No Educator Left Behind is a series providing answers from the U.S. Department of Education to questions about the federal No Child Left Behind Act and how it will affect educators. If you have a question about No Child Left Behind, send an e-mail to Ellen Delisio, and we will submit your question to the Department of Education.

Question:

Are early childhood and prekindergarten teachers subject to the No Child Left Behind Act's "highly qualified teacher" requirements?

U.S. Department of Education:

No Child Left Behind (NCLB) teacher qualification requirements do not apply to early childhood or prekindergarten teachers unless a state includes early childhood or prekindergarten as part of its elementary and secondary school system. Even if the NCLB's "highly qualified teacher" requirements do not apply to them, however, states and districts should ensure that prekindergarten teachers have the necessary skills and knowledge to provide their students with successful school readiness skills.

Read previous questions and answers in our No Educator Left Behind archive.