Don't the local pricipal and parents know better than DC who is "higly qualified"??? All DC can do is issue edicts based on generalities. A local principal can interview, observe, check references, etc. What in the hell makes anyone in DC think they can decide better than a local person just who is "highly qualified"?
It's ALL politics. 100%.
It is nonsensical and impractical to make personal judgements from DC on millions of individuals across our nation.
Who really thinks that FED control could somehow be better???
Don't get me wrong, I'm no fan of USDOE, or of NCLB - which may end up doing more harm than good.
But, in my school district, more than 25% of the teachers are not highly qualified. (i.e. they are not certfified to teach what they are teaching!) This is nearly downright criminal, IMO, and no one knew about it prior to NCLB.
So no, evidently the local school officials DON'T know better than the feds who is highly qualified. Not in my district, anyway.