The Every Student Succeeds Act eliminated the Highly Qualified Teacher (HQT) requirements that were part of the No Child Left Behind Act. School districts in Tennessee must now ensure that all teachers meet and fulfill Tennessee teacher licensure requirements for the content areas they are assigned to teach.

In Title I schools, when a teacher is assigned to teach a content area in which they do not meet state licensure requirements, parents must be notified after the teacher is assigned that content area for more than four consecutive weeks. 

Instructional paraprofessionals working in Title I schools must have completed at least two years of study at an institution of higher education; have obtained an associates degree or higher; or meet a rigorous standard of quality that demonstrates their knowledge of and ability to assist in the instruction of reading and math. In Maury County Public Schools, instructional paraprofessionals who do NOT have sufficient credits from an institution of higher education must take and pass the Praxis ParaPro assessment. The Federal Programs Office monitors paraprofessional qualifications and administers the ParaPro assessment.

Questions regarding Title I highly qualified requirements should be addressed to the Federal Programs Office.