SF 1477

as introduced - 93rd Legislature (2023 - 2024) Posted on 02/10/2023 08:27am

A bill for an act
relating to education; making changes to tiered licensure; amending Minnesota
Statutes 2022, sections 122A.182, subdivision 1; 122A.183, subdivision 2; repealing
Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 122A.182, subdivision 2.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 122A.182, subdivision 1, is amended to read:

Subdivision 1.

Requirements.

(a) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards
Board must approve a request from a district or charter school to issue a Tier 2 license in a
specified content area to a candidate if:

(1) the candidate meets the educational or professional requirements in paragraph (b)
or (c);

(2) the candidate:

(i) has completed deleted text begin the coursework required under subdivision 2 deleted text end new text begin a state-approved teacher
preparation program new text end ;

(ii) is enrolled in a Minnesota-approved teacher preparation program; or

(iii) has a master's degree in the specified content area; and

(3) the district or charter school demonstrates that a criminal background check under
section 122A.18, subdivision 8, has been completed on the candidate.

(b) A candidate for a Tier 2 license must have a bachelor's degree to teach a class outside
a career and technical education or career pathways course of study.

(c) A candidate for a Tier 2 license must have one of the following credentials in a
relevant content area to teach a class or course in a career and technical education or career
pathways course of study:

(1) an associate's degree;

(2) a professional certification; or

(3) five years of relevant work experience.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 122A.183, subdivision 2, is amended to read:

Subd. 2.

Coursework.

A candidate for a Tier 3 license must meet the coursework
requirement by demonstrating one of the following:

(1) completion of a Minnesota-approved teacher preparation program;

(2) completion of a state-approved teacher preparation program that includes field-specific
student teaching equivalent to field-specific student teaching in Minnesota-approved teacher
preparation programs. The field-specific student teaching requirement does not apply to a
candidate that has two years of teaching experience;

(3) submission of a content-specific licensure portfolio; new text begin or
new text end

(4) a professional teaching license from another state, evidence that the candidate's
license is in good standing, and two years of teaching experience deleted text begin ; or
deleted text end

deleted text begin (5) three years of teaching experience under a Tier 2 license and evidence of summative
teacher evaluations that did not result in placing or otherwise keeping the teacher on an
improvement process pursuant to section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or section 122A.41,
subdivision 5 deleted text end .

Sec. 3. new text begin APPROPRIATIONS.
new text end

new text begin Subdivision 1. new text end

new text begin Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board. new text end

new text begin The sums
indicated in this section are appropriated from the general fund to the Professional Educator
Licensing and Standards Board for the fiscal years designated. Any balance in the first year
does not cancel but is available in the second year.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 2. new text end

new text begin Alternative pathway preparation grants. new text end

new text begin (a) To ensure all districts employing
an individual holding a Tier 2 license based on qualifications in Minnesota Statutes, section
122A.182, subdivision 2, can support that individual through an approved alternative
preparation program or the licensure via portfolio process:
new text end

	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 400,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2024 new text end
	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 400,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2025 new text end

new text begin (b) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must administer grants
to provide funds to districts to provide professional development, mentorship, and coursework
aligned to the state standards for teacher licensure. Grant funds must be available to districts,
charter schools, collaborations of districts or charter schools, or service cooperatives to meet
the needs of Tier 2 teachers.
new text end

new text begin (c) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board may collaborate with the
Department of Education and the Office of Higher Education for administration of the grant.
new text end

new text begin Subd. 3. new text end

new text begin Licensure via portfolio online platform. new text end

new text begin To complete the licensure via portfolio
online platform to streamline the portfolio submission and review process:
new text end

new text begin $ new text end

new text begin 50,000 new text end

new text begin ..... new text end

new text begin 2024 new text end

new text begin Subd. 4. new text end

new text begin Alternative pathways support position. new text end

new text begin To fund a new position at the
Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board to support candidates through
alternative pathway programs, including the licensure via portfolio process and to support
districts, charter schools, and educational cooperatives to become alternative preparation
providers:
new text end

	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 150,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2024 new text end
	new text begin $ new text end	new text begin 150,000 new text end	new text begin ..... new text end	new text begin 2025 new text end

Sec. 4. new text begin REPEALER.
new text end

new text begin Minnesota Statutes 2022, section 122A.182, subdivision 2, new text end new text begin is repealed.
new text end

new text begin EFFECTIVE DATE. new text end

new text begin This section is effective July 1, 2024.
new text end

APPENDIX

Repealed Minnesota Statutes: 23-01588

122A.182 TIER 2 LICENSE.

Subd. 2.

Coursework.

(a) A candidate for a Tier 2 license must meet the coursework requirement by demonstrating completion of two of the following:

(1) at least eight upper division or graduate-level credits in the relevant content area;

(2) field-specific methods of training, including coursework;

(3) at least two years of teaching experience in a similar content area in any state, as determined by the board;

(4) a passing score on the pedagogy and content exams under section 122A.185; or

(5) completion of a state-approved teacher preparation program.

(b) For purposes of paragraph (a), "upper division" means classes normally taken at the junior or senior level of college which require substantial knowledge and skill in the field. Candidates must identify the upper division credits that fulfill the requirement in paragraph (a), clause (1).