Teachers, Principals, Paraprofessionals

Teachers, Principals, Paraprofessionals
The Basics l Teacher Litigation l Qualified Teachers l Classroom Life
Working with Parents l Research Based Instruction l Graduation
Routes to the Classroom l NCLB Hotline l Newsletters l Books l Useful Sites

No Child Left Behind covers nearly all aspects of public education, from the classroom to the school board. We selected the resources on this page to help teachers, administrators, paraprofessionals, and school board members find information quickly and take advantage of the opportunities in the law.

The Basics - Federal Requirements
What are the New IDEA 2004 Requirements for Highly Qualified Special Education Teachers? Learn about new requirements for highly qualified special education teachers, how to meet these requirements, and limitations on what you can do if you are not "highly qualified."

No Child Left Behind - law, regulations, publications, research based instruction, information directories, flyers, news, fact sheets, and education statistics.

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) - law, regulations, articles, cases, news.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act - FAQs, articles, cases, accommodations, modifications, news.

Family Education Rights & Privacy Act (FERPA) - FAQs, articles, cases about privacy and records.

No Child Left Behind Database - Compliance status and state NCLB plans from the Education Commission of the States.

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Teacher Litigation
Linda McGreevy v. Stroup, Tsosie, Soltis, Bermudian Springs Sch. District - U. S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit held that school administrators may be officially and individually liable for retaliating against a school nurse who advocated for children with disabilities.

Doing the Right Thing: Court Vindicates School Nurse in Retaliation Case - Linda McGreevy is a licensed professional nurse, a pediatric nurse practitioner, and a certified school nurse. During the first five years when she worked as a school nurse in the Bermudian Springs Elementary School, she received excellent performance evaluations. Suddenly, her her evaluations dropped to unsatisfactory levels. What caused her fall from grace?

Pamella Settlegoode v. Portland Public Schools - U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit upholds jury award of one million dollars to fired special ed teacher; importance of free speech for teachers. (April 2004)

Retaliation! The Inside Story of the One Million Dollar Verdict

Help for Teachers Who Are Being Pushed Out of Their Jobs - Describes requirements for highly qualified teachers, how teachers can demonstrate competence in subjects they teach, professional development & training, responsibilities, and timelines.

Fales v. Garst: Analysis of Teachers' Lawsuit Against Principal. Three teachers alleged that principal violated their rights to freedom of speech and association by instructing them not to discuss incidents regarding special education students and their rights to equal protection by lowering their evaluations.

Fales v. Garst. Decision by U. S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit attempts to balance the teachers’ interest in free speech versus their employer’s interest in efficiency.

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Highly Qualified Teachers

National Board Certified Teachers More Effective. Study by University of Washington and the Urban Institute finds that teachers who earned national certification are more effective in raising student achievement than other teachers. (March 16, 2004)

Congress Orders Study of Teacher Ed Programs. The mandated study about coursework requirements, how reading and math are taught, and how programs are aligned with scientific evidence may lead to standards, norms, and professionalization of teaching. (March 2004)

Improving Teacher Quality - Non Regulatory Guidance, U. S. Department of Education (Rev. 9-12-03)

Title 1 Paraprofessionals - Draft Non Regulatory Guidance, U. S. Department of Education (11-15-02)

Meeting the Highly Qualified Teacher Challenge: The Secretary's Second Annual Report on Teacher Quality, U. S. Department of Education (2003)

Meeting the Highly Qualified Teacher Challenge: The Secretary's Annual Report on Teacher Quality - U. S. Department of Education (2002)

State Reports on the Quality of Teacher Preparation - Title II Technical Assistance Main page l State Reports

NCLB: Toolkit for Teachers, U. S. Department of Education (2002)

Information and Complaints (all states), U. S. Department of Education

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Classroom Life

Using Data to Influence Classroom Decisions by the U. S. Department of Education.

Discipline & Positive Behavior Supports from Wrightslaw.

Grade Retention and Mental Health Outcomes from the National Association of School Psychologists.

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Working with Parents toward Common Goals

A New Wave of Evidence: The Impact of School, Family, and Community Connections on Student Achievement by the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory.

Using the No Child Left Behind Act to Improve Schools in Your State - A Toolkit for Business Leaders by the Business Roundtable.

An Action Guide for Community and Parent Leaders - Using NCLB to Improve Student Achievement from the Public Education Network.

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Research Based Instruction
Teaching Reading IS Rocket Science, What Expert Teachers Should Know and Be Able to Do from the American Federation of Teachers.

Put Reading First - The Research Building Blocks for Teaching Children to Read - Makes evidence-based reading research available to educators, parents, policy-makers, and others who want to help all people learn to read well.

Identifying and Implementing Educational Practices Supported by Rigorous Evidence published by Institute of Education Sciences (IES) of U. S. Department of Education. A "user-friendly" resource for education officials and educators seeking to improve educational and life outcomes for children. "Perhaps the most effective resource we have for improving American schools is scientifically-valid knowledge about which strategies work and which don't work . . . offers...concrete, easily-accessible assistance in finding and using strategies that have been validated in rigorous studies." - Rod Paige, Secretary of Education

Learn more about Research Based Instruction

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Keeping an Eye on Graduation
Reaching New Heights: Turning Around Low-Performing Schools from the National Governors Association.

From the Margins to the Mainstream from Jobs for the Future.

High Schools That Work (from Southern Regional Education Board) - Register for conferences and workshops, get publications and materials, read about exemplary school and classroom practices, find a schedule for technical assistance visits to schools.

Gateway Institute for Pre-College Education - A rigorous academic program that prepares students for college and careers; Gateway operates a school and runs programs in ten public high schools.

Career Academy Support Network - Programs that organize instruction in academic subjects, enabling students to fulfill requirements for college entrance while learning how their academics relate to something outside high school.

Talent Development High Schools, Johns Hopkins University - Comprehensive reform model for large high schools that face serious problems with student attendance, discipline, achievement scores, and dropout rates.

Learning Outside the Lines - 6 Programs that Work by the Kellog Foundation, What Kids Can Do, and Jobs for the Future.

Raising Our Sights: No High School Senior Left Behind - The National Commission on the High School Senior Year from the Woodrow Wilson National Fellowship Foundation.

Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID). Students in a college preparatory program receive academic and motivational support from college students, work in collaborative groups, and use a curriculum focused on writing.

Early College High Schools. Students earn a high school diploma and two years of college credit toward a bachelor's degree.

Factors Affecting Mathematics Achievement for Students in Rural Schools by Southern Regional Education Board (SREB)

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Different Routes to the Classroom
Boston Teacher Residency (BTR) - a one-year urban teacher preparation program; co-teach with master teachers, take courses, receive a 10,000 stipend.

Growing Better Teachers in the Garden State: New Jersey's "Alternate Route" to Teacher Certification by the Thomas B Fordham Foundation.

Teacher Advancement Program - Focuses on professional development and ways to expand supply of high quality educators.

Troops to Teachers Program from the U. S. Department of Education,

Passport to Teaching Certification from the American Board for Certification of Teacher Excellence.

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NCLB Hotline for School Administrators
Superintendents have a direct link to the U.S. Department of Education for quick, concise, responses to questions about No Child Left Behind: 1-888-NCLB-SUP (1-888-625-2787). The resource line will be staffed Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET. During off-hours, or when the lines are busy, superintendents can leave messages. Technology-savvy superintendents may send email inquiries to a dedicated inbox at mailto:NCLBSUP@ed.gov. Staff will ensure that all issues are addressed efficiently. Learn about NCLB Hotline.

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Free Newsletters
Free Newsletters - A comprehensive list of free newsletters about education, special education, education law, No Child Left Behind, and disabilities from Wrightslaw.

The Achiever - Newsletter with information, events and announcements about No Child Left Behind.

The Beacon: The Journal of Special Education Law and Practice - Electronic journal of articles and essays for those who are interested in special education law and practice. Each issue focuses on a theme and includes practical and theoretical articles.

ED Review - Free newsletter about educational issues from U. S. Department of Education.

EdWeek Update (free weekly alert about what's new at Education Week)

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Recommended Books - See also Effective Education
Straight Talk About Reading: How Parents Can Make a Difference During the Early Years by Susan Hall, Louisa Moats, and Reid Lyon

A Basic Guide to Understanding, Assessing, and Teaching Phonological Awareness
by Joseph K. Torgesen, Patricia G. Mathes

Speech to Print: Language Essentials for Teachers by Louisa Cook Moats

Multisensory Teaching of Basic Language Skills by Judith R. Birsh (Editor)