HOUSSE Method
for Career and Technical Education (CTE) Teachers to Become “Highly Qualified”
According to NCLB
1. Q.
What does HOUSSE stand for? NCLB?
A. HOUSSE
is the acronym for High Objective Uniform State Standard of Evaluation.
2. Q. What
is the purpose of the HOUSSE form?
A. Completing
a HOUSSE form is one way a teacher can demonstrate “highly qualified” status as
defined by NCLB.
3. Q. Why
should a CTE teacher complete the HOUSSE form?
A. Teachers
of CTE courses are required to be “highly qualified” when they are teaching CTE
courses for which academic core credit may be given. CTE courses may offer
academic core credit in mathematics, English Language Arts (ELA), social
studies, science, or the arts. State
regulations permit certified CTE teachers to teach in CTE programs that may
have classes students can use for high school credit in these core academic
subjects.
4. Q. Does the CTE teacher need to demonstrate “highly
qualified” status in the area of CTE for which the teacher is certified?
A. No. NCLB requires demonstration of “highly
qualified” status only for core academic subjects for which credit may be given
through a CTE course.
5. Q. Should all CTE teachers complete the HOUSSE
form?
A. Certified CTE teachers who are beyond their first
year of full-time equivalent instruction in a public school or BOCES are
encouraged to complete the HOUSSE form.
In order to qualify to use the HOUSSE form, the CTE teacher must hold a
bachelor’s degree or higher.
6.
Q. Why would a CTE teacher have to complete more than one HOUSSE form?
A. CTE
teachers must complete a separate HOUSSE form for each core subject for which
students may receive credit through CTE coursework. This would mean that a
teacher could potentially need to demonstrate “highly qualified” status in mathematics,
ELA, social studies, science, and the arts.
7. Q. Why would a CTE teacher complete the
HOUSSE form if the teacher is not currently teaching a CTE class for academic
credit?
A. CTE
teachers should consider not only current teaching schedules, but also
potential future assignments when determining for which core subject(s) the
HOUSSE must be completed.
8. Q.
If a CTE teacher becomes “highly qualified” in one school district and
then leaves that district, does the
teacher’s “highly qualified” status transfer to the new school district?
A.
9. Q. When should HOUSSE forms be completed?
A. HOUSSE
evaluation is conducted as part of a pre-employment review or as a part of an Annual
Professional Performance Review. The New
York State Education Department strongly encourages schools to complete their
use of the HOUSSE during 2006-2007 school year. The United States Department of Education
will seek the elimination of the HOUSSE in the 2007 NCLB reauthorization.
10. Q. Where should the CTE teacher file the form
after it is completed?
A. The
HOUSSE form should be signed by a district administrator and should become part
of the teacher’s personnel file. The CTE
teacher is advised to keep a signed, personal copy in case of transfer to
another district that will accept the HOUSSE conducted in the original
district.
11. Q. Where
can the CTE teacher find the HOUSSE form and guidance for its completion?
A. The HOUSSE form and additional guidance are available at http://www.highered.nysed.gov/nclb032007.htm
For more
information on HOUSSE and CTE please contact the
Career and
Technical Education Team, New York State Education Department
518-486-1547