What definition of “highly qualified” applies to teachers of science classes in grades 7 through 12?
Under the NCLB, “science” is a core academic subject. SED interprets “science” in the NCLB to mean the life and physical sciences and not the “social sciences” that are included in “social studies.” USDOE’s draft non-regulatory guidance states that “content knowledge in one scientific discipline does not necessarily mean that a teacher will have sufficient subject-matter competency in another. Middle and secondary school science teachers must demonstrate subject-matter competency appropriate to the specific courses they are teaching. For example, a teacher who majored in biology is not, on that basis alone, considered highly qualified to teach physics.” [USDOE September 12, 2003] In New York State, when certified science teachers teach within the scope of their certificates in science, they are, by definition, “highly qualified” for their teaching assignments because the State’s requirements for certification in science are aligned with the NCLB’s definition of “highly qualified.” Dual
