Special report on ESEA
Author: NEA Today

Overhauled ESEA Poses New Hurdles for Teachers, Paras

Remember the tale of Sisyphus? He was the mythological figure condemned to spend his life rolling a huge boulder up a hill-only to have it roll down again when he neared the top.

If you feel a little like Sisyphus these days, that's understandable. Thanks to your hard work, the achievement of public school students has improved over the past two decades. There's no time to rest, however, because the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) passed by Congress a little more than one year ago piles new mandates on already over-- burdened teachers and paraprofessionals.

First passed in 1965 as a program to aid disadvantaged students, ESEA-now officially known as the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001-has been overhauled and now includes provisions for student testing, accountability sanctions, required open enrollment, and the qualifications of teachers and paraprofessionals. As a result, most NEA members-especially student members, new and veteran teachers, and paras-- are wondering how the new ESEA will affect their work.

It's especially important to find out how you are affected by new provisions on teacher and paraprofessional quality. Under the new law, by the end of the 2005-06 school year all teachers of core academic subjects must show that they are highly qualified-by holding a bachelor's degree and state teaching license and demonstrating a high level of competence in the core subjects taught. Newly hired Title I teachers must meet these standards already. In addition, new Title I paraprofessionals must meet increased standards for qualifications, and veteran paras have until the end of the 2005-06 school year to do so.