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Key Federal Policy and Legislation Impacting High Schools

No Child Left Behind and High Schools

The No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 (NCLB) is the landmark national education reform legislation designed to improve student achievement in America’s schools, including the country’s high schools. Under the law, high schools are required to:

  • Establish annual achievement objectives for all high schools;
  • Measure the progress of all students;
  • Hold high schools accountable for graduation rates; and
  • Give parents and community leaders the information they need to hold high schools accountable and support improvement.

To learn more about NCLB and high schools, read the No Child Left Behind: Transforming America's High Schools Issue Paper produced by The High School Leadership Summit.

For more information, visit the U.S. Department of Education’s NCLB Web site: http://www.ed.gov/nclb/landing.jhtml.

NCLB and High Schools
This policy brief outlines how NCLB relates to high schools.


High Quality Teacher Provisions for High Schools

State Requirements: NCLB requires states to 1) measure the extent to which all students have highly qualified teachers, particularly minority and disadvantaged students; 2) adopt goals and plans to ensure all teachers are highly qualified; and 3) publicly report plans and progress in meeting teacher quality goals.

Under the Highly Qualified Teacher provisions, NCLB mandates that new, experienced, and specialized teachers must follow certain requirements.

New High School Teachers

All newly hired high school teachers must demonstrate their subject competency by taking state-developed tests in each subject they teach or by meeting college requirements (i.e., major or equivalent coursework, advanced certification/credentialing, or graduate degree).

Experienced High School Teachers

Just like new teachers, high school teachers with experience must hold a bachelor’s degree and have full state certification, but the method by which they demonstrate subject competency can vary. Experienced teachers can meet the same mandates as new teachers for this last requirement (subject matter tests) or they can opt to go through a state-developed High, Objective, Uniform State Standard of Evaluation (HOUSSE). HOUSSE is different for every state; in general, current teachers can prove they are highly qualified through a combination of proven teaching experience, professional development, and knowledge in the subject attained over time by working in the field.

Special Education Teachers and Teachers of English Language Learners

Special education teachers and teachers of English language learners must be highly qualified if they teach core academic subjects to their students. Charter school teachers must meet all three of NCLB's Highly Qualified Teacher requirements in order to be highly qualified, unless state charter school laws hold that certification is not required for charter school teachers.


IDEA and High Schools

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is the federal government's special education law. IDEA provides supplementary federal funds to assist states and local communities in providing educational opportunities for approximately six million students with varying degrees of disability who participate in special education. As a requirement for receiving IDEA federal funding, states must offer free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment. Because a disproportionate number of special education students and English language learners are denied a high school diploma, based on their exit exam performance, it is a national imperative to ensure that all high school students -- and not just some -- are prepared to graduate; IDEA is designed in part to support that outcome.

For more information on IDEA visit http://www.ed.gov/policy/speced/guid/idea/idea2004.html. The US Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) has developed a series of topic briefs around several high-interest areas of IDEA with particular attention to aligning that legislation with requirements under NCLB to better help states, Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and schools fulfill their goal of ensuring that all high school students are learning at high levels.

Quick Stats Fact Sheet: High Schools in the U.S.
This fact sheet provides information and references on U.S. high school students and high school requirements.