Letter: No Child Left Behind is unclear and unfair

Saturday, July 15, 2006 | 7:49 a.m.

Please allow me to respond to the Las Vegas Sun's July 9 editorial, "Law gets a failing grade." As a special education high school English teacher in Clark County, I, too, am unhappy with the No Child Left Behind law.

I don't understand what is required so that I will become regarded as "highly qualified." Teachers must meet this requirement but are not told what this means. I have been advised, as a special educator, that I need to take and pass two Praxis II exams. These exams cover special education as well as principles of learning of teaching.

So, I pay for and sit for these exams - maybe hoop No. 1 is cleared. I was then told that I should obtain my master's degree, so I just completed this last week - maybe now hoop No. 2 is cleared. Recently, I was advised to become "dually certified," so I am back at UNLV, taking classes for my endorsement in English - possible hoop No. 3 is currently being breached.

Now would be a good time to know if any of this will count. My school administration at Mojave High School, UNLV program advisers and the Nevada Department of Education have all provided me assistance as to what may be required - but there is no definitive answer out there, since the federal guidelines have not been clear or seemingly understood by Nevada.

I love teaching. I will do what is necessary to continue, but I want answers. In the meantime, I will continue to work on the possible hoops - jumping, teaching and paying - on a second-year teacher's salary.

Shelly Lyn Marshall, North Las Vegas