Right To Know Letter

Dear Parent/Guardian:

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act was our country's most important federal education law. In 2001 this law was reauthorized and is now call the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB). New Jersey is now operating under an ESBA Flexibility Waiver, through which new innovations in education are now taking place. All of these federal and state laws and actions have been designed to make changes in teaching and learning that will help increate academic achievement in our schools.

The law requires that all schools receiving Title I funds must inform parents of their right to ask schools about the qualifications of their child's teachers. Our school receives Title I funding, and we are happy to share this information with you.

We believe that nothing is more important to your child's education at school than having a well-prepared and highly qualified teacher. The law requires that all teachers who teach in core content areas must meet a specific legal definition of "highly qualified" in order to teach in schools that receive Title I funding. The legal definition of a "highly qualified teacher" has three parts. It states that the teacher must have the following:

1. A four-year college degree
2. A regular teaching certificate/license
3. Proof of his/her knowledge in the subject they teach

New Jersey has some of the most qualified teachers in the country, and we are extremely proud of the quality of the teaching staff in the Estell Manor School District. All of our regular teachers have college degrees and many have advanced degrees. The state of New Jersey has always required a teaching certificate/license for all teachers. In addition, all teachers enhance their through professional development activities, and our teachers are evaluated each year to make sure that their teaching skills remain at the highest possible level.

To ensure that every child in every classroom has a highly qualified teacher, the state of New Jersey and our school district are working together to help teachers meet the requirements of the federal law by providing several options. Teachers may take a content Praxis test, or they can demonstrate their expertise through a college major in the content.

A highly qualified teacher knows what to teach, how to teach, and has a full understanding of the subject matter being taught. Every teacher in our school is fully qualified and dedicated to teaching your child.

I encourage you to support your child's education and communicate with your child's teacher(s) on a regular basis. For more information on NCLB, ESBA Flexibility, and the role of parents/guardians, please visit the United States Department of Education (USDE) web site at www.ed.gov/nclb.

By partnering, families and educators can provide your child with the best education possible. A Title I Informational Meeting will be held on September 16th during Back to School Night.

Sincerely,
Dianna Abraham
Superintendent/Principal