The U.S. Department of Education will give New Mexico a waiver on requiring all classrooms have a "highly qualified" teacher as mandated by the federal No Child Left Behind law.
The New Mexico Public Education Department announced late Tuesday that the waiver will give state officials more flexibility to teacher qualification restrictions.
Under the current law, a "highly qualified" physics teacher who is rated highly effective with a strong record of student achievement growth cannot teach an algebra course. That teacher would first have to become "highly qualified" in math.
The waiver, requested by New Mexico, allows school district to replace credentials with demonstrated effectiveness. State officials say that physics teacher can now teach math.
Education Secretary Hanna Skandera called the waiver "a big win for New Mexico's students."
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