1.1                          A bill for an act 
  1.2             relating to education; providing for a teacher 
  1.3             training program for qualified professionals; 
  1.4             proposing coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, 
  1.5             chapter 122A. 
  1.6   BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
  1.7      Section 1.  [122A.245] [TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM FOR 
  1.8   QUALIFIED PROFESSIONALS.] 
  1.9      Subdivision 1.  [REQUIREMENTS.] (a) As an alternative to 
  1.10  the postsecondary teacher preparation program and alternative 
  1.11  preparation licensing for teachers under section 122A.24, a 
  1.12  teacher training program is established for qualified 
  1.13  professionals to acquire an entrance license.  The program may 
  1.14  be offered in any instructional field. 
  1.15     (b) To participate in the teacher training program, the 
  1.16  applicant must: 
  1.17     (1) have a bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year 
  1.18  postsecondary institution; 
  1.19     (2) have an undergraduate major or postbaccalaureate degree 
  1.20  in the subject to be taught; and 
  1.21     (3) pass an examination of skills in reading, writing, and 
  1.22  mathematics as required by section 122A.18. 
  1.23     Subd. 2.  [PROGRAM.] The teacher training program must 
  1.24  include: 
  1.25     (1) 200 clock hours of intensive training in classroom 
  2.1   management, curriculum, and instruction; and 
  2.2      (2) a minimum of five seminars of at least a total of 20 
  2.3   clock hours during the applicant's first year of teaching. 
  2.4      Subd. 3.  [PROGRAM APPROVAL.] The commissioner must approve 
  2.5   teacher training programs under this section based on criteria 
  2.6   developed by an advisory group appointed by the commissioner 
  2.7   which shall include, at a minimum, representatives of the Board 
  2.8   of Teaching and postsecondary institutions. 
  2.9      Subd. 4.  [ELIGIBILITY LICENSE.] An applicant who 
  2.10  successfully completes the training under subdivision 2, clause 
  2.11  (1), may receive a one-year eligibility license and begin to 
  2.12  teach.  During the one-year eligibility period, the district 
  2.13  must assign a teacher who holds a regular teaching license to 
  2.14  mentor the applicant teacher.  The applicant teacher and mentor 
  2.15  must meet a minimum of one time every two weeks. 
  2.16     Subd. 5.  [STANDARD ENTRANCE LICENSE.] The Board of 
  2.17  Teaching must issue a standard entrance license to a training 
  2.18  program licensee who has successfully completed the program 
  2.19  under subdivision 2, successfully taught in a classroom for one 
  2.20  complete school year, and has received a positive recommendation 
  2.21  from the applicant's school principal or district superintendent.
  2.22     Subd. 6.  [QUALIFIED TEACHER.] A person with a valid 
  2.23  eligibility license is a qualified teacher within the meaning of 
  2.24  section 122A.16.