No Child Left Behind: Highly Qualified Teachers Initiative

HQT Required Forms

Teachers who have achieved highly qualified status, whether through federal requirements or the NJ HOUSE, retain highly qualified status permanently for the teaching assignment designated on the approved forms. The required highly qualified forms must be completed, signed off by the teacher’s supervisor and filed in the school or district office. Teachers should retain a copy of the forms for their personal records. When a teacher obtains employment at a new district, the district must contact the previous place of employment to have the teacher’s official highly qualified forms sent to the new employer.

A correction has been made to Form F (HOUSE). The updated version includes two additional areas by which teachers may earn points on the HOUSE. This updated version should be used by all teachers employing the HOUSE.

HQT Identification Forms - updated January 12, 2009

Highly qualified teacher requirements for teachers of world languages teaching half time or less or teaching more than half time are described in a detailed chart. The requirements for world languages applies to general education teachers and special education teachers in grades K-12.

The HOUSE expired on June 30, 2007 for general education teachers. After June 30, 2007, general education teachers who are not highly qualified in the content they are teaching must use the federal HQT requirements to become highly qualified. In April, 2008, the HOUSE was reinstated for a limited time for use by veteran teachers holding a special education certificate. Veteran special education teachers may use the HOUSE to achieve highly qualified status until it expires in 2010 for teachers in public school districts (2012 for teachers in approved private schools for students with disabilities). Refer to HQT Requirements for details on eligibility requirements for special education teachers who intend to use the HOUSE, including novice special education teachers who may use the HOUSE if they meet the criteria for IDEA flexibility. Under this policy, special education teachers who use the HOUSE to become highly qualified after April, 2008 are highly qualified to teach only special education students in the area for which the HOUSE was successfully employed. This holds true even if a teacher holds a general education certificate. Holders of general education certificates must meet the federal HQT requirements.

The N-8 certificate is no longer being issued. Application for the N-8 certificate terminated on March 1, 2008. For information on the certificates issued for elementary teachers, go to www.nj.gov/education/educators/license.

Aligning Certification, Teaching Assignment and HQT Requirements, a chart that defines HQT requirements, has been updated (updated March 11, 2009).

The HQT powerpoint presentation was udated March 6, 2009. (PDF | View | Download)

2007-2008 District Highly Qualified Teacher Plan

The 2007-2008 District Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) Plan template was released online to New Jersey’s school districts on July 29, 2008. To access your district’s plan, go to http://homeroom.state.nj.us. Click on “HQT Plan.”

Log on by using your district code, user ID and password. If you do not have a user ID and password, contact your district Web User Administrator. A link on the homeroom Web page includes information on Web User accounts.

Questions regarding completion of the District HQT Plan may be emailed to hqtplan@doe.state.nj.us.

An online Webinar, which provides detailed information on the plan components and submission requirements, is available to all public school districts. You are encouraged to view the Webinar before completing your District HQT Plan. You are also encouraged to read the Questions and Answers elicited by participating districts during the Webinar.