HF 1257

1st Engrossment - 88th Legislature (2013 - 2014) Posted on 03/11/2013 04:01pm

A bill for an act
relating to education; clarifying basic skills requirements for teacher candidates
and licensure; establishing an advisory task force; amending Minnesota Statutes
2012, sections 122A.09, subdivision 4; 122A.18, subdivision 2; 122A.23,
subdivision 2.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, 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 new text begin until September 1, 2014, new text end to pass
a skills examination in reading, writing, and mathematics as a requirement for initial
teacher licensure new text begin , except that the board may issue a temporary, one-year teaching license
to an otherwise qualified candidate who has not passed the skills examination at the time
the candidate successfully completes an approved teacher preparation program new text end . 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 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. Teacher
preparation programs including alternative teacher preparation programs under section
122A.245, among other programs, must include a content-specific, board-approved,
performance-based assessment that measures teacher candidates in three areas: planning
for instruction and assessment; engaging students and supporting learning; and assessing
student learning.

(e) The board must adopt rules requiring candidates for initial licenses to pass an
examination of general pedagogical knowledge and examinations of licensure-specific
teaching skills. The rules shall be effective by September 1, 2001. The rules under this
paragraph also must require candidates for initial licenses to teach prekindergarten or
elementary students to pass, as part of the examination of licensure-specific teaching
skills, test items assessing the candidates' knowledge, skill, and ability in comprehensive,
scientifically based reading instruction under section 122A.06, subdivision 4, and their
knowledge and understanding of the foundations of reading development, the development
of reading comprehension, and reading assessment and instruction, and their ability to
integrate that knowledge and understanding.

(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
based on appropriate professional competencies that are aligned with the board's licensing
system and students' diverse learning needs. The board must include these licenses in a
statewide differentiated licensing system that creates new leadership roles for successful
experienced teachers premised on a collaborative professional culture dedicated to meeting
students' diverse learning needs in the 21st century and formalizes mentoring and induction
for newly licensed teachers that is provided through a teacher support framework.

(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 EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 122A.18, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Teacher and support personnel qualifications.

(a) The Board of
Teaching must issue licenses under its jurisdiction to persons the board finds to be
qualified and competent for their respective positions.

(b) The board new text begin , until September 1, 2014, new text end must require a person to pass an examination
of skills in reading, writing, and mathematics before being granted an initial teaching
license to provide direct instruction to pupils in prekindergarten, elementary, secondary,
or special education programs new text begin , except that the board may issue a temporary, one-year
teaching license to an otherwise qualified candidate who has not passed the skills exam at
the time the candidate successfully completes an approved teacher preparation program new text end .
The board must require colleges and universities offering a board approved teacher
preparation program to deleted text begin provide deleted text end new text begin make available upon request new text end remedial assistance that
includes a formal diagnostic component to persons enrolled in their institution who did
not achieve a qualifying score on the skills examination, including those for whom
English is a second language. The colleges and universities must deleted text begin provide deleted text end new text begin make available
new text end assistance in the specific academic areas of deficiency in which the person did not achieve
a qualifying score. new text begin School districts may make available upon request similar, appropriate,
and timely remedial assistance that includes a formal diagnostic component to those
persons employed by the district who completed their teacher education program, who
did not achieve a qualifying score on the skills examination, including those persons for
whom English is a second language and persons under section 122A.23, subdivision
2, paragraph (h), who completed their teacher's education program outside the state of
Minnesota, and who received a temporary, one-year license to teach in Minnesota. new text end The
Board of Teaching shall report annually to the education committees of the legislature
on the total number of teacher candidates during the most recent school year taking the
skills examination, the number who achieve a qualifying score on the examination, the
number who do not achieve a qualifying score on the examination, the distribution of all
candidates' scores, the number of candidates who have taken the examination at least once
before, and the number of candidates who have taken the examination at least once before
and achieve a qualifying score.

(c) new text begin A person who has completed an approved teacher preparation program and
obtained a temporary, one-year teaching license, but has not passed the skills exam, may
have the board renew the temporary one-year license if the licensee:
new text end

new text begin (1) provides evidence of participating in an approved remedial assistance program
through a school district or postsecondary institution that includes a formal diagnostic
component in the specific subject areas the licensee did not pass;
new text end

new text begin (2) attempts to pass the skills exam during the one-year licensure period; and
new text end

new text begin (3) the school district employing the licensee requests that the licensee continue to
teach for that district under a temporary license.
new text end

new text begin (d) new text end The Board of Teaching must grant continuing licenses only to those persons who
have met board criteria for granting a continuing license, which includes passing the skills
examination in reading, writing, and mathematics.

deleted text begin (d) deleted text end new text begin (e) new text end All colleges and universities approved by the board of teaching to prepare
persons for teacher licensure must include in their teacher preparation programs a common
core of teaching knowledge and skills to be acquired by all persons recommended
for teacher licensure. 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 paragraph are covered by chapter 14. The board of teaching 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 paragraph during the
most recent school year.

new text begin (f) Notwithstanding this subdivision or other law to the contrary, beginning
September 1, 2014, a teacher is not required to pass an examination of skills in reading,
writing, and mathematics before the board grants the teacher an initial teaching license to
provide direct instruction to pupils in prekindergarten, elementary, secondary, or special
education programs.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section, except paragraph (f), is effective the day
following final enactment. Paragraph (f) is effective beginning September 1, 2014.
new text end

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2012, section 122A.23, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Applicants licensed in other states.

(a) Subject to the requirements of
sections 122A.18, subdivision 8, and 123B.03, the Board of Teaching must issue a teaching
license or a temporary teaching license under paragraphs (b) to (e) to an applicant who holds
at least a baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university and holds
or held a similar out-of-state teaching license that requires the applicant to successfully
complete a teacher preparation program approved by the issuing state, which includes
field-specific teaching methods and student teaching or essentially equivalent experience.

(b) The Board of Teaching must issue a teaching license to an applicant who:

(1) successfully completed all exams and human relations preparation components
required by the Board of Teaching; and

(2) holds or held an out-of-state teaching license to teach the same content field and
grade levels if the scope of the out-of-state license is no more than one grade level less
than a similar Minnesota license.

(c) The Board of Teaching, consistent with board rules and paragraph (h), must
issue up to three one-year temporary teaching licenses to an applicant who holds or held
an out-of-state teaching license to teach the same content field and grade levels, where
the scope of the out-of-state license is no more than one grade level less than a similar
Minnesota license, but has not successfully completed all exams and human relations
preparation components required by the Board of Teaching.

(d) The Board of Teaching, consistent with board rules, must issue up to three
one-year temporary teaching licenses to an applicant who:

(1) successfully completed all exams and human relations preparation components
required by the Board of Teaching; and

(2) holds or held an out-of-state teaching license to teach the same content field
and grade levels, where the scope of the out-of-state license is no more than one grade
level less than a similar Minnesota license, but has not completed field-specific teaching
methods or student teaching or equivalent experience.

The applicant may complete field-specific teaching methods and student teaching
or equivalent experience by successfully participating in a one-year school district
mentorship program consistent with board-adopted standards of effective practice and
Minnesota graduation requirements.

(e) The Board of Teaching must issue a temporary teaching license for a term of
up to three years only in the content field or grade levels specified in the out-of-state
license to an applicant who:

(1) successfully completed all exams and human relations preparation components
required by the Board of Teaching; and

(2) holds or held an out-of-state teaching license where the out-of-state license is
more limited in the content field or grade levels than a similar Minnesota license.

(f) The Board of Teaching must not issue to an applicant more than three one-year
temporary teaching licenses under this subdivision.

(g) The Board of Teaching must not issue a license under this subdivision if the
applicant has not attained the additional degrees, credentials, or licenses required in a
particular licensure field.

(h) deleted text begin The Board of Teaching must require deleted text end new text begin Until September 1, 2014, new text end an applicant for
a teaching license or a temporary teaching license under this subdivision deleted text begin to deleted text end new text begin must new text end pass
a skills examination in reading, writing, and mathematics before the board issues the
new text begin applicant a continuing teaching new text end license. new text begin Consistent with section 122A.18, subdivision 2,
paragraph (c), and notwithstanding other provisions of this subdivision, the board may
issue a temporary, one-year teaching license to an otherwise qualified applicant who has
not passed the skills exam and the board may renew this temporary license if the school
district employing the applicant requests that the applicant continue to teach for that
district under a temporary license. Notwithstanding this subdivision or other law to the
contrary, beginning September 1, 2014, a teacher is not required to pass an examination of
skills in reading, writing, and mathematics before the board grants the teacher a continuing
license to provide direct instruction to pupils in prekindergarten, elementary, secondary,
or special education programs.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin TEACHER LICENSURE ADVISORY TASK FORCE.
new text end

new text begin (a) A Teacher Licensure Advisory Task Force is established to make
recommendations to the Board of Teaching, the education commissioner, and the education
committees of the legislature on requirements for: teacher applicants to demonstrate
mastery of basic reading, writing, and mathematics skills through nationally normed
assessments, a basic skills portfolio, or accredited college coursework, among other
methods of demonstrating basic skills mastery; and an alternative licensure pathway for
nonnative English speakers seeking licensure to teach in a language immersion program.
new text end

new text begin (b) Task force recommendations on how teacher candidates demonstrate basic skills
mastery must encompass the following criteria:
new text end

new text begin (1) assessment content must be relevant to the teacher's subject area licensure;
new text end

new text begin (2) the scope of assessment content must be documented in sufficient detail to
correspond to a similarly detailed description of relevant public school curriculum;
new text end

new text begin (3) the scope of assessment content must be publicly available and readily accessible
on the Web site of the Board of Teaching and all Minnesota public teacher preparation
programs and institutions;
new text end

new text begin (4) the Board of Teaching and all Minnesota public teacher preparation programs
and institutions, upon request, must make available to the public at cost a written review
of the scope of assessment content;
new text end

new text begin (5) if applicable, the Board of Teaching and all Minnesota public teacher preparation
programs and institutions annually must post on their Web site up-to-date longitudinal
summary data showing teacher candidates' overall passing rate and the passing rate for
each demographic group of teacher candidates taking a basic skills assessment in that
school year and in previous school years;
new text end

new text begin (6) reliable evidence showing assessment content is not culturally biased;
new text end

new text begin (7) the Board of Teaching and all Minnesota public teacher preparation programs
and institutions must appropriately accommodate teacher candidates with documented
learning disabilities; and
new text end

new text begin (8) if applicable, give timely, detailed feedback to teacher candidates who do not
pass the basic skills assessment sufficient for the candidate to target specific areas of
deficiency for appropriate remediation.
new text end

new text begin (c) The Teacher Licensure Advisory Task Force shall be composed of the following
members:
new text end

new text begin (1) two members of the Board of Teaching appointed by the board's executive
director;
new text end

new text begin (2) two representatives from the Department of Education appointed by the
commissioner of education;
new text end

new text begin (3) two house members appointed by the speaker of the house, one from the minority
party and one from the majority party;
new text end

new text begin (4) two state senators appointed by the senate rules committee, one from the
minority party and one from the majority party;
new text end

new text begin (5) one elementary school principal from rural Minnesota appointed by the
Minnesota Elementary School Principals Association and one secondary school principal
from the seven-county metropolitan area appointed by the Minnesota Secondary School
Principals Association;
new text end

new text begin (6) one licensed and practicing public elementary school teacher and one licensed
and practicing secondary school teacher appointed by Education Minnesota;
new text end

new text begin (7) one teacher preparation faculty member each from the University of Minnesota
system appointed by the system president, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
system appointed by the system chancellor, and the Minnesota Private Colleges and
Universities system appointed by the Minnesota Private Colleges Council;
new text end

new text begin (8) one member of the nonpublic education council appointed by the council; and
new text end

new text begin (9) one representative of Minnesota charter schools appointed by the Minnesota
Charter Schools Association.
new text end

new text begin (d) The executive director of the Board of Teaching must convene the task force by
August 1, 2013. Task force members are not eligible for compensation or reimbursement
for expenses related to task force activities. The executive director of the board and the
commissioner of education must provide technical assistance to task force members
upon request.
new text end

new text begin (e) By February 1, 2014, task force members must submit to the Board of Teaching,
the education commissioner, and the education committees of the legislature their written
recommendations on requirements for teacher applicants to demonstrate mastery of basic
reading, writing, and mathematics skills and for an alternative licensure pathway for
nonnative English speakers seeking licensure to teach in a language immersion program.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective the day following final enactment.
new text end