Teaching interns can no longer be counted as "highly qualified" teachers under the No Child Left Behind law, a federal court ruled today.
The ruling by a three-judge panel of the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals comes in response to a 2007 lawsuit filed by Public Advocates, a San Francisco-based public interest law firm. The suit alleges that a loophole in No Child Left Behind allowed the government to misrepresent how prepared teachers are for their jobs, perpetuating a pattern of clustering inexperienced teachers in the neediest schools.
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/09/27/3060617/judges-say-interns-arent-highly.html#ixzz10sCsyK1I
When I started teaching I had a bachelor's degree and a pulse--heck, I hadn't even taken the CBEST yet, and that's a requirement for teachers and substitutes in California. The district HR folks told me, "Just sign up for the October test. By the time anyone at the county or state figures out you haven't taken the test, you'll already have passed it." I appreciated their confidence in me.
I had an intern credential for my 2nd and 3rd years of teaching, while I earned my real credential.
Why was it even a question that interns are highly qualified? Intern does not equal highly qualified. Otherwise they wouldn't be an intern.
ReplyDeletePassing the CBEST isn't all tat great an accomplishment. HS Freshmen level questions and get this! IT NEVER EXPIRES once you pass!
ReplyDeleteI took and passed the CBEST in 1992 during a downturn in the industry. Found a job so I didn't use it until 2004 when the jobs really dried up.
I could have gone senile in that length of time but I'm still qualified for a substitute credential!!!
...Mark