All agree that America’s children deserve "highly qualified" teachers in classrooms. However, the current federal legislative vehicle to accomplish this, the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 2002---"No Child Left Behind"--- (NCLB) presents serious complications as it is implemented in California, especially as it defines who may teach in a classroom. While well-intentioned, NCLB may result in disqualifying many new teachers from classrooms.

Qualifications for teachers vary from state to state. California’s standards are among the highest, yet there remains a shortage of fully credentialed teaching candidates. Teachers who are in an alternative training program leading to certification should receive encouragement, support and the resources to fully achieve "highly qualified" status—not be shown the door.

NCLB will not put highly qualified teachers into our classrooms because it does not provide the resources to do so. Without these resources, many beginning teachers will leave the profession before they can become fully certificated.

Additionally, the shortage of teachers will not be alleviated until teachers’ salaries are increased and their working conditions improved. This includes the right to be involved in important decisions that affect their classrooms.

Congress should also act to eliminate the Social Security offset so that California districts can more effectively recruit second career teachers. State officials should also eliminate the bureaucratic rules so that fully credentialed out-of-state teachers can come to California to teach. It should also eliminate the penalty for retired teachers to return to the classroom.

California has the most diverse student population in the country. With more than 6 million public school students and a severe teacher shortage, California has struggled to keep qualified teachers in the classroom. Instead of branding teachers pursuing alternative credentialing as not "highly qualified," the federal government should be providing assistance to retain these teachers and assisting them in reaching full certification.