Notice of Teacher Certification / Qualification

September, 2007

Dear Parents and Guardians,

The No Child Left Behind Act, gives you, as parents and guardians of students at MCHS, a Title I school, the right to know the qualifications of your students teachers. Your students school must respond to such requests in a timely manner.

You are entitled to request information regarding the professional qualifications of the classroom teachers and any paraprofessional providing support to your student including:

• Whether the teacher has met the State qualifications and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction.
  
  
• Whether the teacher is teaching under emergence or other temporary status, through which state qualification or licensing criteria has been waived.
  
  
• The undergraduate or bachelor’s degree major the teacher and any other graduate certification or degree held by the teacher, and the field of study of the certification or degree.
  
  
• Whether your student is provided services by paraprofessionals, sometimes referred to as Teaching Assistants and if so, their qualifications.

It is our intent to provide each student at MCHS with teachers and paraprofessionals that are highly qualified. As required by the new federal law, all newly hired teachers in the Title I schools this year have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and demonstrated competency in the academic subjects they teach, and newly-hired paraprofessionals meet the requirements set forth foe them.

For additional information regarding a specific teacher’s qualifications, you may refer to the Tennessee Department of Education, Teacher Licensing Web Site:
http://www.stste.tn.us/education.lichome.htm