And as states have overhauled their teacher evaluation systems, incorporating student achievement outcomes into their teacher effectiveness determinations, NCLB continues to exclusively consider inputs like state certification status and
licensure test results as part of its maligned «highly qualified» designation.
As a
result, it has been difficult for observers to determine which factor or group of factors was most responsible for these gains: a revised and strengthened licensing system; revised or new
licensure tests; the use of first - rate standards in most classrooms, in annual state student
tests, and in the professional development programs all teachers took for license renewal; and / or the major changes in K - 12 governance and finance introduced by the Massachusetts Education Reform Act of 1993.