By Kevin Jefferies
Commerce – The No Child Left Behind Act rates 90% of Commerce ISD teachers as highly qualified, according to the latest reports presented to the Commerce Board of Trustees. Highly qualified teachers, according to the Act, are one with a bachelor's degree, full state certification, and have shown competency in the core academic area assigned.
100% of teachers at Commerce Elementary and A.C. Williams Intermediate are highly qualified, while 87.5% of middle school teachers and 80.65% of high school teachers meet the mark. According to federal mandates, the district is to have 100% of its teachers in core subject areas rated as highly qualified by the end of the school year. Currently, the Commerce ISD falls short in science, foreign language, and special education. These are the same trouble areas for school districts across the state.