HF 969

1st Engrossment - 84th Legislature (2005 - 2006) Posted on 12/15/2009 12:00am

A bill for an act
relating to education; licensing teachers of
interdisciplinary teaching; providing for rulemaking;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 122A.09,
subdivision 4.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 122A.09,
subdivision 4, is amended to read:

Subd. 4.

License and rules.

(a) The board must adopt
rules to license public school teachers and interns subject to
chapter 14.

(b) The board must adopt rules requiring a person to
successfully complete a skills examination in reading, writing,
and mathematics as a requirement for initial teacher licensure.
Such rules must require college and universities offering a
board-approved teacher preparation program to provide remedial
assistance to persons who did not achieve a qualifying score on
the skills examination, including those for whom English is a
second language.

(c) The board must adopt rules to approve teacher
preparation programs. The board, upon the request of a
postsecondary student preparing for teacher licensure or a
licensed graduate of a teacher preparation program, shall assist
in resolving a dispute between the person and a postsecondary
institution providing a teacher preparation program when the
dispute involves an institution's recommendation for licensure
affecting the person or the person's credentials. At the
board's discretion, assistance may include the application of
chapter 14.

(d) The board must provide the leadership and shall adopt
rules for the redesign of teacher education programs to
implement a research based, results-oriented curriculum that
focuses on the skills teachers need in order to be effective.
The board shall implement new systems of teacher preparation
program evaluation to assure program effectiveness based on
proficiency of graduates in demonstrating attainment of program
outcomes.

(e) The board must adopt rules requiring successful
completion of an examination of general pedagogical knowledge
and examinations of licensure-specific teaching skills. The
rules shall be effective on the dates determined by the board
but not later than September 1, 2001.

(f) 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 or secondary teaching environment.

(g) The board must grant licenses to interns and to
candidates for initial licenses.

(h) The board must design and implement an assessment
system which requires a candidate for an initial license and
first continuing license to demonstrate the abilities necessary
to perform selected, representative teaching tasks at
appropriate levels.

(i) The board must receive recommendations from local
committees as established by the board for the renewal of
teaching licenses.

(j) The board must grant life licenses to those who qualify
according to requirements established by the board, and suspend
or revoke licenses pursuant to sections 122A.20 and 214.10. The
board must not establish any expiration date for application for
life licenses.

(k) The board must adopt rules that require all licensed
teachers who are renewing their continuing license to include in
their renewal requirements further preparation in the areas of
using positive behavior interventions and in accommodating,
modifying, and adapting curricula, materials, and strategies to
appropriately meet the needs of individual students and ensure
adequate progress toward the state's graduation rule.

(l) In adopting rules to license public school teachers who
provide health-related services for disabled children, the board
shall adopt rules consistent with license or registration
requirements of the commissioner of health and the
health-related boards who license personnel who perform similar
services outside of the school.

(m) The board must adopt rules that require all licensed
teachers who are renewing their continuing license to include in
their renewal requirements further reading preparation,
consistent with section 122A.06, subdivision 4. The rules do
not take effect until they are approved by law. Teachers who do
not provide direct instruction including, at least, counselors,
school psychologists, school nurses, school social workers,
audiovisual directors and coordinators, and recreation personnel
are exempt from this section.

(n) The board must adopt rules that require all licensed
teachers who are renewing their continuing license to include in
their renewal requirements further preparation in understanding
the key warning signs of early-onset mental illness in children
and adolescents.

new text begin (o) The board, in consultation with the department and
representatives of innovative schools and programs as determined
by the board, must adopt rules to create an interdisciplinary
teaching license.
new text end