Q: Can public charter schools hire non-certified teachers?

A: Charter schools may hire up to 25% of non-certified faculty, however, these teachers must still meet the highly qualified standards of the federal requirements in the content area. Many of the non-certified teachers are university professors, professionals with critical career expertise, or teachers certified in other states.

Q: Which classes require a public charter school teacher to be Highly Qualified?

A: The purpose of ESEA Title II, Part A is to help states and school districts ensure that all students have effective teachers; that is, teachers with the subject-matter knowledge and teaching skills necessary to help all children achieve to high academic standards, regardless of individual learning styles or needs. In this regard, the program provides substantial funding to help states and districts recruit, train, reward, and retain effective teachers. Title II, Part A, and Title I, Part A also place particular emphasis on the need for states and districts to ensure that teachers of core academic subjects meet certain minimum requirements to become effective educators. The criteria to be considered highly qualified are that teachers hold at least a bachelor's degree, be fully licensed by the state for their teaching assignment, and demonstrate content knowledge in each subject they teach. By the end of the 2005-06 school years, one hundred percent of core academic teachers were mandated to meet the requirements.

Quick Facts about South Carolina's Highly Qualified Teacher Requirements 

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