QUESTIONS FOR PANELISTS

DONNA HANBY: Highly Qualified (Educators/ParaProfessional)

QUESTION	ANSWER
1. What are the difficulties in getting and keeping teachers while raising standards?	Quality teachers for our nation’s classrooms are a top priority for this administration. Though it is true that in many areas (e.g., math, science, and intervention specialists) especially in grades 7-12 we have a greater demand than supply of teachers to meet these needs, it is important that we fill the positions with “highly qualified teachers” and not just a warm body who does not have the expertise to teach the subject(s). Therefore, NCLB legislation comes into play. Most of our most recent graduates (licensure candidates since 2002) should have no problems meeting the HQ criteria since taking and passing Praxis II is a requirement for obtaining one’s initial 2-year provisional license. A problem would arise if the teacher is assigned to teach in an area outside her licensure area or if they are teaching on a temporary, conditional, or substitute license.
2. Instruction Aides: What about a one-on-one aide in special education?	If the paraprofessional is performing instructional duties in a Title I School Wide or Targeted Assistance building, they would be required to meet the definition. This would be regardless of whether they are working in a one-on-one or full class situation as an instructional aide.
3. Third criteria for paraprofessional: Being that they must pass test to demonstrate literacy and numeracy skills, who can administer this test, for example, internal school psychologist?	If they take the Praxis II test for paraprofessionals it can be administered on line or at a designated school, ESC, RPDC, university etc. registered to do so. If one chooses to use a local rigorous assessment the standards for doing so are listed at: www.ode.state.oh.us/esea and then choose paraprofessionals and you’ll find information about the local assessments listed there.
4. What type of assessment can be administered, for example, Woodcock-Johnson III?	See above.
5. Are there existing criteria or stipulations? How are we free to choose?	That is explained on the above web site.
6. Recently, ODE told an applicant for SLP Licensure from ODE, that she would have to retake the National Praxis Exam because their test was four (4) years old. This applicant moved to Ohio from Arizona with a Masters in SLP student-taught -- has educational coursework). Is there a limit on how long praxis results are usable (they had a 640)?	Test must have been taken since 1991 to be applicable for meeting highly qualified teacher definition… there is isn’t a limit as to how many times one can take any Praxis II test. Ohio has one of the highest passing scores for Praxis II tests but there are also many tools to assist one prepare for the test, both provided by ETS (www.ets.org) and through Ohio universities/colleges to help candidates prepare for it.

Office for Exceptional Children Superintendent of Public Instruction

ANSWER