1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; establishing licensure and continuing education 
1.3 	requirements for teachers, program coordinators, specialists of gifted and talented 
1.4 	students and programs, and school principals and superintendents of gifted and 
1.5 	talented programs;amending Minnesota Statutes 2006, sections 122A.14, by 
1.6 	adding a subdivision; 122A.18, by adding a subdivision.
1.7 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.8 	Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 122A.14, is amended by adding a 
1.9 	subdivision to read:
1.10 		Subd. 2a.Gifted and talented program administrators; licensure and 
1.11 	continuing education. (a) The board shall review and approve preparation programs for 
1.12 	school principals and superintendents that focus on administering programs for gifted and 
1.13 	talented students. The board, in consultation with the commissioner, also must consider 
1.14 	alternative preparation programs for school principals and superintendents that focus on 
1.15 	administering programs for gifted and talented students under section 122A.27, and other 
1.16 	alternative competency-based preparation programs leading to licensure of principals and 
1.17 	superintendents. All programs must incorporate a gifted and talented competency into 
1.18 	the knowledge, skills, and abilities required for licensure.
1.19 	(b) Universities offering approved graduate-level courses and programs to provide 
1.20 	continuing education credits to school principals and superintendents of gifted and 
1.21 	talented programs must include in each five-year relicensing period at least 12 clock 
1.22 	hours of in-service training that:
1.23 	(1) focus on effectively supporting gifted and talented students and programs;
1.24 	(2) offer online instruction where appropriate; and
2.1 	(3) supplement in-service training provided by an intermediate school district, a 
2.2 	service cooperative, or other qualified community-based education organization.
2.3 	(c) The board, upon request, may advise interested universities in developing and 
2.4 	implementing preparation and continuing education programs for school principals and 
2.5 	superintendents that focus on administering programs for gifted and talented students and 
2.6 	that offer online instruction where appropriate, consistent with this subdivision.

2.7 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment and 
2.8 	applies to persons enrolling in preparation or alternative preparation programs for school 
2.9 	principals and superintendents on September 1, 2008, or later and to school principals and 
2.10 	superintendents of gifted and talented programs seeking relicensure after August 31, 2008.

2.11 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2006, section 122A.18, is amended by adding a subdivision 
2.12 	to read:
2.13 		Subd. 10.Teachers of gifted and talented students; program coordinators 
2.14 	and specialists. (a) All colleges and universities approved by the Board of Teaching to 
2.15 	prepare persons for classroom teaching licensure must include in their teacher preparation 
2.16 	programs instruction covering research-based best practices for effectively teaching gifted 
2.17 	and talented students.
2.18 	(b) Universities offering graduate-level courses and programs approved by the Board 
2.19 	of Teaching (1) to prepare persons as coordinators for gifted and talented programs or as 
2.20 	specialists in gifted and talented education, or (2) to provide continuing education credits 
2.21 	to gifted and talented coordinators or specialists, must include:
2.22 	(i) in any certification program, instruction that focuses on effectively supporting 
2.23 	gifted and talented students and that offers online instruction where appropriate; and
2.24 	(ii) in any continuing education program for gifted and talented program 
2.25 	coordinators or specialists in each five-year relicensing period, instruction that focuses 
2.26 	on effectively supporting gifted and talented students, offers online instruction where 
2.27 	appropriate, and supplements in-service training provided by a qualified community-based 
2.28 	education organization.
2.29 	(c) The board, in consultation with the commissioner, also must consider alternative 
2.30 	certification programs for gifted and talented program coordinators or specialists that 
2.31 	focus on effectively supporting gifted and talented students and programs, consistent with 
2.32 	this subdivision and section 122A.24, and other alternative competency-based programs.
2.33 	(d) The board, upon request, may advise interested colleges and universities 
2.34 	in developing and implementing preparation and continuing education programs for 
3.1 	teachers of gifted and talented students and gifted and talented program coordinators and 
3.2 	specialists, consistent with this subdivision.

3.3 	EFFECTIVE DATE. This section is effective the day following final enactment 
3.4 	and applies to persons enrolling in teacher preparation or alternative teacher preparation 
3.5 	programs on September 1, 2008, or later and to gifted and talented program coordinators 
3.6 	or specialists seeking relicensure after August 31, 2008.