The authors of this report, education researchers and reformers, value both the promise and possibilities of the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB), with its mandate that states ensure a "highly qualified" teacher for every child in every core academic class. Reports by the Education Trust, the Center for Education Policy, and the Center…

This essay distinguishes between the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act's narrow definition of highly qualified teachers and the full range of skills and knowledge teachers must have to teach all children effectively. It asserts that the NCLB's lack of distinction between minimally and highly qualified teachers, along with rapid implementation…