Notification of Qualifications

Teacher/Paraprofessional Qualifications

Districts must notify parents of children attending any school receiving Title I, Part A funds of their right to request the professional qualifications of their child's teacher(s). The notice must:

Be disseminated annually, at the beginning of the school year, and
Be disseminated to all parents of students attending schools receiving Title I, Part A funds

Schools must also inform parents that they may request the professional qualifications of paraprofessionals who provide instructional support to their child.

Implementation

The district and individual schools share the responsibility by posting the notice on the district Title I website and on each Title I school’s website. Schools must also find a second way to distribute the notice, such as:

First day packet
Student handbook
School newsletter
U.S. Mail
Email distribution lists

Parents are directed to contact the district Human Resources to make a request for teacher or paraprofessional qualifications.

Human Resource Department
Attn: ESSA Teacher Qualifications
Saint Paul Public Schools
360 Colborne Street
Saint Paul, MN 55102-3299

Notice Example:

PARENT’S RIGHT TO KNOW TEACHER AND PARAPROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS

Under the Every Student Succeeds Act, parents have the right to request information regarding the professional qualifications of their student’s classroom teachers and paraprofessionals. Parents who would like to receive this information should write to the Human Resource Department, Attn: ESSA Teacher Qualifications, Saint Paul Public Schools, 360 Colborne Street, Saint Paul, MN 55102-3299. You have the right to ask for the following information about each of your child’s classroom teacher(s).

Information about whether the teacher has met state qualification and licensing criteria for the grade levels and subject areas in which the teacher provides instruction;
Information about whether the teacher is teaching under emergency or other provisional status through which state qualification or licensing criteria have been waived;
Information about whether the teacher is teaching (subjects or content) in which proper certification is held by the teacher.
Information about whether the child is provided services by paraprofessionals and, if so, their qualifications.

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