From: "Suzanne Heath" To: Subject: Re: I have a question for Peter Date: Sunday, September 25, 2005 11:34 AM Dear Laurie, NCLB defines Highly Qualified, and requires reporting of the percentage of Highly Qualified teachers, but it stops short of requiring that any child actually receive instruction from one. one. NCLB also does not require that the best qualified teacher be hired for any particular position. The situation you describe does not seem to have a connection to anything in NCLB. This sounds like a personnel issue that could be addressed by either your superintendent or your union. If you have already done that without success and you are looking for a new position you might try these databases of teaching vacancies. http://www.cec.sped.org/cc/ http://www.agentk-12.org/ Sue Heath ----- Original Message ----- From: Pam Wright To: Laurie Williams Cc: Suzanne Heath Sent: Sunday, September 25, 2005 9:22 AM Subject: Re: I have a question for Peter Laurie: I am referring your questions to our NCLB expert, Sue Heath. From my end, it sounds like this is a personnel issue (seniority), not a NCLB issue. You say you are still looking for a job. When did you learn that your job had been given to someone else who was less qualified / under? Aren't there vacancies in Salt Lake City? (I read a lot about HQ teacher shortages ) Sue may have other ideas or suggestions for you. Pam Wright ----- Original Message ----- From: Laurie Williams To: Webmaster@wrightslaw.com Sent: Sunday, September 25, 2005 12:08 AM Subject: I have a question for Peter Hi, Under NCLB, I am a highly qualified teacher. This past year 2004-05, I was teaching the gifted program in a title 1 school in Salt Lake City School District. In this district, if a teacher signs a contract after school starts, she is automatically put on a one year contract. I was not worried. I hold both gifted and ESL endorsements required by my district to teach in a title 1 school. However, the district chose to give my job to a surplus teacher instead of rehireing me. In SLC district, when a teacher must be surplussed due to student ratio, the teacher is allowed to pick open positions and request them. The teacher that took over my job was not working in a school, but in the district office. When her position went to half time, she asked for my position without contacting my district supervisor - who would have said no to the request. The teacher who took my position does not have either an ESL or gifted endorsement, and she had never taught gifted students before. She just had more seniority than I did. Does NCLB not cover gifted students? While I don't have the seniority, I am clearly better suited for the position. What do we do about gifted students in title 1 schools? Still looking for a job, Laurie Williams Laurie ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Yahoo! for Good Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.