June 13, 2003

TSU's SEAL Network helps teachers prepare for 'No Child Left Behind' Act

Troy State University is offering several courses this summer through the Southeast Alabama Technology Network (SEAL) to accommodate Alabama teachers in meeting requirements for “Highly Qualified” status under the “No Child Left Behind” Act of 2001.

The network, which offers educational opportunities through interactive video-conferencing through partnerships with schools, school districts, community and junior colleges, technical schools and businesses, is using these partner locations to offer coursework to teachers in need. Two mathematics courses and one biology course will be offered by the network this summer, and to date, more than 175 teachers from 29 schools from throughout Alabama have been admitted to the program. The courses are being presented via live video-conference to 12 locations, enabling teachers to receive courses without having to drive great distances or enroll in a traditional college setting.

In order to be a “Highly Qualified” teacher, the act requires elementary teachers to have successfully completed 12 semester hours in each area of the core curriculum – English language arts, mathematics, science and social studies. Middle and secondary teachers will be required to have 19 upper level semester hours within the subject they teach.

Dr. Debbie Fortune, Associate Dean of Distance Learning for SEAL at TSU, said many teachers fall short of the new requirements because their degree programs simply didn’t require those levels or amounts of coursework. Teachers have until 2005 to meet the new criteria.

“We have heard from superintendents and principals and had hundreds of calls from teachers telling us how grateful they are that Troy State University has stepped out in front to help teachers meet these requirements,” Dr. Fortune said. “It has been a challenge for us, but we can truly say that Troy State University is providing alternatives for and meeting the needs of Alabama’s teachers.”

For more information on registration and course availability, contact the SEAL Network at Troy State University at 334-670-5879.

SEAL partner locations through which the coursework will be offered:

Barbour County High School
Notasulga High School
Ariton High School
Goshen High School
Pike County High School
Crenshaw Christian Academy
Headland High School
Hillcrest High School
McArthur State Technical College
Lurleen B. Wallace Community College
Enterprise-Ozark Community College
Troy State University Dothan