This Commissioner's,Memo provides additional clarification regarding Commissioner’s Memo, COM-07-037, released on September 29, 2006. Students receiving high school credit in any alternate environment (including special education, alternative learning, and juvenile detention environments) must be coded with the appropriate course code in the individual schedules and transcripts in which credit is being sought. Beginning with the 2007-2008 school year the applicable academic course code will be required for all grade levels. All students, including students in an alternate environment, receiving high school credit for courses in which there are End-of-Course assessments shall be administered the appropriate End-of-Course assessment. For instance, if a student placed in the Alternative Learning Environment (ALE) is being taught Algebra I, then the course code used for that student should be “430000” so that the student can receive credit for that course. The environment flag, which in this case is ALE, will be specified in the district-defined screen.
In order for alternate learning instructors to receive Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) status, the teacher must meet the minimum 50-point criteria on the Multi-Subject HOUSSE form in each of the areas in which the teacher instructs and a total of at least 100 points in two or more subjects; otherwise, the teacher does not receive HQT status. For instance, suppose an alternate teacher is licensed in English but is teaching math and English. If the teacher is able to show a minimum score of 50 points in both math and English on the Multi-Subject HOUSSE form (This form can only be used for HQT if the teacher is teaching more than one core academic area in the alternate setting), then that teacher is considered to be “Highly Qualified” in math and English. However, if that same teacher cannot earn at least 100 points total and 50 points on the Multi-Subject HOUSSE form for each subject taught, then that teacher does not earn HQT status in either area.
If this same teacher is only teaching one core academic subject, then the teacher cannot use the Multi-Subject HOUSSE form and must use the Single Subject HOUSSE document to be designated as HQT for that particular core academic area.
Example #1: An ALE teacher is teaching math, science, social studies and English. On the Multi-Subject HOUSSE form they have the following scores: Math – 65, Science – 70, Social Studies – 45 and English – 120 for a total of 300 points. This teacher has over 100 points total on the Multi-subject form so may be HQT in the areas, which individually are over 50 points. This teacher is HQT in Math, Science and English but Non-HQT in Social Studies.
Example #2: An ALE teacher is teaching physical education (PE) and math. This teacher while teaching two different courses must complete a Single Subject HOUSSE document for math, since PE is not a core academic area defined in the HQT rules of NCLB. The same rules apply for different licensure areas and subjects.
In regards to Standards Assurance, any alternate environment teacher earning HQT status in the teaching area will be exempt from any action relating to lack of licensure in the specific area taught. Any teacher not having earned HQT status in the area taught must be mentored by another teacher having earned HQT status in that particular area in order to avoid any action relating to lack of licensure in the specific area. The school district must provide substantial proof to Standards Assurance during an On-site Standards Review that any alternate education instructor not having earned HQT status in a specific area taught is receiving guidance in regard to curriculum and instruction from a teacher with HQT status in that area.
The ALE 971000 Course Code is to be used for ALE Specific Courses (GED Preparation, Social Skills, etc.) only. If the class or code is available through SIS course codes, the SIS assigned six digit code must be used.
For ALE questions regarding Course Codes, Licensure, HQT Status, or Standards Compliance Issues contact Lori Lamb at: 479-788-7253 or lori.lamb@arkansas.gov.
For Special Education non-traditional questions regarding Course Codes, Licensure, HQT Status, or Standards Compliance Issues contact Susan Branon at: 501-682-4222 or susan.branon@arkansas.gov.