The federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2001 requires that all teachers teaching in core academic subject areas must be highly qualified. While the federal statute provides a broad definition of the term highly qualified that applies to all public elementary or secondary teachers (must be fully licensed in the state with no licensure requirements waived), it specifically defines the requirements in relation to grade level (elementary, middle, and secondary) and experience (new to the profession or existing teachers that are not new to the profession). For each grade level, the law requires that teachers demonstrate competency in the applicable subject areas and outlines multiple mechanisms for demonstrating their competency. The Tennessee Plan for Implementation provides guidance in applying these requirements to Tennessee teachers.
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