1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to education; modifying teacher licensure provisions; modifying 
1.3 	Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board composition; authorizing 
1.4 	rulemaking; making technical changes;amending Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 
1.5 	122A.06, subdivisions 2, 5, 6, 7, 8, by adding a subdivision; 122A.07, subdivisions 
1.6 	1, 2, 4a; 122A.09, subdivisions 4, 6, 9, 10; 122A.091, subdivisions 1, 2; 122A.15, 
1.7 	subdivision 1; 122A.16; 122A.18, subdivisions 7a, 8, 10; 122A.181, subdivisions 
1.8 	1, 2, 3, 4, 6, by adding a subdivision; 122A.182, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, 4, 7; 
1.9 	122A.183, subdivisions 1, 2, 3, by adding a subdivision; 122A.184, subdivisions 
1.10 	1, 2; 122A.185, subdivisions 1, 4; 122A.187; 122A.19, subdivision 4; 122A.21; 
1.11 	122A.635, subdivisions 3, 4; 122A.70, by adding a subdivision; proposing coding 
1.12 	for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 122A; repealing Minnesota Statutes 
1.13 	2020, sections 122A.091, subdivisions 3, 6; 122A.092; 122A.18, subdivision 7c; 
1.14 	122A.184, subdivision 3; 122A.23, subdivision 3; 122A.2451.
1.15 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.16 	Section 1. [122A.04] LICENSE REQUIRED.
1.17 	Pursuant to section 120A.22, subdivision 10, a teacher must hold a license or a permission 
1.18 	aligned to the content area and scope of the teacher's assignment to provide instruction in 
1.19 	a public school or a charter school.

1.20 	Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.06, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
1.21 		Subd. 2.Teacher. "Teacher" means a classroom teacher or other similar professional 
1.22 	employee required by law to hold a license or permission from the Professional Educator 
1.23 	Licensing and Standards Board.

2.1 	Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.06, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
2.2 		Subd. 5.Field. A "field," "licensure area," or "subject area" means the content area in 
2.3 	which a teacher may become licensed to teach.

2.4 	Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.06, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
2.5 		Subd. 6.Shortage area. "Shortage area" means:
2.6 	(1) licensure fields and economic development regions reported by the commissioner 
2.7 	of education Office of Higher Education or the Professional Educator Licensing and 
2.8 	Standards Board as experiencing a teacher shortage; and
2.9 	(2) economic development regions where there is a shortage of licensed teachers who 
2.10 	reflect the racial or ethnic diversity of students in the region. the aggregate percentage of 
2.11 	Indigenous teachers and teachers of color in the region is lower than the aggregate percentage 
2.12 	of kindergarten through grade 12 Indigenous students and students of color in that region. 
2.13 	Only individuals who close the gap between these percentages qualify as filling a shortage 
2.14 	by this definition.

2.15 	Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.06, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
2.16 		Subd. 7.Teacher preparation program. "Teacher preparation program" means a 
2.17 	program approved by the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board for the 
2.18 	purpose of preparing individuals for a specific teacher licensure field in Minnesota. Teacher 
2.19 	preparation programs include traditional programs delivered by postsecondary institutions, 
2.20 	alternative teacher preparation programs, and nonconventional teacher preparation programs.

2.21 	Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.06, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
2.22 		Subd. 8.Teacher preparation program provider. "Teacher preparation program 
2.23 	provider" or "unit" means an entity that has primary responsibility for overseeing and 
2.24 	delivering a teacher preparation program. Teacher preparation program providers include 
2.25 	postsecondary institutions and alternative teacher preparation providers aligned to section 
2.26 	122A.094.

2.27 	Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.06, is amended by adding a subdivision to 
2.28 	read:
2.29 		Subd. 9.District. "District" means a public school district or charter school.

3.1 	Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.07, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
3.2 		Subdivision 1.Appointment of members. The Professional Educator Licensing and 
3.3 	Standards Board consists of 11 13 members appointed by the governor, with the advice and 
3.4 	consent of the senate. Membership terms, compensation of members, removal of members, 
3.5 	the filling of membership vacancies, and fiscal year and reporting requirements are as 
3.6 	provided in sections 214.07 to 214.09. No member may be reappointed for more than one 
3.7 	additional term A member must not serve more than two consecutive terms.

3.8 	Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.07, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
3.9 		Subd. 2.Eligibility; board composition.  Each nominee appointee, other than a public 
3.10 	nominee, must be selected on the basis of professional experience and knowledge of teacher 
3.11 	education, accreditation, and licensure. The board must be composed of:
3.12 	(1) six seven teachers who are currently teaching in a Minnesota school or who were 
3.13 	teaching at the time of the appointment, have at least five years of teaching experience, and 
3.14 	were are not serving in an administrative function at a school district or school when 
3.15 	appointed a position requiring an administrative license, pursuant to section 122A.14. The 
3.16 	six eight teachers must include the following:
3.17 	(i) one teacher in a charter school;
3.18 	(ii) one teacher from a school located in the seven-county metropolitan area, as defined 
3.19 	in section 473.121, subdivision 2;
3.20 	(iii) one teacher from a school located outside the seven-county metropolitan area;
3.21 	(iv) one teacher from a related service category licensed by the board;
3.22 	(v) one special education teacher; and
3.23 	(vi) one teacher from a teacher preparation program two teachers licensed in licensure 
3.24 	areas that represent current or emerging trends in education;
3.25 	(2) one educator currently teaching in a Minnesota-approved teacher preparation program;
3.26 	(2) (3) one superintendent that alternates, alternating each term between a superintendent 
3.27 	from a school district in the seven-county metropolitan area, as defined in section 473.121, 
3.28 	subdivision 2, and a superintendent from a school district outside the metropolitan area;
3.29 	(3) (4) one school district human resources director;
4.1 	(4) (5) one administrator of a cooperative unit under section 123A.24, subdivision 2,
4.2 	educator who oversees a special education program and who works closely with a cooperative 
4.3 	unit under section 123A.24, subdivision 2;
4.4 	(5) (6) one principal that alternates, alternating each term between an elementary and a 
4.5 	secondary school principal; and
4.6 	(6) (7) one member of the public that may be a current or former school board member.

4.7 	Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.07, subdivision 4a, is amended to read:
4.8 		Subd. 4a.Administration. (a) The executive director of the board shall be the chief 
4.9 	administrative officer for the board but shall not be a member of the board. The executive 
4.10 	director shall maintain the records of the board, account for all fees received by the board, 
4.11 	supervise and direct employees servicing the board, and perform other services as directed 
4.12 	by the board.
4.13 	(b) The Department of Administration must provide administrative support in accordance 
4.14 	with section 16B.371. The commissioner of administration must assess the board for services 
4.15 	it provides under this section.
4.16 	(c) The Department of Education must provide suitable offices and other space to the 
4.17 	board at reasonable cost until January 1, 2020. Thereafter, the board may contract with 
4.18 	either the Department of Education or the Department of Administration for the provision 
4.19 	of suitable offices and other space, joint conference and hearing facilities, and examination 
4.20 	rooms.

4.21 	Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.09, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
4.22 		Subd. 4.Licensing. (a) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must 
4.23 	license teachers, as defined in section 122A.15, subdivision 1, except for supervisory 
4.24 	personnel, as defined in section 122A.15, subdivision 2. The board must not delegate its 
4.25 	authority to make all licensing decisions with respect to candidates for teacher licensure. 
4.26 	The board must evaluate candidates for compliance with statutory or rule requirements for 
4.27 	licensure and develop licensure verification requirements.
4.28 	(b) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must approve teacher 
4.29 	preparation providers seeking to prepare candidates for teacher licensure in Minnesota.

5.1 	Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.09, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
5.2 		Subd. 6.Register of persons licensed. The executive director of the Professional 
5.3 	Educator Licensing and Standards Board must keep a record of the proceedings of and a 
5.4 	register of all persons licensed pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. The register must 
5.5 	show the name, address, licenses and permissions held, including renewals, and license 
5.6 	number and the renewal of the license. The board must on July 1, of each year or as soon 
5.7 	thereafter as is practicable, compile a list of such duly licensed teachers. A copy of the 
5.8 	register This list must be available during business hours at the office of the board to any 
5.9 	interested person on the board's website.

5.10 	Sec. 13. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.09, subdivision 9, is amended to read:
5.11 		Subd. 9.Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must adopt and 
5.12 	revise rules. (a) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must adopt and 
5.13 	revise rules subject to the provisions of chapter 14 to implement sections 120B.363, 122A.05 
5.14 	to 122A.09, 122A.092 122A.094, 122A.16, 122A.17, 122A.18, 122A.181, 122A.182, 
5.15 	122A.183, 122A.184, 122A.185, 122A.187, 122A.188, 122A.19, 122A.20, 122A.21, 
5.16 	122A.23, 122A.26, 122A.28, and 122A.29.
5.17 	(b) The board must adopt and revise rules relating to fields of licensure and grade levels 
5.18 	that a licensed teacher may teach, including a process for granting permission to a licensed 
5.19 	teacher to teach in a field that is different from the teacher's field of licensure without change 
5.20 	to the teacher's license tier level.
5.21 	(c) The board must adopt rules relating to the grade levels that a licensed teacher may 
5.22 	teach.
5.23 	(d) (c) If a rule adopted by the board is in conflict with a session law or statute, the law 
5.24 	or statute prevails. Terms adopted in rule must be clearly defined and must not be construed 
5.25 	to conflict with terms adopted in statute or session law.
5.26 	(e) (d) The board must include a description of a proposed rule's probable effect on 
5.27 	teacher supply and demand in the board's statement of need and reasonableness under section 
5.28 	14.131.
5.29 	(f) (e) The board must adopt rules only under the specific statutory authority.

5.30 	Sec. 15. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.09, subdivision 10, is amended to read:
5.31 		Subd. 10.Permissions. (a) Notwithstanding subdivision 9 and sections 14.055 and 
5.32 	14.056, the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board may grant waivers to its 
6.1 	rules upon application by a school district or a charter school for purposes of implementing 
6.2 	experimental programs in learning or management.
6.3 	(b) To enable a school district or a charter school to meet the needs of students enrolled 
6.4 	in an alternative education program and to enable licensed teachers instructing those students 
6.5 	to satisfy content area licensure requirements, the Professional Educator Licensing and 
6.6 	Standards Board annually may permit a licensed teacher teaching in an alternative education 
6.7 	program to instruct students in a content area for which the teacher is not licensed, consistent 
6.8 	with paragraph (a).
6.9 	(c) A special education license permission issued by the Professional Educator Licensing 
6.10 	and Standards Board for a primary employer's low-incidence region is valid in all 
6.11 	low-incidence regions.
6.12 	(d) A candidate that has obtained career and technical education certification may apply 
6.13 	for a Tier 1 license under section 122A.181. Consistent with section 136F.361, the 
6.14 	Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must strongly encourage approved 
6.15 	college or university-based teacher preparation programs throughout Minnesota to develop 
6.16 	alternative pathways for certifying and licensing high school career and technical education 
6.17 	instructors and teachers, allowing such candidates to meet certification and licensure 
6.18 	standards that demonstrate their content knowledge, classroom experience, and pedagogical 
6.19 	practices and their qualifications based on a combination of occupational testing, professional 
6.20 	certification or licensure, and long-standing work experience.

6.21 	Sec. 16. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.091, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
6.22 		Subdivision 1.Teacher and administrator preparation and performance data; 
6.23 	report. (a) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board and the Board of 
6.24 	School Administrators, in cooperation with board-adopted board-approved teacher or 
6.25 	administrator preparation programs, annually must collect and report summary data on 
6.26 	teacher and administrator preparation and performance outcomes, consistent with this 
6.27 	subdivision. The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board and the Board of 
6.28 	School Administrators annually by June July 1 must update and post the reported summary 
6.29 	preparation and performance data on teachers and administrators from the preceding school 
6.30 	years on a website hosted jointly by the boards their respective websites.
6.31 	(b) Publicly reported summary data on teacher preparation programs providers must 
6.32 	include:
7.1 	(1) student entrance requirements for each Professional Educator Licensing and Standards 
7.2 	Board-approved program, including grade point average for enrolling students in the 
7.3 	preceding year;
7.4 	(2) the average board-adopted skills examination or ACT or SAT scores of students 
7.5 	entering the program in the preceding year;
7.6 	(3) (1) summary data on faculty all full-time, part-time, and adjunct teacher educator
7.7 	qualifications, including at least the content areas of faculty teacher educator undergraduate 
7.8 	and graduate degrees and their years of experience either as kindergarten birth through grade 
7.9 	12 classroom teachers or school administrators;
7.10 	(4) the average time resident and nonresident program graduates in the preceding year 
7.11 	needed to complete the program;
7.12 	(2) the current number and percentage of enrolled candidates who entered the program 
7.13 	through a transfer pathway disaggregated by race, except when disaggregation would not 
7.14 	yield statistically reliable results or would reveal personally identifiable information about 
7.15 	an individual;
7.16 	(5) (3) the current number and percentage of students program completers by program 
7.17 	who graduated, received a standard Minnesota teaching license, and Tier 3 or Tier 4 license 
7.18 	disaggregated by race, except when disaggregation would not yield statistically reliable 
7.19 	results or would reveal personally identifiable information about an individual;
7.20 	(4) the current number and percentage of program completers who entered the program 
7.21 	through a transfer pathway and received a Tier 3 or Tier 4 license disaggregated by race, 
7.22 	except when disaggregation would not yield statistically reliable results or would reveal 
7.23 	personally identifiable information about an individual;
7.24 	(5) the current number and percentage of program completers who were hired to teach 
7.25 	full time in their licensure field in a Minnesota district or school in the preceding year 
7.26 	disaggregated by race, except when disaggregation would not yield statistically reliable 
7.27 	results or would reveal personally identifiable information about an individual;
7.28 	(6) the number of content area credits and other credits by undergraduate program that 
7.29 	students in the preceding school year needed to complete to graduate; the current number 
7.30 	and percentage of program completers who entered the program through a transfer pathway 
7.31 	and who were hired to teach full time in their licensure field in a Minnesota district or school 
7.32 	in the preceding year disaggregated by race, except when disaggregation would not yield 
8.1 	statistically reliable results or would reveal personally identifiable information about an 
8.2 	individual;
8.3 	(7) students' pass rates on skills pedagogy and subject matter exams required for 
8.4 	graduation in each program and licensure area for program completers in the preceding 
8.5 	school year;
8.6 	(8) survey results measuring student and graduate satisfaction with the program how 
8.7 	prepared program completers felt during their first year of teaching in the preceding school 
8.8 	year disaggregated by race, except when disaggregation would not yield statistically reliable 
8.9 	results or would reveal personally identifiable information about an individual;
8.10 	(9) a standard measure of the satisfaction of survey results from school principals or 
8.11 	supervising teachers with the student teachers assigned to a school or supervising teacher
8.12 	supervisors on how prepared they felt their first-year teachers were in the preceding school 
8.13 	year; and
8.14 	(10) information under subdivision 3, paragraphs (a) and (b) the number and percentage 
8.15 	of program completers who met or exceed the state threshold score on the board-adopted 
8.16 	teacher performance assessment.
8.17 	Program reporting must be consistent with subdivision 2.
8.18 	(c) Publicly reported summary data on administrator preparation programs approved by 
8.19 	the Board of School Administrators must include:
8.20 	(1) summary data on faculty qualifications, including at least the content areas of faculty 
8.21 	undergraduate and graduate degrees and the years of experience either as kindergarten 
8.22 	through grade 12 classroom teachers or school administrators;
8.23 	(2) the average time program graduates in the preceding year needed to complete the 
8.24 	program;
8.25 	(3) the current number and percentage of students who graduated, received a standard 
8.26 	Minnesota administrator license, and were employed as an administrator in a Minnesota 
8.27 	school district or school in the preceding year disaggregated by race, except when 
8.28 	disaggregation would not yield statistically reliable results or would reveal personally 
8.29 	identifiable information about an individual;
8.30 	(4) the number of credits by graduate program that students in the preceding school year 
8.31 	needed to complete to graduate;
9.1 	(5) survey results measuring student, graduate, and employer satisfaction with the 
9.2 	program in the preceding school year disaggregated by race, except when disaggregation 
9.3 	would not yield statistically reliable results or would reveal personally identifiable 
9.4 	information about an individual; and
9.5 	(6) information under subdivision 3, paragraphs (c) and (d).
9.6 	Program reporting must be consistent with section 122A.14, subdivision 10.

9.7 	Sec. 17. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.091, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
9.8 		Subd. 2.Teacher preparation program reporting. (a) By December 31, 2018, and 
9.9 	annually thereafter, the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board shall report 
9.10 	and publish on its website the cumulative summary results of at least three consecutive 
9.11 	years of data reported to the board under subdivision 1, paragraph (b). Where the data are 
9.12 	sufficient to yield statistically reliable information and the results would not reveal personally 
9.13 	identifiable information about an individual teacher, the board shall report the data by teacher 
9.14 	preparation program.
9.15 	(b) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must report annually to 
9.16 	the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction 
9.17 	over kindergarten through grade 12 education, the following information:
9.18 	(1) the total number of teacher candidates during the most recent school year taking a 
9.19 	board-adopted skills examination;
9.20 	(2) the number who achieve a qualifying score on the examination;
9.21 	(3) the number who do not achieve a qualifying score on the examination; and
9.22 	(4) the number of candidates who have not passed a content or pedagogy exam.
9.23 	The information reported under this paragraph must be disaggregated by categories of race, 
9.24 	ethnicity, and, if applicable, eligibility for financial aid. The report must be submitted in 
9.25 	accordance with section 3.195.

9.26 	Sec. 18. [122A.094] TEACHER PREPARATION PROVIDERS.
9.27 		Subdivision 1.Purpose. Teacher preparation providers must be approved by the 
9.28 	Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board to prepare candidates for 
9.29 	teacher licensure in Minnesota. To provide alternative pathways toward Minnesota teacher 
9.30 	licensure outside of the traditional means, improve ethnic and cultural diversity in the 
9.31 	classroom, and to close the achievement gap, the Professional Educator Licensing and 
10.1 	Standards Board must approve qualified teacher preparation providers and programs under 
10.2 	this section that are a means to acquire a Tier 2 license under section 122A.182 and prepare 
10.3 	for acquiring a Tier 3 license under section 122A.183.
10.4 		Subd. 2.Rules. The board must adopt and revise rules to approve teacher preparation 
10.5 	programs, including alternative teacher preparation programs and two-year transfer 
10.6 	pre-education programs.
10.7 		Subd. 3.Eligibility. The following organizations are eligible to seek approval to be a 
10.8 	teacher preparation provider:
10.9 	(1) Minnesota institutions of higher education;
10.10 	(2) school districts;
10.11 	(3) charter schools; and
10.12 	(4) nonprofit corporations organized under chapter 317A for an education-related purpose.
10.13 		Subd. 4.Requirements for provider approval. An eligible entity must be approved 
10.14 	as a provider before being approved to provide programs toward licensure. The Professional 
10.15 	Educator Licensing and Standards Board must approve an eligible entity under subdivision 
10.16 	3 that meets the following requirements:
10.17 	(1) has evidence and history of fiscal solvency, capacity, and operation;
10.18 	(2) possesses necessary infrastructure to provide accurate, timely, and secure data for 
10.19 	the purposes of admission, candidate monitoring, testing, and program completion 
10.20 	requirements;
10.21 	(3) has policies and procedures in place ensuring the security of candidate records under 
10.22 	the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act;
10.23 	(4) has developed a research-based, results-oriented curriculum that focuses on the skills 
10.24 	teachers need to be effective;
10.25 	(5) provides a clinical experience that meets criteria set in rule for initial and additional 
10.26 	licensure programs;
10.27 	(6) includes a common core of teaching knowledge and skills. The Professional Educator 
10.28 	Licensing and Standards Board must adopt and revise rules to maintain a common core of 
10.29 	teaching knowledge and skills;
10.30 	(7) includes instruction on the knowledge and skills needed to provide appropriate 
10.31 	instruction to English learners to support and accelerate their academic literacy, including 
11.1 	oral academic language and achievement in content areas in a regular classroom setting; 
11.2 	and
11.3 	(8) includes culturally competent training on instructional strategies consistent with 
11.4 	section 120B.30, subdivision 1, paragraph (q), and Minnesota Rules, part 8710.0310, subpart 
11.5 	1, item D.
11.6 		Subd. 5.Program approval. The board must adopt and revise rules outlining the criteria 
11.7 	by which programs offered by approved providers may be approved. If the board determines 
11.8 	that a teacher preparation provider or licensure program fails to meet or is deficient in any 
11.9 	of the requirements in rule, it may suspend or revoke the approval of the provider or program 
11.10 	after it notifies the provider of the deficiencies and gives the provider an opportunity to 
11.11 	remedy the deficiencies.
11.12 		Subd. 6.Specialized credentials. The board may adopt and revise rules creating flexible, 
11.13 	specialized teaching licenses, credentials, and other endorsement forms.
11.14 		Subd. 7.Teacher educators. (a) The board must adopt and revise rules requiring teacher 
11.15 	educators to work directly with elementary or secondary school teachers in elementary or 
11.16 	secondary schools to obtain periodic exposure to the elementary and secondary teaching 
11.17 	environments.
11.18 	(b) The board must adopt and revise rules for the qualifications for teacher educators. 
11.19 	The board may use nontraditional criteria to determine qualifications of teacher educators, 
11.20 	including permitting instructors to hold a baccalaureate degree only. Nontraditional criteria 
11.21 	may include previous work experiences, teaching experiences, educator evaluations, 
11.22 	industry-recognized certifications, and other equivalent demonstrations of qualifications.
11.23 		Subd. 8.Reading strategies. (a) A teacher preparation provider approved by the 
11.24 	Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board to prepare persons for classroom 
11.25 	teacher licensure must include in its teacher preparation programs research-based best 
11.26 	practices in reading, consistent with section 122A.06, subdivision 4, that enable the licensure 
11.27 	candidate to teach reading in the candidate's content areas. Teacher candidates must be 
11.28 	instructed in using students' native languages as a resource in creating effective differentiated 
11.29 	instructional strategies for English learners developing literacy skills. A teacher preparation 
11.30 	provider must also prepare early childhood and elementary teacher candidates for Tier 3 
11.31 	and Tier 4 teaching licenses under sections 122A.183 and 122A.184, respectively, for the 
11.32 	portion of the examination under section 122A.185, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), covering 
11.33 	assessment of reading instruction.
12.1 	(b) Board-approved teacher preparation programs for teachers of elementary education 
12.2 	must require instruction in applying comprehensive, scientifically based or evidence-based, 
12.3 	and structured reading instruction programs that:
12.4 	(1) teach students to read using foundational knowledge, practices, and strategies 
12.5 	consistent with section 122A.06, subdivision 4, so that all students achieve continuous 
12.6 	progress in reading; and
12.7 	(2) teach specialized instruction in reading strategies, interventions, and remediations 
12.8 	that enable students of all ages and proficiency levels to become proficient readers.
12.9 	(c) Board-approved teacher preparation programs for teachers of elementary education, 
12.10 	early childhood education, special education, and reading intervention must include 
12.11 	instruction on dyslexia, as defined in section 125A.01, subdivision 2. Teacher preparation 
12.12 	programs may consult with the Department of Education, including the dyslexia specialist 
12.13 	under section 120B.122, to develop instruction under this paragraph. Instruction on dyslexia 
12.14 	must be modeled on practice standards of the International Dyslexia Association, and must 
12.15 	address:
12.16 	(1) the nature and symptoms of dyslexia;
12.17 	(2) resources available for students who show characteristics of dyslexia;
12.18 	(3) evidence-based instructional strategies for students who show characteristics of 
12.19 	dyslexia, including the structured literacy approach; and
12.20 	(4) outcomes of intervention and lack of intervention for students who show 
12.21 	characteristics of dyslexia.
12.22 	(d) Nothing in this section limits the authority of a school district to select a school's 
12.23 	reading program or curriculum.
12.24 		Subd. 9.Technology strategies. All preparation providers approved by the Professional 
12.25 	Educator Licensing and Standards Board to prepare persons for classroom teacher licensure 
12.26 	must include in their teacher preparation programs the knowledge and skills teacher 
12.27 	candidates need to engage students with technology and deliver digital and blended learning 
12.28 	and curriculum.
12.29 		Subd. 10.Reports. (a) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must 
12.30 	report annually to the education committees of the legislature on the performance of teacher 
12.31 	candidates aligned to section 122A.091, subdivision 1.
13.1 	(b) The board must also submit a biennial report on the alternative teacher preparation 
13.2 	providers to legislative committees having jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 
13.3 	education policy and finance by January 15 of each odd-numbered year.

13.4 	Sec. 19. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.15, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
13.5 		Subdivision 1.Teachers. The term "teachers" for the purpose of licensure, means all 
13.6 	persons employed in a public school or education district or by a service cooperative as 
13.7 	members of the instructional, supervisory, and support staff including superintendents, 
13.8 	principals, supervisors, secondary vocational and other classroom teachers, librarians, school 
13.9 	counselors, school psychologists, school nurses, school social workers, audio-visual directors 
13.10 	and coordinators, recreation personnel, media generalists, media supervisors, and speech 
13.11 	therapists school speech-language pathologists. This definition does not apply to sections 
13.12 	122A.05 to 122A.093.

13.13 	Sec. 20. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.16, is amended to read:
13.14 	122A.16 QUALIFIED TEACHER DEFINED.
13.15 	A qualified teacher is one holding a valid license, or permission under this chapter, to 
13.16 	perform the particular service for which the teacher is employed in a public school.

13.17 	Sec. 21. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.18, subdivision 7a, is amended to read:
13.18 		Subd. 7a.PermissionLicense to substitute teach. (a) The Professional Educator 
13.19 	Licensing and Standards Board must issue licenses to substitute teach to applicants who 
13.20 	meet the qualifications prescribed in this subdivision and in Minnesota Rules.
13.21 	(a) (b) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board may allow a person
13.22 	issue a short-call substitute teaching license to an applicant who otherwise qualifies for a 
13.23 	Tier 1 license in accordance with section 122A.181, subdivision 2, or is enrolled in and 
13.24 	making satisfactory progress in a board-approved state-approved teacher program and who 
13.25 	has successfully completed student teaching to be employed as a short-call substitute teacher.
13.26 	(b) (c) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board may issue a lifetime 
13.27 	qualified short-call or long-call substitute teaching license to a person an applicant who:
13.28 	(1) was a qualified teacher under section 122A.16 while holding a Tier 3 or Tier 4 
13.29 	teaching license issued by the board, under sections 122A.183 and 122A.184, respectively, 
13.30 	and receives a retirement annuity from the Teachers Retirement Association or the St. Paul 
13.31 	Teachers Retirement Fund Association;
14.1 	(2) holds an out-of-state teaching license and receives a retirement annuity as a result 
14.2 	of the person's teaching experience; or
14.3 	(3) held a Tier 3 or Tier 4 teaching license issued by the board, under sections 122A.183
14.4 	and 122A.184, respectively, taught at least three school years in an accredited nonpublic 
14.5 	school in Minnesota, and receives a retirement annuity as a result of the person's teaching 
14.6 	experience.
14.7 	A person holding a lifetime qualified short-call or long-call substitute teaching license is 
14.8 	not required to complete continuing education clock hours. A person holding this license 
14.9 	may reapply to the board for either:
14.10 	(i) a Tier 3 or Tier 4 teaching license under sections 122A.183 and 122A.184, 
14.11 	respectively, and must again complete continuing education clock hours renewal requirements 
14.12 	pursuant to section 122A.187 one school year after receiving the Tier 3 or Tier 4 teaching 
14.13 	license; or
14.14 	(ii) a Tier 1 license under section 122A.181, provided that the candidate applicant has 
14.15 	a bachelor's degree, an associate's degree, or an appropriate professional credential in the 
14.16 	content area the candidate applicant will teach, in accordance with section 122A.181, 
14.17 	subdivision 2.

14.18 	Sec. 22. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.18, subdivision 8, is amended to read:
14.19 		Subd. 8.Background checks studies. (a) The Professional Educator Licensing and 
14.20 	Standards Board and the Board of School Administrators must obtain initiate a criminal 
14.21 	history background check study on all first-time teaching applicants for educator licenses 
14.22 	under their jurisdiction. Applicants must include with their licensure applications:
14.23 	(1) an executed criminal history consent form, including fingerprints; and
14.24 	(2) payment to conduct the background check. The Professional Educator Licensing and 
14.25 	Standards Board must deposit payments received under this subdivision in an account in 
14.26 	the special revenue fund. Amounts in the account are annually appropriated to the 
14.27 	Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board to pay for the costs of background 
14.28 	checks on applicants for licensure.
14.29 	(b) The background check for all first-time teaching applicants for licenses must include 
14.30 	a review of information from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, including criminal 
14.31 	history data as defined in section 13.87, and must also include a review of the national 
14.32 	criminal records repository. The superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension 
14.33 	is authorized to exchange fingerprints with the Federal Bureau of Investigation for purposes 
15.1 	of the criminal history check. The superintendent shall recover the cost to the bureau of a 
15.2 	background check through the fee charged to the applicant under paragraph (a).
15.3 	(c) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must contract with and 
15.4 	the Board of School Administrators may initiate criminal background studies through the 
15.5 	commissioner of human services to conduct background checks and obtain background 
15.6 	check data required under this chapter.

15.7 	Sec. 23. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.18, subdivision 10, is amended to read:
15.8 		Subd. 10.Licensure via portfolio. (a) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards 
15.9 	Board must adopt and revise rules establishing a process for an eligible candidate applicant
15.10 	to obtain any teacher an initial Tier 3 license under subdivision 1, or to add a licensure field,
15.11 	to a Tier 3 or Tier 4 license via portfolio. The portfolio licensure application process must 
15.12 	be consistent with the requirements in this subdivision.
15.13 	(b) A candidate An applicant for a an initial Tier 3 license via portfolio must submit to 
15.14 	the board one portfolio demonstrating pedagogical competence and one portfolio 
15.15 	demonstrating content competence.
15.16 	(c) A candidate An applicant seeking to add a licensure field via portfolio must submit 
15.17 	to the board one portfolio demonstrating content competence for each licensure field the 
15.18 	candidate seeks to add.
15.19 	(d) The board must notify a candidate an applicant who submits a portfolio under 
15.20 	paragraph (b) or (c) within 90 120 calendar days after the portfolio is received whether or 
15.21 	not the portfolio is approved. If the portfolio is not approved, the board must immediately
15.22 	inform the candidate applicant how to revise the portfolio to successfully demonstrate the 
15.23 	requisite competence. The candidate applicant may resubmit a revised portfolio at any time
15.24 	within two years and the board must approve or disapprove the revised portfolio within 60
15.25 	90 calendar days of receiving it.
15.26 	(e) A candidate An applicant must pay a fee for a portfolio in accordance with section 
15.27 	122A.21, subdivision 4.

15.28 	Sec. 24. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.181, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
15.29 		Subdivision 1.Application requirements. The Professional Educator Licensing and 
15.30 	Standards Board must approve a request from a district or charter school to issue a Tier 1 
15.31 	license in a specified content area to a candidate an application for a Tier 1 license in a 
15.32 	specified content area if:
16.1 	(1) the application has been submitted jointly by the applicant and the district;
16.2 	(2) the application has been paid for by the district or the applicant;
16.3 	(3) the candidate applicant meets the professional requirement in subdivision 2;
16.4 	(2) (4) the district or charter school affirms that the candidate applicant has the necessary 
16.5 	skills and knowledge to teach in the specified content area; and
16.6 	(3) (5) the district or charter school demonstrates that: (i) a criminal background check 
16.7 	under section 122A.18, subdivision 8, has been completed on the candidate applicant; and
16.8 	(ii) (6) the district or charter school has posted the teacher position but was unable to 
16.9 	hire an acceptable teacher with a Tier 2, 3, or 4 license for the position.

16.10 	Sec. 25. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.181, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
16.11 		Subd. 2.Professional requirements. (a) A candidate An applicant for a Tier 1 license 
16.12 	must have a bachelor's degree to teach a class or course outside a career and technical 
16.13 	education or career pathways course of study, unless specifically exempt by state statute or 
16.14 	rule.
16.15 	(b) A candidate for a Tier 1 license must have one of the following credentials in a 
16.16 	relevant content area to teach a class in a career and technical education or career pathways 
16.17 	course of study:
16.18 	(1) an associate's degree;
16.19 	(2) a professional certification; or
16.20 	(3) five years of relevant work experience.

16.21 	Sec. 26. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.181, is amended by adding a subdivision 
16.22 	to read:
16.23 		Subd. 2a.Exemptions from a bachelor's degree. (a) The following applicants for a 
16.24 	Tier 1 license are exempt from the requirement to hold a bachelor's degree in subdivision 
16.25 	2:
16.26 	(1) an applicant for a Tier 1 license to teach career and technical education or career 
16.27 	pathways courses of study if the applicant has:
16.28 	(i) an associate's degree;
16.29 	(ii) a professional certification; or
17.1 	(iii) five years of relevant work experience;
17.2 	(2) an applicant for a Tier 1 license to teach World Languages and Culture pursuant to 
17.3 	Minnesota Rules, part 8710.4950, if the applicant is a native speaker of the language;
17.4 	(3) an applicant for a Tier 1 license in the performing or visual arts pursuant to Minnesota 
17.5 	Rules, parts 8710.4300 (Dance and Theater), 8710.4310 (Dance), 8710.4320 (Theater), 
17.6 	8710.4650 (Vocal Music and Instrumental Music), and 8710.4900 (Visual Arts), if the 
17.7 	applicant has at least five years of relevant work experience; and
17.8 	(4) an applicant for a Tier 1 license who is enrolled in a state-approved teacher preparation 
17.9 	program classified as a residency model aligned to the scope and field of the assignment. 
17.10 	The residency program must lead to a bachelor's degree unless the program is aligned to 
17.11 	one of the licensure areas outlined in this subdivision.
17.12 	(b) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must adopt and revise 
17.13 	rules regarding the qualifications and determinations for applicants exempt from paragraph 
17.14 	(a).

17.15 	Sec. 27. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.181, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
17.16 		Subd. 3.Term of license and renewal. (a) The Professional Educator Licensing and 
17.17 	Standards Board must issue an initial Tier 1 license for a term of one year. A Tier 1 license 
17.18 	may be renewed subject to paragraphs (b) and (c). The board may submit written comments 
17.19 	to the district or charter school that requested the renewal regarding the candidate.
17.20 	(b) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must renew a Tier 1 
17.21 	license if:
17.22 	(1) the district or charter school requesting the renewal demonstrates that it has posted 
17.23 	the teacher position but was unable to hire an acceptable teacher with a Tier 2, 3, or 4 license 
17.24 	for the position; and
17.25 	(2) the teacher holding the Tier 1 license took a content examination in accordance with 
17.26 	section 122A.185 and submitted the examination results to the teacher's employing district 
17.27 	or charter school within one year of the board approving the request for the initial Tier 1 
17.28 	license;
17.29 	(3) (2) the teacher holding the Tier 1 license participated in cultural competency training 
17.30 	consistent with section 120B.30, subdivision 1, paragraph (q), within one year of the board 
17.31 	approving the request for the initial Tier 1 license; and
18.1 	(4) (3) the teacher holding the Tier 1 license met the mental illness training renewal 
18.2 	requirement under section 122A.187, subdivision 6.; and
18.3 	The requirement in clause (2) does not apply to a teacher that teaches a class in a career and 
18.4 	technical education or career pathways course of study.
18.5 	(4) the district demonstrates professional development opportunities and other supports 
18.6 	provided to move the teacher from a Tier 1 license to a higher tier.
18.7 	(c) A Tier 1 license must not be renewed more than three times, unless the requesting 
18.8 	district or charter school can show good cause for additional renewals. A Tier 1 license 
18.9 	issued to teach (1) a class or course in a career and technical education or career pathway 
18.10 	course of study or (2) in a shortage area, as defined in section 122A.06, subdivision 6, may 
18.11 	be renewed without limitation.

18.12 	Sec. 28. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.181, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
18.13 		Subd. 4.Application. The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must 
18.14 	accept and review applications for a Tier 1 teaching license beginning July 1 of the school 
18.15 	year for which the license is requested and must issue or deny the Tier 1 teaching license 
18.16 	within 30 days of receiving the completed application, unless permitted by the board to 
18.17 	accept and review applications earlier.

18.18 	Sec. 29. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.181, subdivision 6, is amended to read:
18.19 		Subd. 6.Mentorship and evaluation. (a) A teacher holding a Tier 1 license must 
18.20 	participate in the employing district or charter school's mentorship program and professional 
18.21 	development. A district that hires a Tier 1 teacher must provide mentorship aligned to 
18.22 	board-adopted criteria and professional development opportunities to that teacher.
18.23 	(b) A teacher holding a Tier 1 license must participate in an evaluation aligned, to the 
18.24 	extent practicable, with the evaluation under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or 122A.41, 
18.25 	subdivision 5.

18.26 	Sec. 30. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.182, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
18.27 		Subdivision 1.Requirements. (a) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards 
18.28 	Board must approve a request from a district or charter school to issue an application for a 
18.29 	Tier 2 license in a specified content area to a candidate if:
18.30 	(1) the candidate meets the educational or professional requirements in paragraph (b) 
18.31 	or (c) the application has been submitted jointly by the applicant and the district;
19.1 	(2) the candidate:
19.2 	(i) has completed the coursework required under subdivision 2;
19.3 	(ii) is enrolled in a Minnesota-approved teacher preparation program; or
19.4 	(iii) has a master's degree in the specified content area; and
19.5 	(3) the district or charter school demonstrates that a criminal background check under 
19.6 	section 122A.18, subdivision 8, has been completed on the candidate.
19.7 	(b) A candidate for a Tier 2 license must have a bachelor's degree to teach a class outside 
19.8 	a career and technical education or career pathways course of study.
19.9 	(c) A candidate for a Tier 2 license must have one of the following credentials in a 
19.10 	relevant content area to teach a class or course in a career and technical education or career 
19.11 	pathways course of study:
19.12 	(1) an associate's degree;
19.13 	(2) a professional certification; or
19.14 	(3) five years of relevant work experience.
19.15 	(2) the application has been paid for by the district or the applicant;
19.16 	(3) the applicant holds a bachelor's degree, unless specifically exempt by statute or rule;
19.17 	(4) the district demonstrates that a criminal background check under section 122A.18, 
19.18 	subdivision 8, has been completed for the applicant; and
19.19 	(5) the applicant:
19.20 	(i) has a master's degree in the specified content area;
19.21 	(ii) is enrolled in a state-approved teacher preparation program; or
19.22 	(iii) for a license to teach career and technical education and career pathways, has 
19.23 	completed two years of field-specific teaching experience on a Tier 1 license and completed 
19.24 	training in classroom management, cultural competency, and teacher ethics.

19.25 	Sec. 31. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.182, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
19.26 		Subd. 2.Coursework Exemptions from a bachelor's degree. (a) A candidate for a 
19.27 	Tier 2 license must meet the coursework requirement by demonstrating completion of two 
19.28 	of the following:
19.29 	(1) at least eight upper division or graduate-level credits in the relevant content area;
20.1 	(2) field-specific methods of training, including coursework;
20.2 	(3) at least two years of teaching experience in a similar content area in any state, as 
20.3 	determined by the board;
20.4 	(4) a passing score on the pedagogy and content exams under section 122A.185; or
20.5 	(5) completion of a state-approved teacher preparation program.
20.6 	(b) For purposes of paragraph (a), "upper division" means classes normally taken at the 
20.7 	junior or senior level of college which require substantial knowledge and skill in the field. 
20.8 	Candidates must identify the upper division credits that fulfill the requirement in paragraph 
20.9 	(a), clause (1).
20.10 	(a) The following applicants for a Tier 2 license are exempt from the requirement to 
20.11 	hold a bachelor's degree in subdivision 1:
20.12 	(1) an applicant for a Tier 2 license to teach career and technical education or career 
20.13 	pathways courses of study when the applicant has:
20.14 	(i) an associate's degree;
20.15 	(ii) a professional certification; or
20.16 	(iii) five years of relevant work experience;
20.17 	(2) an applicant for a Tier 2 license to teach world languages and culture pursuant to 
20.18 	Minnesota Rules, part8710.4950, when the applicant is a native speaker of the language.
20.19 	(3) an applicant for a Tier 2 license in the performing or visual arts pursuant to Minnesota 
20.20 	Rules, parts 8710.4300 (dance and theater), 8710.4310 (dance), 8710.4320 (theater), 
20.21 	8710.4650 (vocal music and instrumental music), and 8710.4900 (visual arts), when the 
20.22 	applicant has at least five years of relevant work experience.
20.23 	(b) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must adopt and revise 
20.24 	rules regarding the qualifications and determinations for applicants exempt from the 
20.25 	requirement to hold a bachelor's degree in subdivision 1.

20.26 	Sec. 32. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.182, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
20.27 		Subd. 3.Term of license and renewal. (a) The Professional Educator Licensing and 
20.28 	Standards Board must issue an initial Tier 2 license for a term of two years. A Tier 2 license 
20.29 	may be renewed three two times. The board must adopt rules establishing good cause 
20.30 	justifications for additional renewals after the initial license has been renewed two times.
21.1 	(b) A teacher holding a Tier 2 license in career and technical education or career pathways 
21.2 	course of study may receive unlimited renewals.
21.3 	(c) Before a Tier 2 license is renewed for the first time, a teacher holding a Tier 2 license 
21.4 	must participate in cultural competency training consistent with section 120B.30, subdivision 
21.5 	1, paragraph (q), and; mental illness training under section 122A.187, subdivision 6. The 
21.6 	board must issue rules setting forth the conditions for additional renewals after the initial 
21.7 	license has been renewed three times; and the district demonstrates professional development 
21.8 	opportunities and other supports provided to move the teacher to a higher tier.

21.9 	Sec. 33. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.182, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
21.10 		Subd. 4.Application. The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must 
21.11 	accept and review applications for a Tier 2 teaching license beginning July 1 of the school 
21.12 	year for which the license is requested and must issue or deny the Tier 2 teaching license 
21.13 	within 30 days of receiving the completed application, unless permitted by the board to 
21.14 	accept and review applications earlier.

21.15 	Sec. 34. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.182, subdivision 7, is amended to read:
21.16 		Subd. 7.Mentorship and evaluation. (a) A teacher holding a Tier 2 license must 
21.17 	participate in the employing district or charter school's mentorship and evaluation program, 
21.18 	including an individual growth and development plan that includes cultural competency 
21.19 	under section 120B.30, subdivision 1, paragraph (q). A district that hires a teacher holding 
21.20 	a Tier 2 license must provide mentorship aligned to board-adopted criteria to that teacher 
21.21 	and professional development opportunities.
21.22 	(b) A teacher holding a Tier 2 license must participate in an evaluation aligned, to the 
21.23 	extent practicable, with the evaluation under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or section 
21.24 	122A.41, subdivision 5.

21.25 	Sec. 35. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.183, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
21.26 		Subdivision 1.Requirements. (a) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards 
21.27 	Board must issue a Tier 3 license to a candidate an applicant who provides information 
21.28 	sufficient to demonstrate all of the following:
21.29 	(1) the candidate meets the educational or professional requirements in paragraphs (b) 
21.30 	and (c);
22.1 	(2) the candidate has obtained a passing score on the required licensure exams under 
22.2 	section 122A.185; and
22.3 	(1) the applicant for a Tier 3 license must have a bachelor's degree to teach a class or 
22.4 	course, unless specifically exempt by state statute or rule; and
22.5 	(3) (2) the candidate applicant has completed the coursework required under subdivision 
22.6 	2.
22.7 	(b) A candidate for a Tier 3 license must have a bachelor's degree to teach a class or 
22.8 	course outside a career and technical education or career pathways course of study.
22.9 	(c) A candidate for a Tier 3 license must have one of the following credentials in a 
22.10 	relevant content area to teach a class or course in a career and technical education or career 
22.11 	pathways course of study:
22.12 	(1) an associate's degree;
22.13 	(2) a professional certification; or
22.14 	(3) five years of relevant work experience.
22.15 	In consultation with the governor's Workforce Development Board established under section 
22.16 	116L.665, the board must establish a list of qualifying certifications, and may add additional 
22.17 	professional certifications in consultation with school administrators, teachers, and other 
22.18 	stakeholders.

22.19 	Sec. 36. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.183, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
22.20 		Subd. 2.Coursework. A candidate An applicant for a Tier 3 license must meet the 
22.21 	coursework requirement by demonstrating one of the following:
22.22 	(1) completion of a Minnesota-approved teacher preparation program;
22.23 	(2) completion of a state-approved teacher preparation program that includes field-specific 
22.24 	student teaching equivalent to field-specific student teaching in Minnesota-approved teacher 
22.25 	preparation programs. The field-specific student teaching requirement does not apply to a 
22.26 	candidate an applicant that has two years of field-specific teaching experience;
22.27 	(3) submission of a content-specific licensure portfolio; or
22.28 	(4) a professional teaching license from another state, evidence that the candidate's
22.29 	applicant's license is in good standing, and two years of field-specific teaching experience; 
22.30 	or.
23.1 	(5) three years of teaching experience under a Tier 2 license and evidence of summative 
23.2 	teacher evaluations that did not result in placing or otherwise keeping the teacher on an 
23.3 	improvement process pursuant to section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or section 122A.41, 
23.4 	subdivision 5.

23.5 	Sec. 37. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.183, is amended by adding a subdivision 
23.6 	to read:
23.7 		Subd. 2a.Exemptions from a bachelor's degree. (a) The following applicants for a 
23.8 	Tier 3 license are exempt from the requirement to hold a bachelor's degree in subdivision 
23.9 	1:
23.10 	(1) an applicant for a Tier 3 license to teach career and technical education or career 
23.11 	pathways courses of study when the applicant has:
23.12 	(i) an associate's degree;
23.13 	(ii) a professional certification; or
23.14 	(iii) five years of relevant work experience;
23.15 	(2) an applicant for a Tier 3 license to teach world languages and culture pursuant to 
23.16 	Minnesota Rules, part 8710.4950, if the applicant is a native speaker of the language; and
23.17 	(3) an applicant for a Tier 3 license in the performing or visual arts pursuant to Minnesota 
23.18 	Rules, parts 8710.4300 (dance and theater), 8710.4310 (dance), 8710.4320 (theater), 
23.19 	8710.4650 (vocal music and instrumental music), and 8710.4900 (visual arts), if the applicant 
23.20 	has at least five years of relevant work experience.
23.21 	(b) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must adopt and revise 
23.22 	rules regarding the qualifications and determinations for applicants exempt from subdivision 
23.23 	1.

23.24 	Sec. 38. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.183, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
23.25 		Subd. 3.Term of license and renewal. The Professional Educator Licensing and 
23.26 	Standards Board must issue an initial Tier 3 license for a term of three years. Before a Tier 
23.27 	3 is renewed for the first time, the applicant must meet initial teacher renewal requirements 
23.28 	in section 122A.187. A Tier 3 license may be renewed every three years without limitation.

24.1 	Sec. 39. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.184, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
24.2 		Subdivision 1.Requirements. The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards 
24.3 	Board must issue a Tier 4 license to a candidate an applicant who provides information 
24.4 	sufficient to demonstrate all of the following:
24.5 	(1) the candidate applicant meets all requirements for a Tier 3 license under section 
24.6 	122A.183, and has completed a teacher preparation program under section 122A.183, 
24.7 	subdivision 2, clause (1) or (2);
24.8 	(2) the candidate applicant has at least three years of field-specific teaching experience 
24.9 	in Minnesota as teacher of record;
24.10 	(3) the candidate applicant has obtained a passing score on all required licensure exams 
24.11 	under section 122A.185; and
24.12 	(4) the candidate's most recent summative teacher evaluation did not result in placing 
24.13 	or otherwise keeping the teacher in an improvement process pursuant to section 122A.40, 
24.14 	subdivision 8, or 122A.41, subdivision 5 if the applicant previously held a Tier 3 license 
24.15 	under section 122A.183, the applicant has completed the initial teacher renewal requirements 
24.16 	in section 122A.187.

24.17 	Sec. 40. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.184, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
24.18 		Subd. 2.Term of license and renewal. The Professional Educator Licensing and 
24.19 	Standards Board must issue an initial Tier 4 license for a term of five years. A Tier 4 license 
24.20 	may be renewed every five years without limitation if the applicant meets the continuing 
24.21 	teacher renewal requirements in section 122A.187.

24.22 	Sec. 41. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.185, subdivision 1, is amended to read:
24.23 		Subdivision 1.Tests. (a) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board 
24.24 	must adopt rules requiring a candidate to demonstrate a passing score on a board-adopted 
24.25 	examination of skills in reading, writing, and mathematics before being granted a Tier 4 
24.26 	teaching license under section 122A.184 to provide direct instruction to pupils in elementary, 
24.27 	secondary, or special education programs. Candidates may obtain a Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 
24.28 	3 license to provide direct instruction to pupils in elementary, secondary, or special education 
24.29 	programs if candidates meet the other requirements in section 122A.181, 122A.182, or 
24.30 	122A.183, respectively.
24.31 	(b) (a) The board must adopt and revise rules requiring candidates applicants for Tier 3 
24.32 	and Tier 4 licenses to pass an examination or performance assessment of general pedagogical 
25.1 	knowledge and examinations of licensure field specific content, including an examination 
25.2 	taken in another state. The content examination requirement does not apply if no relevant 
25.3 	content exam exists.
25.4 	(c) Candidates (b) Applicants for initial Tier 3 and Tier 4 licenses to teach elementary 
25.5 	students must pass test items assessing the candidates' applicants' knowledge, skill, and 
25.6 	ability in comprehensive, scientifically based reading instruction under section 122A.06, 
25.7 	subdivision 4, knowledge and understanding of the foundations of reading development, 
25.8 	development of reading comprehension and reading assessment and instruction, and the 
25.9 	ability to integrate that knowledge and understanding into instruction strategies under section 
25.10 	122A.06, subdivision 4.
25.11 	(d) The requirement to pass a board-adopted reading, writing, and mathematics skills 
25.12 	examination does not apply to nonnative English speakers, as verified by qualified Minnesota 
25.13 	school district personnel or Minnesota higher education faculty, who, after meeting the 
25.14 	content and pedagogy requirements under this subdivision, apply for a teaching license to 
25.15 	provide direct instruction in their native language or world language instruction under section 
25.16 	120B.022, subdivision 1.

25.17 	Sec. 42. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.185, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
25.18 		Subd. 4.Remedial assistance. (a) A board-approved teacher preparation program must 
25.19 	make available upon request remedial assistance that includes a formal diagnostic component 
25.20 	to persons enrolled in their institution teacher preparation program who did not achieve a 
25.21 	qualifying score on a board-adopted skills examination, including those for whom English 
25.22 	is a second language. The teacher preparation programs must make available assistance in 
25.23 	the specific academic areas of candidates' deficiency. Teacher preparation providers must 
25.24 	report annually on supports provided, number of candidates supported, and demographic 
25.25 	data of those candidates.
25.26 	(b) School districts may make available upon request similar, appropriate, and timely 
25.27 	remedial assistance that includes a formal diagnostic component to those persons employed 
25.28 	by the district who completed their teacher education program, who did not achieve a 
25.29 	qualifying score on a board-adopted skills examination, and who received a Tier 1, Tier 2, 
25.30 	or Tier 3 license under section 122A.181, 122A.182, or 122A.183, respectively, to teach in 
25.31 	Minnesota.

26.1 	Sec. 43. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.187, is amended to read:
26.2 	122A.187 EXPIRATION AND RENEWAL.
26.3 		Subdivision 1.License form requirements. Each license issued under this chapter must 
26.4 	bear the date of issue and the name of the state-approved teacher training provider or 
26.5 	alternative teaching program, as applicable. Licenses must expire and be renewed according 
26.6 	to rules adopted by the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board or the Board 
26.7 	of School Administrators. The rules adopted by the Professional Educator Licensing and 
26.8 	Standards Board for renewing a Tier 3 or Tier 4 license under sections 122A.183 and 
26.9 	122A.184, respectively, must include showing satisfactory evidence of successful teaching 
26.10 	or administrative experience for at least one school year during the period covered by the 
26.11 	license in grades or subjects for which the license is valid or completing such additional 
26.12 	preparation as required under this section, or as the Professional Educator Licensing and 
26.13 	Standards Board prescribes. The Board of School Administrators shall establish requirements 
26.14 	for renewing the licenses of supervisory personnel except athletic coaches. The Professional 
26.15 	Educator Licensing and Standards Board shall establish requirements for renewing the 
26.16 	licenses of athletic coaches.
26.17 		Subd. 2.Local committees. The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board 
26.18 	must receive recommendations from local committees as established by the board for the 
26.19 	renewal of teaching licenses.
26.20 		Subd. 3.Professional growth. (a) Applicants for license renewal for a Tier 3 or Tier 4 
26.21 	license under sections 122A.183 and 122A.184, respectively, who have been employed as 
26.22 	a teacher during the renewal period of the expiring license, as a condition of license renewal, 
26.23 	must present to their local continuing education and relicensure committee or other local 
26.24 	relicensure committee evidence of work that demonstrates professional reflection and growth 
26.25 	in best teaching practices, including among other things, cultural competence in accordance 
26.26 	with section 120B.30, subdivision 1, paragraph (q), and practices in meeting the varied 
26.27 	needs of English learners, from young children to adults under section 124D.59, subdivisions 
26.28 	2 and 2a. A teacher may satisfy the requirements of this paragraph by submitting the teacher's 
26.29 	most recent summative evaluation or improvement plan under section 122A.40, subdivision 
26.30 	8, or 122A.41, subdivision 5.
26.31 	(b) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must ensure that its teacher 
26.32 	relicensing requirements include paragraph (a).
26.33 	(c) The board may adopt and revise rule setting criteria for initial Tier 3 license renewal 
26.34 	requirements that must be completed before a teacher may move to a Tier 4 license.
27.1 		Subd. 4.Behavior interventions. The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards 
27.2 	Board must adopt and revise rules that require all licensed teachers who are renewing a Tier 
27.3 	3 or Tier 4 teaching license under sections 122A.183 and 122A.184, respectively, to include 
27.4 	in the renewal requirements further preparation in the areas of using positive behavior 
27.5 	interventions and in accommodating, modifying, and adapting curricula, materials, and 
27.6 	strategies to appropriately meet the needs of individual students and ensure adequate progress 
27.7 	toward the state's graduation rule.
27.8 		Subd. 5.Reading preparation. The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards 
27.9 	Board must adopt and revise rules that require all licensed teachers who are renewing a Tier 
27.10 	3 or Tier 4 teaching license under sections 122A.183 and 122A.184, respectively, to include 
27.11 	in the renewal requirements further reading preparation, consistent with section 122A.06, 
27.12 	subdivision 4. The rules do not take effect until they are approved by law. Teachers who 
27.13 	do not provide direct instruction including, at least, counselors, school psychologists, school 
27.14 	nurses, school social workers, audiovisual directors and coordinators, and recreation 
27.15 	personnel are exempt from this section.
27.16 		Subd. 6.Mental illness health. The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards 
27.17 	Board must adopt and revise rules that require all licensed teachers renewing a teaching 
27.18 	license under sections 122A.181 to 122A.184 to include in the renewal requirements at least 
27.19 	one hour of suicide prevention best practices training in each licensure renewal period based 
27.20 	on nationally recognized evidence-based programs and practices, among the continuing 
27.21 	education credits required to renew a license under this subdivision. Initial training must 
27.22 	include understanding the key warning signs of early-onset mental illness in children and 
27.23 	adolescents, and during subsequent licensure renewal periods, training must include a more 
27.24 	in-depth understanding of students' mental illness trauma, accommodations for students' 
27.25 	mental illness, parents' roles in addressing students' mental illness, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum 
27.26 	Disorders, autism, the requirements of section 125A.0942 governing restrictive procedures, 
27.27 	and de-escalation methods, among other similar topics.
27.28 		Subd. 7.Cultural competency. The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards 
27.29 	Board must adopt and revise rules that require all licensed teachers renewing a Tier 3 or 
27.30 	Tier 4 license under sections 122A.183 and 122A.184, respectively, to include cultural 
27.31 	competency training.
27.32 		Subd. 8.Meeting needs of multilingual learners. The Professional Educator Licensing 
27.33 	and Standards Board must adopt and revise rules requiring all licensed teachers renewing 
27.34 	a Tier 3 or Tier 4 license under sections 122A.183 and 122A.184, respectively, to include 
28.1 	a training on meeting the varied needs of multilingual learners from young children to adults 
28.2 	under section 124D.59, subdivisions 2 and 2a.
28.3 		Subd. 9.Mandatory renewal requirements. The board must adopt and revise rules 
28.4 	setting forth standards that meet all mandatory renewal requirements. All trainings meeting 
28.5 	the renewal requirements for subdivisions 4 to 8 must align to board-adopted criteria. Any 
28.6 	training provided outside of a district, charter school, cooperative unit, or state agency must 
28.7 	be approved by the board to be accepted to meet this renewal requirement.

28.8 	Sec. 44. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.19, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
28.9 		Subd. 4.Teacher preparation programs. (a) For the purpose of licensing bilingual 
28.10 	and English as a second language teachers, the board may approve teacher preparation
28.11 	programs at colleges or universities designed for their training.
28.12 	(b) Programs that prepare English as a second language teachers must provide instruction 
28.13 	in implementing research-based practices designed specifically for English learners. The 
28.14 	programs must focus on developing English learners' academic language proficiency in 
28.15 	English, including oral academic language, giving English learners meaningful access to 
28.16 	the full school curriculum, developing culturally relevant teaching practices appropriate for 
28.17 	immigrant students, and providing more intensive instruction and resources to English 
28.18 	learners with lower levels of academic English proficiency and varied needs, consistent 
28.19 	with section 124D.59, subdivisions 2 and 2a.

28.20 	Sec. 45. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.21, is amended to read:
28.21 	122A.21 TEACHERS' AND ADMINISTRATORS' LICENSES; FEES.
28.22 		Subdivision 1.Licensure and permission applications. Each applicant submitting an 
28.23 	application to the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board to issue, renew, or 
28.24 	extend a teaching license or permission, including applications for licensure via portfolio 
28.25 	under subdivision 4, must include a processing fee of $57 $85. The processing fee for a 
28.26 	teacher's license or permission and for the licenses of supervisory personnel must be paid 
28.27 	to the executive secretary director of the appropriate board and deposited in the state treasury. 
28.28 	The fees as set by the board are nonrefundable for applicants not qualifying for a license. 
28.29 	However, the commissioner of management and budget must refund a fee in any case in 
28.30 	which the applicant already holds a valid unexpired license. The board may waive or reduce 
28.31 	fees for applicants who apply at the same time for more than one license.
29.1 		Subd. 4.Licensure via portfolio. A candidate An applicant must pay to the Professional 
29.2 	Educator Licensing and Standards Board a $300 fee for the first a pedagogical portfolio 
29.3 	submitted for review and a $200 fee for any portfolio submitted subsequently each content 
29.4 	portfolio. The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board executive secretary
29.5 	director must deposit the fee in the education licensure portfolio account in the special 
29.6 	revenue fund. The fees are nonrefundable for applicants not qualifying for a license. The 
29.7 	Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board may waive or reduce fees for 
29.8 	candidates applicants based on financial need.

29.9 	Sec. 46. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.635, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
29.10 		Subd. 3.Grant program administration. The Professional Educator Licensing and 
29.11 	Standards Board may enter into an interagency agreement with the Office of Higher 
29.12 	Education. The agreement may include a transfer of funds to the Office of Higher Education 
29.13 	to help establish and administer the competitive grant process. The board must award grants 
29.14 	to institutions located in various economic development regions throughout the state, but 
29.15 	must not predetermine the number of institutions to be awarded grants under this section 
29.16 	or set a limit for the amount that any one institution may receive as part of the competitive 
29.17 	grant application process. All grants must be awarded by August 15 of the fiscal year in 
29.18 	which the grants are to be used except that, for initial competitive grants awarded for fiscal 
29.19 	year 2020, grants must be awarded by September 15. Grants awarded after fiscal year 2021 
29.20 	will be awarded for a two-year grant period. An institution that receives a grant under this 
29.21 	section may use the grant funds over a two- to four-year period to support teacher candidates.

29.22 	Sec. 47. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.635, subdivision 4, is amended to read:
29.23 		Subd. 4.Report. (a) By January 15 June 30 of each year, an institution awarded a grant 
29.24 	under this section must prepare for the legislature and the board a detailed report regarding 
29.25 	the expenditure of grant funds, including the amounts used to recruit, retain, and induct 
29.26 	teacher candidates of color or who are American Indian. The report must include the total 
29.27 	number of teacher candidates of color, disaggregated by race or ethnic group, who are 
29.28 	recruited to the institution, are newly admitted to the licensure program, are enrolled in the 
29.29 	licensure program, have completed student teaching, have graduated, are licensed, and are 
29.30 	newly employed as Minnesota teachers in their licensure field. A grant recipient must report 
29.31 	the total number of teacher candidates of color or who are American Indian at each stage 
29.32 	from recruitment to licensed teaching as a percentage of total candidates seeking the same 
29.33 	licensure at the institution.
30.1 	(b) By September 1 of each year, the board must post a report on its website summarizing 
30.2 	the activities and outcomes of grant recipients and results that promote sharing of effective 
30.3 	practices among grant recipients.

30.4 	Sec. 48. Minnesota Statutes 2020, section 122A.70, is amended by adding a subdivision 
30.5 	to read:
30.6 		Subd. 5a.Grant program administration. The Professional Educator Licensing and 
30.7 	Standards Board may enter into an interagency agreement with the Office of Higher 
30.8 	Education or the Department of Education. The agreement may include a transfer of funds 
30.9 	to the Office of Higher Education or the Department of Education to help administer the 
30.10 	competitive grant process.

30.11 	Sec. 49. REPEALER.
 30.12 	Minnesota Statutes 2020, sections 122A.091, subdivisions 3 and 6; 122A.092; 122A.18, 
30.13 	subdivision 7c; 122A.184, subdivision 3; 122A.23, subdivision 3; and 122A.2451, are 
30.14 	repealed.

APPENDIX 

Repealed Minnesota Statutes: H1376-1 

122A.091 REPORTS.Subd. 3.School district reports. 
(a) School districts annually by October 1 must report to the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board the following information for all teachers who finished the probationary period and accepted a continuing contract position with the district from September 1 of the previous year through August 31 of the current year: 

(1) the effectiveness category or rating of the teacher on the summative evaluation under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or 122A.41, subdivision 5; 

(2) the licensure area in which the teacher primarily taught during the three-year evaluation cycle; and 

(3) the teacher preparation program preparing the teacher in the teacher's primary areas of instruction and licensure. 

(b) School districts annually by October 1 must report to the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board the following information for all probationary teachers in the district who were released or whose contracts were not renewed from September 1 of the previous year through August 31 of the current year: 

(1) the licensure areas in which the probationary teacher taught; and 

(2) the teacher preparation program preparing the teacher in the teacher's primary areas of instruction and licensure. 

(c) School districts annually by October 1 must report to the Board of School Administrators the following information for all school principals and assistant principals who finished the probationary period and accepted a continuing contract position with the district from September 1 of the previous year through August 31 of the current year: 

(1) the effectiveness category or rating of the principal or assistant principal on the summative evaluation under section 123B.147, subdivision 3; and 

(2) the principal preparation program providing instruction to the principal or assistant principal. 

(d) School districts annually by October 1 must report to the Board of School Administrators all probationary school principals and assistant principals in the district who were released or whose contracts were not renewed from September 1 of the previous year through August 31 of the current year. 

Subd. 6.Implementation report. 
By January 1, 2019, the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must prepare a report to the legislature on the implementation of the teacher licensure system established under sections 122A.18 to 122A.184. The report must include the number of applicants for licensure in each tier, the number of applications granted and denied, summary data on the reasons applications were denied, and the status of the board's rulemaking process for all licensure-related rules. 

122A.092 TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAMS.Subdivision 1.Rules. 
The board must adopt rules to approve teacher preparation programs, including alternative teacher preparation programs under section 122A.2451, nonconventional programs, and Montessori teacher training programs. 

Subd. 2.Requirements for board approval. 
Teacher preparation programs must demonstrate the following to obtain board approval: 

(1) the program has implemented a research-based, results-oriented curriculum that focuses on the skills teachers need in order to be effective; 

(2) the program provides a student teaching program; 

(3) the program demonstrates effectiveness based on proficiency of graduates in demonstrating attainment of program outcomes; 

(4) the program includes a common core of teaching knowledge and skills. This common core shall meet the standards developed by the Interstate New Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium in its 1992 model standards for beginning teacher licensing and development. Amendments to standards adopted under this clause are subject to chapter 14. The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board shall report annually to the education committees of the legislature on the performance of teacher candidates on common core assessments of knowledge and skills under this clause during the most recent school year; 

(5) the program includes instruction on the knowledge and skills needed to provide appropriate instruction to English learners to support and accelerate their academic literacy, including oral academic language and achievement in content areas in a regular classroom setting; and 

(6) the program includes culturally competent training in instructional strategies consistent with section 120B.30, subdivision 1, paragraph (q). 

Subd. 3.Specialized credentials. 
The board must adopt rules creating flexible, specialized teaching licenses, credentials, and other endorsement forms to increase students' participation in language immersion programs, world language instruction, career development opportunities, work-based learning, early college courses and careers, career and technical programs, Montessori schools, and project- and place-based learning, among other career and college readiness learning offerings. 

Subd. 4.Teacher educators. 
The board must adopt rules requiring teacher educators to work directly with elementary or secondary school teachers in elementary or secondary schools to obtain periodic exposure to the elementary and secondary teaching environments. 

Subd. 5.Reading strategies. 
(a) A teacher preparation provider approved by the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board to prepare persons for classroom teacher licensure must include in its teacher preparation programs research-based best practices in reading, consistent with section 122A.06, subdivision 4, that enable the licensure candidate to teach reading in the candidate's content areas. Teacher candidates must be instructed in using students' native languages as a resource in creating effective differentiated instructional strategies for English learners developing literacy skills. A teacher preparation provider also must prepare early childhood and elementary teacher candidates for Tier 3 and Tier 4 teaching licenses under sections 122A.183 and 122A.184, respectively, for the portion of the examination under section 122A.185, subdivision 1, paragraph (c), covering assessment of reading instruction. 

(b) Board-approved teacher preparation programs for teachers of elementary education must require instruction in applying comprehensive, scientifically based or evidence-based, and structured reading instruction programs that: 

(1) teach students to read using foundational knowledge, practices, and strategies consistent with section 122A.06, subdivision 4, so that all students achieve continuous progress in reading; and 

(2) teach specialized instruction in reading strategies, interventions, and remediations that enable students of all ages and proficiency levels to become proficient readers. 

(c) Board-approved teacher preparation programs for teachers of elementary education, early childhood education, special education, and reading intervention must include instruction on dyslexia, as defined in section 125A.01, subdivision 2. Teacher preparation programs may consult with the Department of Education, including the dyslexia specialist under section 120B.122, to develop instruction under this paragraph. Instruction on dyslexia must be modeled on practice standards of the International Dyslexia Association, and must address: 

(1) the nature and symptoms of dyslexia; 

(2) resources available for students who show characteristics of dyslexia; 

(3) evidence-based instructional strategies for students who show characteristics of dyslexia, including the structured literacy approach; and 

(4) outcomes of intervention and lack of intervention for students who show characteristics of dyslexia. 

(d) Nothing in this section limits the authority of a school district to select a school's reading program or curriculum. 

Subd. 6.Technology strategies. 
All preparation providers approved by the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board to prepare persons for classroom teacher licensure must include in their teacher preparation programs the knowledge and skills teacher candidates need to engage students with technology and deliver digital and blended learning and curriculum. 

Subd. 7.Student teaching program. 
A teacher preparation program may provide a year-long student teaching program that combines clinical opportunities with academic coursework and in-depth student teaching experiences to offer students: 

(1) ongoing mentorship; 

(2) coaching; 

(3) assessment; 

(4) help to prepare a professional development plan; and 

(5) structured learning experiences. 

Subd. 8.Existing programs. 
The approval of teacher preparation programs approved by the Board of Teaching before July 1, 2018, must remain in effect unless and until the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board denies approval or reapproves the program. 

122A.18 BOARD TO ISSUE LICENSES.Subd. 7c.Temporary military license. 
The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board shall establish a temporary license in accordance with section 197.4552 for teaching. The fee for a temporary license under this subdivision shall be $57. The board must provide candidates for a license under this subdivision with information regarding the tiered licensure system provided in sections 122A.18 to 122A.184. 

122A.184 TIER 4 LICENSE.Subd. 3.Mentorship and evaluation. 
A teacher holding a Tier 4 license must participate in the employing district or charter school's mentorship and evaluation program, including an individual growth and development plan. 

122A.23 APPLICANTS TRAINED IN OTHER STATES.Subd. 3.Teacher licensure agreements with adjoining states. 
(a) Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must enter into a National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) interstate agreement and other interstate agreements for teacher licensure to allow fully certified teachers from adjoining states to transfer their certification to Minnesota. The board must enter into these interstate agreements only after determining that the rigor of the teacher licensure or certification requirements in the adjoining state is commensurate with the rigor of Minnesota's teacher licensure requirements. The board may limit an interstate agreement to particular content fields or grade levels based on established priorities or identified shortages. This subdivision does not apply to out-of-state applicants holding only a provisional teaching license. 

(b) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must work with designated authorities in adjoining states to establish interstate teacher licensure agreements under this section. 

122A.2451 ALTERNATIVE TEACHER PREPARATION PROVIDERS AND PROGRAMS.Subdivision 1.Definitions. 
(a) "Provider" or "unit" means an eligible entity that seeks or has obtained approval for an alternative teacher preparation program consistent with this section. 

(b) "Program" means content provided by a provider that leads toward licensure in a specific content area. 

Subd. 2.Purpose. 
To provide alternative pathways towards Minnesota teacher licensure outside of the traditional means, improve ethnic and cultural diversity in the classroom, and to close the achievement gap, the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must approve qualified teacher preparation providers and programs under this section that are a means to acquire a Tier 2 license under section 122A.182 and prepare for acquiring a Tier 3 license under section 122A.183. 

Subd. 3.Eligibility. 
A school district, charter school, or nonprofit corporation organized under chapter 317A for an education-related purpose is eligible to participate under this section. An eligible entity may apply for provider and program approval simultaneously. 

Subd. 4.Provider approval. 
An eligible entity must be approved as a provider before being approved to provide programs towards licensure. The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must approve eligible entities under subdivision 3 that meet the following requirements: 

(1) has evidence and history of fiscal solvency, capacity, and operation; 

(2) has evidence of necessary infrastructure to provide accurate, timely, and secure data for the purposes of admission, candidate monitoring, testing, background checks, and license recommendations; 

(3) has policies and procedures in place ensuring the security of candidate records under the federal Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act; and 

(4) has the instructional capacity or ability to obtain the instructional capacity to provide an adequate instructional phase under subdivision 5. 

Subd. 5.Program approval. 
The board must approve programs offered by approved providers based on nontraditional criteria. An approved program must have the following characteristics: 

(1) an instructional phase that provides intensive preparation and classroom experience that is commensurate with the scope of licensure standards defined under rule, before the teacher candidate assumes classroom responsibilities; 

(2) a research-based and results-oriented approach focused on best teaching practices to increase student proficiency and growth measured against state academic standards; 

(3) a strategy to combine pedagogy and best teaching practices to better inform teacher candidates' classroom instruction; 

(4) provide assessment, supervision, and evaluation of teacher candidates to determine their specific needs throughout the program, and to support efforts to successfully complete the program; 

(5) provide intensive and ongoing professional learning opportunities that accelerate teacher candidates' professional growth, support student learning, and provide a workplace orientation, professional staff development, mentoring and peer review, focused on standards of professional practice and continuous professional growth; and 

(6) a process to review a candidate's final proficiency of required licensure content standards that leads to potential candidate recommendation by the provider to the board for a Tier 3 teaching license under subdivision 8. 

Subd. 6.Nontraditional means; program instructors. 
(a) The board must permit alternative teacher preparation providers and teacher candidates to demonstrate pedagogy and content standard proficiency in school-based programs and through other nontraditional means. Nontraditional means may include previous work experiences, teaching experiences, educator evaluations, industry-recognized certifications, and other essentially equivalent demonstrations. 

(b) The board must use nontraditional criteria to determine qualifications of program instructors, including permitting instructors to hold a baccalaureate degree only. 

Subd. 7.Program disapproval, suspension. 
If the board determines that a teacher preparation provider or licensure program fails to meet or is deficient in any of the requirements of subdivision 5, it may suspend or revoke the approval of the provider or program after it notifies the provider of the deficiencies and gives the provider an opportunity to remedy the deficiencies. 

Subd. 8.Candidate program completion; teacher licensure. 
(a) A candidate that completes an approved program must apply for a license under the tiered licensure system according to sections 122A.181 to 122A.184. 

(b) A person who successfully completes another state's alternative teacher preparation licensure program may apply to the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board for a Tier 3 license under section 122A.183. 

Subd. 9.Reports. 
(a) An approved alternative teacher preparation provider must report to the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board on items that are defined in statute regarding program candidates, completion, and effectiveness or other items that are required under section 122A.09. 

(b) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must submit a biennial report on the alternative teacher preparation program and providers to legislative committees having jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education policy and finance by January 15 of each odd-numbered year.