No Child Left Behind

Need for No Child Left Behind Teacher

Last Updated Oct 5, 2008 03:21 PM

Report Further Confirms Need for No Child Left Behind Teacher Quality Reforms

One Quarter of U.S. School Teachers May Not Be Qualified to Teach Their Subjects; House Republicans Plan Further Action to Address Teacher Shortage

WASHINGTON, D.C. - House Education and the Workforce Committee Chairman John Boehner (R-OH) called attention to a new report by the Education Trust indicating that far too many disadvantaged students are taught by teachers who may be unqualified to teach the subjects they teach. Boehner said the report reinforces the case for President Bush’s No Child Left Behind education reforms, passed by Congress with strong bipartisan support, which call for states receiving federal education funds to have a highly qualified teacher in every public classroom by 2005. Boehner also indicated Republicans in Congress are taking further action this year to support qualified teachers and address the nation’s growing teacher shortage.

“Every child in America deserves the opportunity to learn from a highly qualified teacher,” Boehner said. Millions of children across our country are being denied this opportunity, and real change is needed. I commend President Bush for calling attention to this problem immediately upon taking office, and for bringing legislators together to address it.”

The report estimates one out of every four classes taught at public middle schools and high schools in the United States is taught by a teacher not trained in the subject, and finds the ratio is even worse in school districts serving high percentages of disadvantaged children.

“This problem is not only unfair to millions of disadvantaged children; it’s unfair to high quality teachers who are excellent at what they do but aren’t rewarded enough for it,” Boehner said. “Our country faces a growing shortage of qualified teachers, including math and special education teachers. We need to do more to support talented men and women who enter the noble profession of teaching our children.”

President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush have called attention to the nation’s growing shortage of qualified teachers. “America's future depends on our teachers - teachers with the training, authority, and freedom to challenge their students and change their lives,” Mrs. Bush told members of the House Education & the Workforce Committee last March.

Examples of how support for America’s teachers - and teacher quality initiatives - has grown under President Bush’s leadership:

Unprecedented federal funding for teacher quality. As a result of President Bush’s No Child Left Behind Act, federal funding for teacher programs is being increased 38.1 percent (by $787 million - to $2.85 billion) this year to help states train, recruit, and retain quality teachers. This historic level of support for teachers is maintained in the President’s FY2003 Budget and the budget resolution passed this spring by House Republicans. Democrats, by contrast, have not offered a budget this year.


A qualified teacher in every classroom. The No Child Left Behind Act calls for states to have a qualified teacher in every public classroom by the end of the 2005-2006 school year. While prohibiting a national teacher test or certification, the NCLB Act presses states and local school districts to take responsibility for ensuring teacher quality. Along with a significant increase in federal funding, the new law requires states to submit a plan to ensure that all teachers teaching within the State are highly qualified by the end of the 2005-2006 school year.


Shielding teachers from frivolous lawsuits. No Child Left Behind shields teachers and school officials from frivolous lawsuits. NCLBA helps to ensure teachers, principals, and other school professionals can undertake reasonable actions to maintain order and discipline in the classroom - without the fear of being dragged into court or subjected to frivolous lawsuits. It provides civil immunity to teachers, instructors, principals, administrators, and other education professionals (including local educational agencies and their individual school board members) for actions taken to maintain discipline, order, or control in the classroom or school. The immunity applies to federal and state causes of action (in states that receive federal Elementary and Secondary Education Act funds).


Tax deduction for teacher out-of-pocket expenses. President Bush and Republicans have also enacted tax reforms to benefit America’s teachers. H.R. 3090, the Job Creation and Worker Assistance Act of 2002, created an above-the-line tax deduction for schoolteachers to help relieve the cost of out-of-pocket classroom expenses. The deduction (unofficially referred to as the “Crayola credit”) covers up to $250 of out-of-pocket expenses. These expenses include books, supplies, computer equipment, supplementary materials and other equipment used by the teacher in the classroom. Anyone who serves as a K-12 teacher, instructor, counselor, principal or aide for at least 900 hours during a school year is eligible. Teachers at public, private, religious and home schools all qualify as long as the school meets the State’s definition of a school.


Student loan forgiveness for new teachers. On March 14, 2002, Rep. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced H.R. 3957, the CLASS ACT (Canceling Loans to Allow School Systems to Attract Classroom Teachers), which provides up to $17,500 in student loan forgiveness for math, science, and special education teachers. Rep. Graham has also introduced an expanded version of the measure expected to move through the House this fall.

See also No Child Left Behind 490 1 - 6