Parent's Right to Know

Your Right to Inquire about Professional Qualifications

ESEA directs schools and districts to notify parents about their right to inquire information regarding professional qualifications of classroom teachers and paraprofessionals, key requirements of a Title I, Part A.

1. Professional qualifications of teachers and paraprofessionals who instruct

2. Notification if your child’s teacher is not highly qualified

Professional Qualifications of Teachers

Parents of children, who attend schools that receive Title I, Part A funding, have the right to request and receive information about the qualifications of the educators who teach their children core subjects—reading, English language arts and mathematics. The same applies to paraprofessionals who instruct.  The information you request must inform you:

1. Whether or not the teacher met state qualifications and certification requirements for the grade level and subject(s) he or she is teaching,

2. Whether or not the teacher has an emergency or conditional certificate by which state qualifications were waived.

3. What undergraduate and graduate degree(s) the teacher holds, including graduate certificates and additional degrees, and major(s) or area(s) of concentration.

Qualifications of Paraprofessionals Who Instruct

Districts employ paraprofessionals to provide instructional support.  All paraprofessionals who instruct must have special qualifications. Paraprofessionals must have:

1. Completed at least two years of study at an institution of higher education, or

2. Obtained an associate’s or higher degree, or

3. Meet a high standard of quality either through a) the ETS ParaPro Assessment, or b) an paraeducator apprenticeship program approved by Wisconsin.

Notification If Your Child’s Teacher Is Not Highly Qualified.

ESEA directs schools to send timely notice to parents and guardians IF their child has been assigned to, or taught for more than four consecutive weeks by—a teacher of a core academic subject—who is not highly qualified.

Report Card for Every Student

You have a right to know how well your child is progressing. Schools that operate Title I, Part A programs must generate a report card for every student that explains how well that student scored on the state assessment in, at least, reading, English language arts and mathematics.

State Report Card

The Office of Public Instruction—Wisconsin’s education agency—publishes a State Report Card online. Use this website to find important information about your school and district, such as the results of state testing, enrollment numbers, facts and figures about the teachers in your school and much more.