The U.S. Department of Education Presents:

Investing in America 's Classrooms:
Ensuring Every Child has a Highly Qualified Teacher

Tuesday, April 15, 2003 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm PT

How does the No Child Left Behind Act define a "highly-qualified teacher?" How have demands on teachers changed over the past 20 years? Teaching is the essential profession, the one that makes all other professions possible. Teachers' qualifications are of critical importance to the nation as teachers will mold and shape the skills of our future workforce and lay the foundation for good citizenship and full participation in community and civic life. By 2007, America 's public and private schools will educate nearly three million more children than they do today ­ a total of more than 54 million students. To meet this need, more than 2 million teachers will need to be hired to match the projected enrollment in our elementary and secondary classrooms. More than half of these will be first-time teachers, and they will need to be the best-prepared teachers our nation has ever known.

This program is part of the series Education News Parents Can Use .   It will include:

• A special conversation between Education Secretary Rod Paige and San Diego City Schools Superintendent Alan Bersin.
• Remarks from First Lady, Laura Bush on her experiences as a public school teacher.
• Discussions on the realities and challenges of teacher preparedness and recruitment.
• A special report about Atlanta PLUS, a successful alternative teacher recruitment program for Atlanta 's public schools.
• Tips on how parents can work with teachers to ensure all children reach their academic potential.

For more information, please visit the Department of Education's website: http://www.ed.gov