United States General Accounting Office
July 2003
The title of this short report tells you just about all you need to know, which is that many states and districts are clueless about how to ensure that all teachers of core subjects are "highly qualified," as NCLB requires by the end of the 2005-2006 school year. The GAO hoped to determine what preparations they were making, so it surveyed and visited a wide sample of district and state officials. The answers were uniformly woeful: the Department of Education's guidelines are confusing; we lack systems to compare the credentials of our teachers to their subject areas; we can't create these systems until the Department gives us clearer information; even if we knew where the shortages were, we can't pay good candidates enough; and there aren't enough good alternative certification programs. In the appendix, the Education Department responds that it has provided some information but, more importantly, insists that it does not intend to tell states what to do; NCLB is meant to give states flexibility, and the Department sees its role as merely an advisor (and, presumably, enforcer). It seems that the two sides are talking past each other: GAO wants more direction from Washington, while Secretary Paige and his team seek more initiative and innovation from the states. To see for yourself, visit www.gao.gov/new.items/d03631.pdf.
