HF 1576

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

A bill for an act
relating to education; establishing an alternative
teacher training program for qualified professionals;
proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes,
chapter 122A; repealing Minnesota Statutes 2004,
section 122A.24.

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

Section 1.

new text begin [122A.245] TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM FOR
QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Scope and requirements. new text end

new text begin (a) As an
alternative to postsecondary teacher preparation programs, a
teacher training program is established for qualified
professionals to acquire an entrance license. Program
providers, approved by the Board of Teaching under subdivision
3, may offer the program in the instructional fields of science,
mathematics, world languages, English as a second language, and
special education.
new text end

new text begin (b) To participate in the teacher training program, the
teacher applicant must:
new text end

new text begin (1) have, at a minimum, a bachelor's degree from an
accredited four-year postsecondary institution;
new text end

new text begin (2) have an undergraduate major or postbaccalaureate degree
in the subject to be taught or in an equivalent or related
subject area in which the applicant is seeking licensure;
new text end

new text begin (3) pass a skills examination in reading, writing, and
mathematics required under section 122A.18;
new text end

new text begin (4) pass the Praxis II subject assessment for each subject
area to be taught;
new text end

new text begin (5) have a cumulative grade point average of 2.75 or higher
on a 4.0 scale for a bachelor's degree;
new text end

new text begin (6) show employment related to the subject to be taught;
and
new text end

new text begin (7) show a district offer for employment as a teacher
contingent on participating in an approved program described in
subdivision 2.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Program. new text end

new text begin A teacher training program under this
section is one year in duration and must include:
new text end

new text begin (1) a nine-credit summer or preinduction preparation
program that includes classroom management techniques and
on-site classroom observation that are completed before the
candidate is employed in the classroom;
new text end

new text begin (2) 200 clock hours of instruction in standards of
effective practice and essential skills that include curriculum,
instructional strategies, and classroom management presented
after school or on Saturdays throughout the year leading to a
teaching license and up to 15 graduate credits toward a master's
degree in education;
new text end

new text begin (3) on-the-job mentoring, supervision, and evaluation
arranged by the employing district that includes mentoring
provided by an experienced teacher licensed in the subject
taught by the applicant, and three evaluations by an evaluation
team composed of the mentor, the principal, and a training
program member that include at least three classroom
observations where the third evaluation contains the team's
recommendation for licensure and where a written report of each
evaluation is prepared; and
new text end

new text begin (4) a one-week intensive workshop that includes analysis
and reflection of the first year of teaching after completing
the school year, which may be counted as part of 200 clock hours
required in clause (2).
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Program approval. new text end

new text begin An interested Minnesota
public or private postsecondary institution must submit program
proposals to the Board of Teaching for approval.
new text end

new text begin Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the Board of
Teaching must develop criteria for approving teacher training
programs under this section after considering the
recommendations of an advisory group appointed by the Board of
Teaching composed of, at a minimum, the commissioner of
education or designee, and representatives of school
superintendents, principals, teachers, and postsecondary
institutions, including those offering degrees in teaching
preparation.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Eligibility license. new text end

new text begin Notwithstanding any law to
the contrary, the Board of Teaching must issue to an applicant
who successfully meets the criteria under subdivision 1,
paragraph (b), a one-year eligibility license to teach at the
employing district under subdivision 1, paragraph (b), clause
(7). During the one-year eligibility period, the employing
district must assign a mentor under subdivision 2, clause (3).
The applicant teacher and teacher mentor must meet at least
weekly throughout the school year on classroom and instructional
issues.
new text end

new text begin The hiring district may deduct from the participant's
salary the cost of providing the mentor for the participant
during the training year.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 5. new text end

new text begin Standard entrance license. new text end

new text begin Notwithstanding any
law to the contrary, the Board of Teaching must issue a standard
entrance license to a training program licensee who successfully
completes the program under subdivision 2, successfully teaches
in a classroom for one complete school year, successfully passes
the Praxis II principles of learning and teaching, and receives
a positive recommendation from the applicant's evaluation team.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 6. new text end

new text begin Qualified teacher. new text end

new text begin A person with a valid
eligibility license under subdivision 5 is a qualified teacher
under section 122A.16.
new text end

Sec. 2. new text begin REPEALER.
new text end

new text begin Minnesota Statutes 2004, section 122A.24, is repealed.
new text end