No Child Left Behind

Updated Chart for Highly Qualified Teacher Requirements

Exceptional Student Education Teachers (K-6)

Standards Courses

Effective immediately, in order to meet the highly qualified requirements at the elementary level, an ESE

teacher who is the teacher of record for an elementary core academic course or an alternate achievement

standards core academic course must meet the highly qualified requirements for elementary teachers in

addition to the appropriate ESE certification.

To be highly qualified, the teachers described above must satisfy the following three requirements

New ESE Teachers

Experienced ESE Teachers

teaching experience)

Requirement 1

A bachelor’s or higher degree from an accredited

A bachelor’s or higher degree from an accredited or

approved institution.

AND

Requirement 2

A valid Florida three-year Temporary or five-year

Professional Certificate in an appropriate

exceptional student education area(s) to match the

ESE table in the Florida Course Code Directory.

A valid Florida three-year Temporary or five-year

Professional Certificate in an appropriate

exceptional student education area(s) to match the

ESE table in the Florida Course Code Directory.

AND

Requirement 3

Option 1:

A passing score on the Florida K-6, 1-6, or PK-3

subject area exam (SAE) appropriate for the

elementary grade level(s) assigned.

or

Option 2:

A valid Florida Professional Certificate appropriate

for the elementary grade levels assigned (requires a

Florida SAE or reciprocity from another state).

or

Option 3:

A valid American Board for Certification of

Teacher Excellence (ABCTE) Passport Certificate

in Elementary Education.

(A passing SAE or valid ABCTE Certificate also

establishes eligibility for certification in

elementary education.)

Option 1:

A passing score on the Florida K-6, 1-6, or PK-3

subject area exam (SAE) appropriate for the

elementary grade level(s) assigned.

or

Option 2:

Meet the requirements for a HOUSSE plan that is

appropriate for the elementary grade level(s)

assigned.

or

Option 3:

A valid ABCTE Passport Certificate in Elementary

Education or an Early (PreK-Primary) or Middle

Childhood (Elementary Education) Generalist

National Board for Professional Teaching Standards

(NBPTS) Certificate.

(A passing SAE, valid ABCTE, or valid NBPTS

Certificate also establishes eligibility for

certification in the subject.)

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No Child Left Behind

Chart for Highly Qualified Teacher Requirements

Middle/Secondary Exceptional Student Education Teachers (7-12)

Teaching Alternate Achievement Standards Courses

Effective immediately, ESE teachers who are teaching core academic subjects to ESE students in grades

7-12 on a modified curriculum (alternate achievement standards) and who take an ESE alternate

assessment must meet the highly qualified requirements for elementary teachers or the subject matter

knowledge appropriate to the level of instruction being provided (e.g., middle grades, Biology 6-12) in

addition to an appropriate ESE certification.

To be highly qualified, teachers teaching core academic subjects to exceptional education students

working toward alternate achievement standards must satisfy the following three requirements by

June 30, 2006.

New ESE Teachers

Experienced ESE Teachers

(No Teaching Experience)

teaching experience)

Requirement 1

A bachelor’s or higher degree from an accredited or

A bachelor’s or higher degree from an accredited

approved institution.

or approved institution.

AND

Requirement 2

A valid Florida three-year Temporary or five-year

A valid Florida three-year Temporary or five-year

Professional Certificate in an appropriate exceptional

Professional Certificate in an appropriate

student education area(s) to match the ESE table in

exceptional student education area(s) to match the

the Course Code Directory.

ESE table in the Course Code Directory.

AND

Requirement 3 for Middle and Secondary (7-12)

Option 1:

Option 1:

A passing score on the Florida K-6 or 1-6 subject

A passing score on the Florida K-6 or 1-6 subject

area exam if appropriate for the level of instruction

area exam if appropriate for the level of

in the subject matter knowledge being provided.

instruction in the subject matter knowledge being

or

provided.

Option 2:

or

A valid Florida Professional Certificate in

Option 2:

elementary education if appropriate for the level of

Certification appropriate for the middle/secondary

instruction in the subject matter knowledge being

core academic subject(s) assigned.

provided (requires a Florida SAE or reciprocity from

or

another state).

Option 3:

or

Meet the requirements for a HOUSSE plan

Option 3:

appropriate for ESE certified teachers of Core

A valid American Board for Certification of Teacher

Academic Elementary Education or Core

Excellence (ABCTE) Passport Certificate in

Academic Middle/Secondary Education Courses

Elementary Education if appropriate for the level of

(attached).

instruction in the subject matter knowledge being

provided.

(A passing SAE or valid ABCTE Certificate also

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establishes eligibility for certification in elementary

education.)

or

Option 4:

Certification appropriate for the middle/secondary

core academic subject(s) assigned.