No Child Left Behind: Highly Qualified Teachers Initiative
HQT Email Hotline
Aligning Certification, Teaching Assignment and HQT Requirements, a chart that defines HQT requirements (updated June 2, 2014)
For Guidance on Highly Qualified Teachers please click here.
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.
HQT Identification Forms - updated January 12, 2009
Teacher Candidates Seeking Employment
Please note that some job applications for teachers require candidates to respond to one or more of the following questions:
- Have you previously obtained Highly Qualified status from a school district?
- If yes, what type of school district considered you Highly Qualified?
- In what subject(s) are you highly qualified?
Applicants may have concerns about misleading a potential employer when responding to questions with limited choices, such as the questions above. These applicants include:
- Newly certified teachers applying for a teaching position for the first time (HQT forms have not yet been completed.)
- Candidates who have not been employed in a New Jersey public school since the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) law established HQT requirements (HQT forms have not yet been completed.)
- Teachers who are highly qualified as elementary generalists (Options provided may not include “elementary generalist.”)
If an application provides a text window, candidates can choose to write in an explanation or provide clarification in a cover letter or resume. The following are examples of possible responses to questions 1 and 2 for your consideration:
Possible Response: Explain that you have recently been certified and are seeking employment as a teacher for the first time. Therefore, your HQT forms must be completed upon hire.
Possible Response: Explain that you were employed as a teacher before, but not since NCLB established HQT requirements. Therefore, your HQT forms must be completed upon hire.
Possible Response: Explain that you were authorized as a highly qualified teacher in another state. Therefore, your New Jersey HQT forms must be completed upon hire.
Elementary generalists who are highly qualified may teach the following core academic subjects in the grades authorized by their certificate: language arts, mathematics, social studies and science.
If an application provides a text window, candidates can choose to write in an explanation or provide clarification in a cover letter or resume. The following is an example of a possible response to question 3 for your consideration:
Possible Response: Explain that you are certified and highly qualified to teach multiple core academic subjects as an “elementary generalist,” and, therefore, you have selected the 4 core academic subjects authorized by your certificate.
For further assistance, contact HQTeachers@doe.state.nj.us.
WORLD LANGUAGES HQT REQUIREMENTS
Refer to a chart of highly qualified teacher requirements for general education teachers of world languages teaching half time or lessor teaching more than half time.
Refer to a chart of highly qualified teacher requirements for special education teachers of world languages teaching half time or lessor teaching more than half time.
Refer to a chart of certification and highly qualified teacher requirements for general education teachers and teachers of the deaf and hard-of-hearing for teaching American Sign Language as a world language.
Teachers in New Jersey may no longer use the HOUSE to attain highly qualified status. For teachers who successfully used the HOUSE prior to its expiration, their highly qualified status remains in effect permanently.
On June 30, 2012, the HOUSE expired for special education teachers in approved private schools for students with disabilities.
On June 30, 2010, the HOUSE expired for special education teachers in public schools.
On June 30, 2007, the HOUSE expired for general education teachers.
All teachers who are not highly qualified in the content they are teaching must use the federal HQT requirements to become highly qualified with the exception of the following novice teachers teaching special education who meet eligibility requirements for IDEA flexibility:
- Novice teacher holding Teacher of the Handicapped (TOH) who may teach multiple content areas in middle or high school (grades 6-12)
- Novice teacher holding Teacher of Students with Disabilities (SWD) and the N-8 or K-8 instructional certificate who may teach middle grades (6-8) in departmentalized settings.
- Veteran teacher certified in special education who is assigned to teach special education for the first time, provided number one or two applies to the teacher.
For information on New Jersey teaching certificates and online licensing application, visit www.nj.gov/education/educators/license.
The HQT powerpoint presentation was updated February 21, 2012. (PDF | View | Download)
Memos to School Districts: HQT Requirements
Authorization: No Child Left Behind Legislation
New Jersey's Plan for Meeting the Highly Qualified Teacher Goal - July 2010
New Jersey Teacher Equity Plan
Highly Qualified Teacher Annual State Data Collection
Parent Right-to-know Letters