HQT Information:

According to NCLB (2002), all teachers are required to be highly qualified for their teaching assignment both at the elementary level and for the core academic content area(s) that they teach at the secondary level. Research shows that it is critical for teachers to master the academic content that they teach in order to engage students and raise students’ achievement levels. All newly hired teachers must be highly qualified at the time of hire. First licensure candidates will need to meet all of the requirements for HQT status before being hired. Second licensure candidates may have HQT status, but should check with their academic advisor to determine what they need to do, if anything, to attain special education HQT status.

There are three parts to meeting the HQT requirement:

1. A teacher must have a least a bachelor’s degree.
2. A teacher must have a certificate/license that is appropriate to the grade and subject they are teaching.
3. A teacher must be able to demonstrate their subject area expertise in the core academic subjects they teach.

All three parts are required for HQT status.

The first two requirements are satisfied through your licensure program. To meet the 3rd requirement the Ohio HQT Toolkit (2009) states that IDEIA (2004) allows schools and school districts to hire new Intervention Specialists for a K-6th grade teaching assignment who meet one of the following:

1. Pass the appropriate Praxis II:
   • Grades K-3: Education of Young Children (#0021).
   • Grades K-3: ECE (#0020 – if passed before Sept. 1, 2005).
   • Grades 4-6: Elem. Education Content (#0014).
   • Specialty area content test (i.e., Praxis II: Middle School Science, NTE/Praxis: Elementary General Knowledge (#0010, #0011) after 1991).
   OR
2. Per U.S. Department of Education: Pass the Praxis II: Introduction to the Teaching of Reading assessment (#0200). Passing this exam gives you Special Education HQT status at the elementary level (Grades K-6).

IDEIA (2004) allows schools and school districts to hire new Intervention Specialists for a 7-12th grade teaching assignment who meet one of the following:

1. Have an academic major (defined as at least 30 semester hours) in one of the following*:
   • Language Arts
   • Science
   • Mathematics
   • Specialty area content test (i.e., Praxis II: Middle School Science, NTE/Praxis: Elementary General Knowledge (#0010, #0011) after 1991).
   OR
2. Per U.S. Department of Education: Pass the Praxis II: Introduction to the Teaching of Reading assessment (#0200) [Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) Toolkit, 2009, p. 2].

Passing this exam gives you Special Education HQT status in English, Language Arts, and Reading (Grades 7-12).

*Another way to get an academic major or its equivalent (defined as 30 semester hours) in the core academic subject area. (Core academic subject areas include: English, language arts, reading, science, mathematics, arts, government and civics, history, economics, and geography)

1. Science may include cross discipline science courses undergraduate or graduate level (no methods, science ed., or student teaching)
2. Social Studies may include cross discipline social studies courses: add all the history + government/civics/political science + economics + geography courses, 30 semester hours, undergraduate or graduate level (no methods, social studies ed., or student teaching) OR 24 semester hours of cross discipline social studies and 6 semester hours of psychology and sociology courses (no educational psychology)

The final way to secure Special Education HQT status for a core academic subject is to have a Master’s Degree in the core academic subject of your teaching assignment.

Please visit the Ohio Department of Education HQT Toolkit for more information:
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/gd/templates/pages/ODE/ODEGoogleSearch.aspx?page=221&query=hqt%20toolkit&start=0&OriginatingURL=/GD/Templates/Pages/ODE/ODEDefaultPage.aspx?Page=1