High Objective Uniform State Standard of Evaluation (HOUSSE)
Fresno Pacific University, Center for Professional Development can help you meet the federal guidelines of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 options for professional development. The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) provides guidance and funding for district and school leaders to continue their efforts to increase student achievement, narrow the achievement gap, and ensure that all teachers are of high quality.
The California State Department of Education has provided the (HOUSSE) High Objective Uniform State Standard of Evaluation option for teachers to be certified as Highly Qualified. Below are answers from the State Department of Education to frequently asked questions.
Q. What types of activities are authorized under NCLB for improving teacher quality?
Title II, Part A specifically authorizes use of funds for the following activities related to improving teacher quality: Bonuses and reimbursement for coursework for teacher certification in areas of high need, i.e., math, science, special education, English language learners.
Partnerships with for-profit and non-profit entities through grants or contracts to provide professional development activities, coursework, test preparation and testing.
High quality professional development and training in core content knowledge; effective instructional strategies, methods and skills required to meet the NCLB Teacher Requirements.
High quality professional development in use of challenging State academic content standards and student academic achievement standards in preparing students for the State assessments.
Training in use of technology for instruction and analyzing achievement data. May be a particular challenge for many charter schools that offer innovative educational options.
(March 1, 2004. The California Department of Education and the California State Board of Education)
Q. Are there a maximum or minimum number of points that a teacher can claim in the professional development section of the HOUSSE?
There is no specified maximum number of points in this section, though experienced teachers would most likely use a combination of points on the various sections of the HOUSSE, including the section on teaching experience. The intent is to credit only long-term, intensive professional development, so it would not be appropriate to count less than the minimum of 20 hours (5 points credit).
(CA State Department of Education: http://www.cde.ca.gov/nclb/sr/tq/nclb04faqs.asp)
Q. What funds, from programs authorized in No Child Left Behind, can LEAs use to help teachers meet the NCLB teacher requirements?
Key programs authorized in NCLB provide funds that can be used to improve teacher quality. These include, but are not limited to:
Title I, Part A, requires that LEAs use at least five percent (5%) of their Title I funds for professional development activities to ensure that teachers who are not currently highly qualified meet that standard by the end of the 2005-06 school year [Section 1119(l)]. In addition, any school identified as in need of improvement for failing to make adequate yearly progress must spend ten percent (10%) of its Title I, Part A funds on professional development, including teacher mentoring programs [Section 1116(c)(7)(A)(iii)].
Title II, Part A, helps States and school districts ensure that all students have effective teachers by providing funds for helping teachers meet the NCLB teacher requirements. NCLB law cites that funds may be used for “providing assistance to teachers to enable them to meet certification, licensing, or other requirements needed to become highly qualified…” (Section 2113).
Permissible Title II, Part A, activities include, but are not limited to, various forms of high quality, scientifically-based, professional development in subject matter knowledge, improving teaching skills, assisting teachers to use State academic content standards and student achievement standards, and state assessments to improve student achievement. Schools have considerable discretion in the use of Title II, Part A, funds.
Title II, Part B, the Mathematics and Science Partnerships program, provides funding to the State Education Agency (SEA) to competitively establish Institutions of Higher Education-LEA partnerships to enhance teacher subject-matter knowledge and the quality of teaching in mathematics and science [Section 2201(a)].
Title II, Part D, the Enhancing Education Through Technology program, under which each local recipient of funds must use at least 25 percent (25%) of those funds for ongoing, sustained, and high-quality professional development on the integration of advanced technologies into curriculum and instruction and on the use of those technologies to create new learning environments [Section 2416(a)].
Title III, Part A, authorizes LEAs to use formula grant funds for professional development of teachers providing instruction to students needing English language acquisition and language enhancement [Section 3111(a)(2)(A)].
(Professional Development and Curriculum Support Division, California Department of Education March 1, 2004. The California Department of Education and the California State Board of Education)
