Section 392-172A-01085. Highly qualified special education teachers.

(1)(a) For any public elementary or secondary school special education teacher teaching core academic subjects, the term highly qualified has the meaning given the term in section 9101 of the ESEA and 34 C.F.R. 200.56; and in addition, to meet the definition of highly qualified, public elementary school or secondary school special education teachers must have a bachelors degree and obtained full certification as a teacher and a special education endorsement, which can include certification obtained through alternative routes to certification, or a continuing certificate. When used with respect to any teacher teaching in a charter school, highly qualified means that the teacher meets the certification requirements contained in RCW 28A.710.040 (2)(c).

(b) A teacher does not meet the highly qualified definition if he or she is teaching pursuant to a temporary out-of-endorsement assignment or is teaching special education with a preendorsement waiver.

(c) A teacher will be considered to meet the highly qualified standard in (a) of this subsection if that teacher is participating in an alternative route to special education certification program under which the teacher:

(i) Receives high-quality professional development that is sustained, intensive, and classroom-focused in order to have a positive and lasting impact on classroom instruction, before and while teaching;

(ii) Participates in a program of intensive supervision that consists of structured guidance and regular ongoing support for teachers or a teacher mentoring program;

(iii) Assumes functions as a teacher only for a specified period of time not to exceed three years; and

(iv) Demonstrates satisfactory progress toward full certification according to the state professional standards board rules, and the state ensures, through its certification and endorsement process, that the provisions of subsection (2) of this section are met.

(2) Any public elementary school or secondary school special education teacher who is not teaching a core academic subject is highly qualified if the teacher meets the state certification requirements and has an endorsement in special education, or holds a continuing certificate.

(3) Requirements for special education teachers teaching to alternate achievement standards. When used with respect to a special education teacher who teaches core academic subjects exclusively to students who are assessed against alternate achievement standards established under 34 C.F.R. 200.1(d), highly qualified means the teacher, whether new or not new to the profession, may either:

(a) Meet the applicable requirements of section 9101 of the ESEA and 34 C.F.R. 200.56 for any elementary, middle, or secondary school teacher who is new or not new to the profession; or

(b) Meet the requirements of paragraph (B) or (C) of section 9101(23) of the ESEA as applied to an elementary school teacher, or, in the case of instruction above the elementary level, meet the requirements of paragraph (B) or (C) of section 9101(23) of the ESEA as applied to an elementary school teacher and have subject matter knowledge appropriate to the level of instruction being provided and needed to effectively teach to those standards, based on the state professional standards board's certification requirements.

(4) Requirements for special education teachers teaching multiple subjects. Subject to subsection (5) of this section, when used with respect to a special education teacher who teaches two or more core academic subjects exclusively to students eligible for special education, highly qualified means that the teacher may:

(a) Meet the applicable requirements of section 9101 of the ESEA and 34 C.F.R. 200.56 (b) or (c);

(b) In the case of a teacher who is not new to the profession, demonstrate competence in all the core academic subjects in which the teacher teaches in the same manner as is required for an elementary, middle, or secondary school teacher which may include a single, high objective uniform state standard of evaluation (HOUSSE) covering multiple subjects; or

(c) In the case of a new special education teacher who teaches multiple subjects and who is highly qualified in mathematics, language arts, or science, demonstrate, not later than two years after the date of employment, competence in the other core academic subjects in which the teacher teaches in the same manner as is required for an elementary, middle, or secondary school teacher under 34 C.F.R. 200.56(c), which may include a single HOUSSE covering multiple subjects.

(5) Teachers may meet highly qualified standards through use of the state's HOUSSE which meets all the requirements for a HOUSSE for a general education teacher.

(6) Notwithstanding any other individual right of action that a parent or student may maintain under this chapter, nothing in this section shall be construed to create a right of action on behalf of an individual student or class of students for the failure of a particular school district employee to be highly qualified, or to prevent a parent from filing a state citizen complaint under WAC 392-172A-05025 through 392-172A-05040 about staff qualifications with the OSPI.

(7)(a) A teacher who is highly qualified under this section is considered highly qualified for purposes of the ESEA.

(b) A certified general education teacher who subsequently receives a special education endorsement is a new special education teacher when first hired as a special education teacher.

(8) Teachers hired by private elementary schools and secondary schools including private school teachers hired or contracted by school districts to provide equitable services to parentally placed private school students eligible for special education are not required to meet highly qualified standards addressed in this section. However, nonpublic agencies are required to ensure that teachers providing services to students placed by a school district meet the certification and special education endorsement standards established by the professional educators standards board in Title 181 WAC and in accordance with WAC 392-172A-04095.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.155.090 and 34 C.F.R. Part 300. WSR 13-20-034, § 392-172A-01085, filed 9/24/13, effective 10/25/13. Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.155.090(7) and 42 U.S.C. 1400 et. seq. WSR 07-14-078, § 392-172A-01085, filed 6/29/07, effective 7/30/07.]

RCW 28A.155.090 and 34 C.F.R. Part 300. WSR 13-20-034, § 392-172A-01085, filed 9/24/13, effective 10/25/13. Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.155.090(7) and 42 U.S.C. 1400 et. seq. WSR 07-14-078, § 392-172A-01085, filed 6/29/07, effective 7/30/07.

Rules

392-172A-05025,392-172A-05040,392-172A-04095,