Frequently Asked Questions
The following are frequently asked questions and are broken up by category.
Becoming Highly Qualified | Professional Development
Q: What does “Highly Qualified” mean?
A: Highly Qualified (HQ) is a term used to define whether teachers have met specific teacher professional development standards. It is a term that is most closely associated with the provisions in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), more commonly referred to as No Child Left Behind (NCLB). Quite often excellent, veteran teachers with years of experience and wonderful pedagogy are still not deemed HQ under the provisions of this law. Nevertheless, there are a number of steps teachers can take to become HQ in social studies.
Q: Who determines whether teachers are HQ?
A: School districts are responsible for making this determination. Teachers with questions about their HQ status should consult with the district administrator in charge of compliance.
Q: What is the connection between Highly Qualified under NCLB and endorsements?
A: While all teachers who are highly qualified will have the necessary endorsements, not all teachers who have endorsements are highly qualified. This is because the terms refer to two different things. In order to be qualified to teach a class, a teacher needs to have the required endorsements. However to be Highly Qualified, a teacher must have the endorsements and must meet one of the following requirements:
Have a major in the field in which you need to be HQ or
Have a major equivalency in the field (30 semester hours) or
Earn National Board Certification or
Pass the PRAXIS assessment for the specific endorsement or
Have the required endorsement(s) and have earned 200 HOUSSE points.Please note that with the recent requirement that all new endorsements in the NCLB areas will require passage of the PRAXIS assessment, anyone granted an endorsement after 2007 will automatically be HQ.
Q: What are HOUSSE points?
A: High Objective Uniform State Standard of Evaluation (HOUSSE) points are basically re-licensure points that educators can earn for successful teaching and for successful completion of professional development if that professional development is specific to the field in which they need to be highly qualified. Professional development that is not specific to a teacher’s field can be used for re-licensure, but does not count as HOUSSE points.
Teachers need to earn 200 points during the time between license renewals. Teachers can earn 100 points for successful teaching. Then they can earn an additional 100 points by taking college courses or earning other re-licensure credit in their field.
One semester hour of college credit is worth 18 points, as is one hour of USOE credit.
Q: Can endorsement courses count for HOUSSE points?
A: Not unless the teacher already has the endorsement. HOUSSE points can only be applied after a teacher has earned their endorsement.
Q: What is the PRAXIS test?
A: The PRAXIS is a nationally-normed assessment of content and pedagogy. The USOE has approved some tests in some areas as indicators of Highly Qualified status. Tests approved by Utah.
Q: Does passing the PRAXIS mean I have earned the endorsement?
A: No. Course work is also required. Not all endorsements require the PRAXIS, just NCLB areas where there is a PRAXIS. Endorsement Requirements
Q: Where Can I Find More Information?
A: Check out the information available from Educator Licensing at the USOE and No Child Left Behind Rules and Forms
Q: What time are the classes taught?
A: The first day of class will begin at 8 a.m. After that, the schedule will be established by the professor.
Q: What are the costs?
A: The cost will vary depending on the class. Classes that are listed as ‘Recording Fee Only’ will only cost the amount of the recording fee for the university credit. This cost varies from $30 - $45 depending on the level of credit and the university. All other classes are $250 + recording fee, which means the total cost can range from $280 - $295.
Q: What do the fees cover?
A: They cover the cost of the course (professor, assistant, materials, etc.), housing (when applicable), and breakfast and lunch (in some cases dinner). Fees must be paid whether or not you use the housing or catering provided, since the tuition costs are all-inclusive. Fees are due prior to the first day of class.
Q: How do I get Title II Funding reimbursement?
A: You need to contact the person in your district who is over your Title II funding about reimbursement. If you have prior approval, we can bill your district for the cost of your course ($250). You will need to get your own reimbursement for the recording fee because in most cases it is paid directly to the university.
Q: Are the courses graduate level to transfer to my current masters program?
A: Some of the classes being offered are graduate level. It depends on the instructor and the difficulty of the courses. Based on the syllabus submitted by the professor, the department/school assigns it graduate or undergraduate credit. It is not a requirement to have graduate credit to become NCLB highly qualified, therefore it is not our intended purpose to guarantee that all classes be graduate credit even though that tends to be the case.
Q: Will I receive an official transcript from the corresponding school?
A: You will need to request your transcript. If you are attending a non-USOE sponsored course to fulfill your SAEP requirements, you will still need to request your transcript and send it in to USOE upon completion of all requirements. If the course is a USOE-sponsored course, you will not need to send a transcript because we have a record of your course completion. You can use this form when the SAEP is complete.
Q: What is the deadline for registration?
A: You must register by three weeks before the class begins so we can make final arrangements for meals, lodging, and materials. The registration deadlines for each class will be listed on the professional development calendar.
Q: What courses are required for which endorsements?
A: Here is the checklist of required courses. Required courses for each endorsement are:
History: United States History (Exploration to 1877), United States History (1877 to Present), World History (Ancient), World History (Modern), Utah History, 2 Specialized History courses, and Teaching Methods in Social Studies.
Geography: Physical Geography, World Cultural/Human Geography, Utah Geography, 2 Specialized Geography Courses, and Teaching Methods in Social Studies.
Political Science: Introduction to Political Science, National Government, State Government, Law-Related Education, 2 Specialized Political Science courses, and Teaching Methods in Social Studies.
Utah Studies: Utah History, Utah Geography, Specialized Utah Studies course, and Teaching Methods in Social Studies. (Teachers who teach three or more Utah Studies courses must have a history endorsement or equivalent.)
Social Studies Composite: United States History (Exploration to 1877), United States History (1877 to present), World History (Ancient), World History (Modern), Utah History, 2 Specialized History Courses, Physical Geography, World Cultural/Human Geography, Utah Geography, Political Science (minimum of 4 semester hours), Sociology or Anthropology (minimum of 4 semester hours), Psychology (minimum of 4 semester hours), Economics (minimum of 4 semester hours), and Teaching Methods in Social Studies.
Psychology: Introduction to Psychology, Psychological Research or Measurement and Evaluation, Social Psychology, 2 Specialized Psychology courses, and Teaching Methods in Social Studies.
Economics: Principles of Economics (Macro), Principles of Economics (Micro), Economic History, 2 Specialized Economics courses, and Teaching Methods in Social Studies.
Sociology: Introduction to Sociology, Social Organizations, Social Psychology, 2 Specialized Sociology courses, and Teaching Methods in Social Studies.
Anthropology: Physical Anthropology, Introduction to Cultural Anthropology, Prehistory of Archaeology, 2 Specialized Anthropology courses, and Teaching Methods in Social Studies.
Q: Where can I take endorsement classes?
A: You can take endorsement classes at any accredited higher education institution or the USOE Professional Development courses that are offered through out the year (especially during the summer). The USOE courses are on a 3-year rotation. Here is a list of schools that offer some, if not all, of the courses required for an endorsement.
University of Utah – www.utah.edu
Brigham Young University – www.byu.edu
Utah State University – www.usu.edu
Weber State University – www.weber.edu
Salt Lake Community College – www.slcc.edu
Snow College – www.snow.edu
Park University – www.park.edu
Utah Valley State College – www.uvsc.edu
Utah Electronic College - https://www.uec.org/
Western Governors University - http://www.westerngovernors.net/
This page last updated August 7, 2007
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