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SF 170

2nd Engrossment - 87th Legislature (2011 - 2012) Posted on 03/06/2012 01:49pm

KEY: stricken = removed, old language.
underscored = added, new language.
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A bill for an act
relating to education; requiring teacher candidates to pass basic skills exam;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2010, 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 2010, 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 deleted text begin successfully completedeleted text end new text begin pass new text end a
skills examination in reading, writing, and mathematics as a requirement for initial teacher
licensure. deleted text begin 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.
deleted text end new text begin The board must adopt rules requiring a person who enters a board-approved
teacher preparation program on or after January 1, 2014, to pass a skills examination in
reading, writing, and mathematics as a requirement for entering that program.
new text end

(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 candidates for initial licenses to deleted text begin successfully
complete
deleted text end new text begin pass new text end 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 deleted text begin successfully completedeleted text end new text begin passnew text end , 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.

(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.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, 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 must require a person new text begin who enters a board-approved teacher preparation
program before January 1, 2014,
new text end to deleted text begin successfully completedeleted text end new text begin passnew text end 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. deleted text begin The board must require colleges and universities offering a board
approved teacher preparation program to provide 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 provide assistance in the specific academic
areas of deficiency in which the person did not achieve a qualifying score.
deleted text end new text begin To be granted
an initial teaching license, the board must require a person who enters a board-approved
teacher preparation program on or after January 1, 2014, to pass an examination of skills
in reading, writing, and mathematics before entering that program. The board must issue a
one-year license to teach in Minnesota to an otherwise qualified person who completed a
teacher preparation program outside the state of Minnesota, during which time that person
must take and pass the state skills examination in reading, writing, and math.
new text end School
districts deleted text begin must provide similar,deleted text end new text begin may offernew text end appropriatedeleted text begin ,deleted text end and timely remedial assistance that
includes a formal diagnostic component and mentoring to those persons employed by the
district who completed their teacher deleted text begin educationdeleted text end new text begin preparationnew text end program outside the state
of Minnesota, received a one-year license to teach in Minnesota and did not achieve a
qualifying score on the skills examination, including those persons for whom English
is a second language. 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.

deleted text begin (c) A person who has completed an approved teacher preparation program and
obtained a one-year license to teach, but has not successfully completed the skills
examination, may renew the one-year license for two additional one-year periods. Each
renewal of the one-year license is contingent upon the licensee:
deleted text end

deleted text begin (1) providing evidence of participating in an approved remedial assistance program
provided by a school district or postsecondary institution that includes a formal diagnostic
component in the specific areas in which the licensee did not obtain qualifying scores; and
deleted text end

deleted text begin (2) attempting to successfully complete the skills examination during the period
of each one-year license.
deleted text end

deleted text begin (d)deleted text end new text begin (c)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 deleted text begin successfully
completing
deleted text end new text begin passingnew text end the skills examination in reading, writing, and mathematics.

deleted text begin (e)deleted text end new text begin (d)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.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2010, 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, deleted text begin subdivisiondeleted text end new text begin subdivisions 2, paragraph (b), andnew text end 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, 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.