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:

If teachers have until June 30, 2006 to meet the highly qualified teacher requirement, why are parents receiving letters about teacher qualifications now?

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION:

Parents of students in Title I schools (Title I, Part A, Subpart 1, Section 1111) are guaranteed annual notification of their "right to know" about teacher qualifications by their school district. That means parents may request and receive from that office information regarding the professional qualifications of the student's classroom teachers, including: (a) whether the teacher is state-certified; (b) whether a teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status; and (c) the baccalaureate degree major of the teacher and any other graduate degree major or certification.

Go to Subpart 1 -- Basic Program Requirements, Section. 1111, State Plans to read about the law.

For more information on your school district's role, contact your state's department of education.

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