We are extremely proud of the quality of the instructional staff in the Orange County Public Schools.  All of our teachers have college degrees, and 40% of our teachers have masters or other advanced degrees.  In addition, they regularly participate in professional development activities that primarily focus on instructional strategies and are periodically evaluated to make sure that their teaching skills remain at the highest possible level.  In short, all of our schools are staffed by fully qualified and dedicated teachers, and we are committed to ensuring that this continues to be the case.

As you may know, federal legislation known as the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) was recently enacted.  As parents of a student in Orange County Public Schools, you have the right to know the professional qualifications of the classroom teachers who instruct your child.  NCLB requires school systems to provide this information in a timely manner upon your request.  Specifically, you have the right to ask for the following information about your child’s classroom teachers:

• Whether the Virginia Department of Education has licensed or qualified the teacher for the grades and subjects he or she teaches.

• Whether the Virginia Department of Education has decided that the teacher can teach in a classroom without being licensed or qualified under state regulations because of special circumstances.

• The teacher’s college major; whether the teacher has any advanced degrees and, if so, the subject of the degrees.

• Whether any teachers’ aides or similar paraprofessionals provide services to your child, and if they do, their qualifications.

If you would like to receive any of the information for the 2005-2006 school year, please contact the School Board Office at 540-661-4550.