New York State’s Revised Plan to Enhance Teacher Quality

Action Steps - Area 3

Certification and out-of-field teaching

3.1 INFORMATION TOOLS. Provide monitoring and analysis files with data on out-of-field teaching by

subject to priority and other LEAs and to Regional Network Partners in support of local and

regional planning.

with the New York City Department of Education to provide each principal with New York City data

on his/her teachers’ qualifications for each assignment and work with priority LEAs to ensure

appropriate placements of teachers and identify teachers needing additional support to become

highly qualified. (

See Action Steps 1.4, 5.3 and Area 7. In New York City, continue workingEMSC- SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT [R] AND [NYC])

3.2 TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE. Provide technical assistance to LEAs about assigning certified

teachers to in-field duties. Encourage LEAs to use all available federal and State funds to help

certified teachers in surplus areas, such as elementary education, to obtain a supplementary

certificate in a shortage subject. (

Area 7.

EMSC- SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT [R] & [NYC]) See Action Steps in

3.3 POLICY ALIGNMENT. Review certification requirements and seek authority from the Regents to

remove unnecessary barriers that may be causing shortages and out-of-field teaching. For

example, review certification requirements in special education to widen the scope of practice of

special education teachers. (See NOTE on Special Education Certificate Review.) Starting in the

2006-2007 school year, advise LEAs and schools to use the definition of a highly qualified teacher

for science subjects that appeared in Item A-18 of the USDOE’s Title II Non-Regulatory Guidance

issued on August 3, 2005, a definition that permits a teacher certified in one science subject to be

highly qualified to teach other science subjects provided that the State’s certification rules permit

the teacher to teach the other science subject. Starting in 2006-2007, work with the Regents and

education community to severely restrict incidental teaching, which will limit the use of the

HOUSSE.

NOTE on Special Education Certificate Review.

certificate for special education for all subjects in grades Pre-Kindergarten (Pre-K) through 12 and

three disability-specific certificates for grades PreK-12. The new certification regulations that went

into effect in February 2004 created nineteen separate certificate titles for Teachers of Students

with Disabilities, including Birth to Grade 2, Grades 1 - 6, Grades 5 - 9 Generalist, Grades 5 - 9

Specialist (math, biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, social studies, English and languages

other than English) and Grades 7 - 12 Specialist (math, biology, chemistry, physics, earth science,

social studies, English and languages other than English). Concerns have been raised that the

change from four K-12 certificate titles to nineteen certificate titles may be contributing to shortages

that will have a significant impact on students with disabilities in “special classes” (as opposed to

students in inclusive settings) because federal law requires teachers of special classes to be

certified in special education and demonstrate subject matter competency for all core assignments.

The Department is meeting with educators across the State, reviewing certification data by title and

reviewing policy options for the Board of Regents consideration to address both student needs and

shortage issues.

Prior to 2004, New York State had one

See Action Step 8.1.

(OHE- TEACHING INITIATIVES; OHE- QUALITY ASSURANCE, OHE-SPECIALP

from website  - http://www2.ed.gov/programs/teacherqual/hqtplans/ny.pdfROJECTS & VESID)