The purpose of this memorandum is to clarify questions which have arisen about special education teachers and the requirements for highly qualified teachers under No Child Left Behind (NCLB). According to the provisions in NCLB, school districts are expected to provide highly qualified teachers, who are teaching in core academic areas, no later than the 2005-06 school year.
Until that time, teachers licensed in special education and teaching in core academic subjects whose content parallels the Arkansas Curriculum Frameworks will be allowed to continue in those teaching assignments; and the students will receive the earned credits for the courses. Core academic subjects are defined by NCLB as English, reading, language arts, mathematics, science, foreign language, civics and government, economics, arts, history, and geography.