standards established by the California State Board of Education and the California Commission on Teacher Credentialing. For more information about the exam, visit the CSET website at www.cset.nesinc.com.

The district offers CSET preparation courses at no cost to district teachers for the Multiple Subjects, Single Subject English, Single Subject Math, and Single Subject Science exams. District teachers with expertise in each subject area design and teach the preparation courses. Many of the instructors have taken the CSET exams and are familiar with the content. Courses are held twice weekly from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. for several weeks prior to each exam. Study materials are also available for the Social Studies and Physical Education exams. For additional information on CSET preparation, contact:

Karen Evans, (858) 539-5330 or kevans@sandi.net
Lucy del Valle, (858) 539-5330 or ldelvalle@sandi.net