Teachers-in-Training Should Not Be Designated 'Highly Qualified'

In a previous post, I shared the story of how Ninth Circuit reaffirmed the ruling that trainee teachers, including TFA, are not intended as “Highly Qualified” under NCLB.  And, how congress had effectively granted a temporary waiver.  Now, Congress is looking to extend this to allow teachers in training to continue to be considered “highly qualified” beyond 2013.  In a powerful article on Huffington Post, attorney John Affeldt forcefully argues that Teachers-in-Training Should Not Be Designated ‘Highly Qualified’.   He cites compelling research to back up the common sense notion “that teachers-in-training aren’t as effective as those who have graduated from training programs.”  And, to those who say “that measuring teacher effectiveness should replace the effort to ensure an entry-level standard of quality for all beginning teachers.” his succinct, but powerful answer is:  “We need both”.   “The theory that we can remove teachers from the classroom once they have proven themselves ineffective two or three years down the road ignores the immediate damage done to students.”

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