Why does NCLB include provisions on teacher qualifications?
Recent studies offer compelling evidence that teacher quality is one of the most critical components of how well students achieve. For instance, studies in both Tennessee and Texas found that students who had effective teachers greatly outperformed those who had ineffective teachers. In the Tennessee study, students with highly effective teachers for three years in a row scored 50 percentage points higher on a test of math skills than those whose teachers were ineffective (Sanders and Rivers, 1996). In recognition of the importance of having effective teachers, NCLB includes provisions stating that all teachers in core academic areas must be “highly qualified” by the end of the 2005-2006 school year. It also requires that newly hired teachers, those hired after the first day of the 2002-2003 school year, in Title I programs or schools be “highly qualified” immediately. However, in Title I targeted assistance schools, only those teachers paid with Title I funds need to be “highly qualif
