Where do they get the scientific methods, and how are teachers going to be up to this ["highly qualified"] level by 2005-2006?
Ms. Cortiella
First, the scientifically based instructional methods should come from research that meets certain criteria. NCLB offers a definition of "scientifically based" research. Also, the U.S. Department of Education has written a guide, mainly for schools, to help them on this issue. It can be found on the Internet at:
Many schools are using the definition of "scientifically based" research in NCLB as a sort of "checklist" (see box below) for determining if their instructional practices are scientifically based.
Scientifically Based Research
The term "scientifically based research" means research that involves the application of rigorous, systematic, and objective procedures to obtain reliable and valid knowledge relevant to education activities and programs; and includes research that:
Employs systematic, empirical methods that draw on observation or experiment;
Involves rigorous data analyses that are adequate to test the stated hypotheses and justify the general conclusions drawn;
Relies on measurements or observational methods that provide reliable and valid data across evaluators and observers, across multiple measurements and observations, and across studies by the same or different investigators;
Is evaluated using experimental or quasi-experimental designs in which individuals, entities, programs, or activities are assigned to different conditions and with appropriate controls to evaluate the effects of the condition of interest, with a preference for random-assignment experiments, or other designs to the extent that those designs contain within-condition or across-condition controls;
Ensures that experimental studies are presented in sufficient detail and clarity to allow for replication or, at a minimum, offer the opportunity to build systematically on their findings; and
Has been accepted by a peer-reviewed journal or approved by a panel of independent experts through a comparably rigorous, objective, and scientific review.
As for how states are going to meet the "highly qualified" teacher requirement by 2005-06, it's going to be a challenge. Studies show that this is one of the toughest provisions of NCLB. But, as I noted before, there are grants to help them get their teacher preparation and professional development up and running. Your school Report Cards include information on teacher qualifications. Check them out to see how many teachers are not yet meeting the "highly qualified" requirement. That information should be a strong indicator of the extent of the problem in your state or school district. The shortage of special educators is of particular concern, which is why those requirements might be changed in the upcoming reauthorization of IDEA.
Can parents bring research-based teaching methods to the attention of schools that could benefit? Is there a process for that?
Ms. Cortiella
Yes! Parents should feel free to discuss instructional practices with their school, especially in the context of Individualized Education Program (IEP) meetings. Also, parents should ask the school if their instructional strategies are proven effective through scientifically based research, and ask them to provide the proof.
Candace Cortiella's work as Director of the nonprofit The Advocacy Institutefocuses on improving the lives of people with learning disabilities, through public policy and other initiatives. The mother of a young adult with learning disabilities, she lives in the Washington, D.C., area.
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