NCLB/NCA Teacher Qualifications
Peak to Peak, like most other charter schools, has waived the certification requirement for teachers in its contract with the district. Although a teaching license is not a direct requirement for employment at Peak to Peak, we do prefer candidates who are accredited through certification by the Colorado Department of Education or an Alternative Teacher Licensing program. Teachers who are hired without a teaching license will be strongly encouraged to work toward certification.
Additionally, as an NCA college preparatory-accredited school, Peak to Peak seeks teachers who are proficient not only in their subject area but also in the field of education. Such proficiency may be demonstrated in a variety of ways, including classroom experience, training and coursework in pedagogy, methodology, research, foundations and educational practice.
Regardless of their certification status, Peak to Peak teachers MUST meet the “highly qualified” criteria set forth by the federal No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation in order to be considered for employment. To meet these requirements teachers must demonstrate a subject matter competency in all core academic areas to which they are assigned. At the secondary level teachers must have a bachelor’s or master’s degree specific to the subject area being taught; or have at least 24 semester hours in the subject area (30 hours in social studies or science); or they must pass a content assessment, such as the PLACE or Praxis exam, in the subject area.
Core academic areas include the following:
- English, reading or language arts
- Math
- Science
- World language
- Social studies (civics, government, history, geography, and economics)
- Arts (visual arts, theater, music)
Elementary teachers may demonstrate subject-area competency by completing an approved teacher preparation program in elementary education, holding an elementary endorsement with a teaching license, or passing an elementary education content assessment.
For more information about NCLB or NCA requirements, please contact the Colorado Department of Education and/or North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement directly.
