Minnesota Administrative Rules

8710.0312 TIER 2 LICENSE.

Subpart 1.

Purpose.

A Tier 2 license must be issued, consistent with this part, to an applicant on behalf of a district request. A Tier 2 license authorizes the license holder to teach within the requesting district and the specific licensure field in the application.

Subp. 2.

Requirements.

The board must issue a Tier 2 license to an applicant upon request by the designated administrator of the hiring district. The applicant must initiate the application process and must meet the requirements of this subpart.

A.

The applicant must:

(1)

hold the minimum of a bachelor's degree from a college or university located in the United States that is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission or by the regional association for accreditation of colleges and secondary schools, as verified by a college transcript;

(2)

hold a credential from outside the United States that is equivalent to a bachelor's degree, as verified by a credential evaluation completed by a credential evaluator approved by the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services or other board-approved credential evaluation service; or

(3)

for applicants in career and technical education fields and career pathway courses of study, have one of the following:

(a)

five years of relevant work experience aligned to the assignment;

(b)

an associate's degree aligned to the assignment; or

(c)

a professional certification aligned to the assignment from an approved certifying organization.

B.

The applicant must:

(1)

be enrolled in a board-approved teacher preparation program aligned to the licensure field;

(2)

hold a master's degree, or equivalent, aligned to the assignment from a college or university located in the United States that is regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission or by the regional association for accreditation of colleges and secondary schools, as verified by a college transcript; or

(3)

show completion of two of the following:

(a)

at least eight upper division or graduate-level credits aligned to the assignment;

(b)

field-specific methods in a state-approved teacher preparation program aligned to the assignment;

(c)

at least two years of experience teaching as the teacher of record aligned to the assignment;

(d)

board-adopted pedagogy and content examinations with passing scores aligned to the licensure area. Any licensure area that does not have a board-approved content examination is exempt from the content examination requirement; or

(e)

a state-approved teacher preparation program aligned to the licensure area.

C.

The hiring district must affirm the applicant will participate in mentorship and evaluation aligned to the district's teacher development and evaluation model under Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or 122A.41, subdivision 5, or if the statutory models are not practicable, to another identified district-aligned evaluation.

Subp. 3.

Duration.

A Tier 2 license is valid for up to two years and expires on June 30 of the expiration year. A Tier 2 license may be used until September 1 after the date of expiration if the placement is in a summer school program at the district aligned to the license or is part of a year-round school at the district aligned to the licensure area.

Subp. 4.

First renewal.

To renew a Tier 2 license for the first time, the applicant must initiate the renewal application process, and the requirements of this subpart must be met.

A.

The hiring district must show the applicant participated in:

(1)

cultural competency training; and

(2)

mentorship and evaluation aligned to the district's teacher development and evaluation model under Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or 122A.41, subdivision 5, or if the statutory models are not practicable, to another identified district-aligned evaluation.

B.

If the applicant holds a Tier 2 license while enrolled in a board-approved teacher preparation program, the provider must certify that meaningful progress, as defined by the provider, has been made toward completion of the program. If no meaningful progress has been made, the board must deem the applicant not to be enrolled in a teacher preparation program unless the applicant provides justification to the board for failing to make meaningful progress.

Subp. 5.

Second and third renewals.

To renew a Tier 2 license for the second or third time, the applicant must initiate the renewal application process, and the requirements of this subpart must be met.

A.

If the applicant holds a Tier 2 license while enrolled in a board-approved teacher preparation program, the provider must certify that meaningful progress, as defined by the provider, has been made toward completion of the program. If no meaningful progress has been made, the board must deem the applicant not to be enrolled in a teacher preparation program unless the applicant provides justification to the board for failing to make meaningful progress.

B.

The hiring district must show the applicant participated in mentorship and evaluation aligned to the district's teacher development and evaluation model under Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or 122A.41, subdivision 5, or if the statutory models are not practicable, to another identified district-aligned evaluation.

Subp. 6.

Additional renewals.

To renew a Tier 2 license more than three times, the applicant must initiate the renewal application process, and the requirements of this subpart must be met. The hiring district must show:

A.

the applicant participated in mentorship and evaluation aligned to the district's teacher development and evaluation model under Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or 122A.41, subdivision 5, or if the statutory models are not practicable, to another identified district-aligned evaluation; and

B.

within the renewal application good cause justification for why the applicant should receive additional Tier 2 renewals pursuant to part 8710.0310, subpart 1, item H. The renewal application is reviewed pursuant to Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.182, subdivision 3. The board must issue or deny the renewal no later than 60 days after receiving the renewal application.

Subp. 7.

Position change.

If a Tier 2 license holder moves to another licensure area within a district or to another district, prior to the expiration of the Tier 2 license, the license holder must initiate a new application, including paying the application fee, and the hiring district must meet the requirements under subpart 2 for the new position. The applicant is not required to complete a new background check by the board. The Tier 2 license issued by the board under this subpart is considered a new license, not a renewal under subparts 4 to 6.

Statutory Authority:

MS s 122A.09

History:

43 SR 463

Published Electronically:

August 31, 2023