SF 2434

as introduced - 89th Legislature (2015 - 2016) Posted on 03/15/2016 09:21am

A bill for an act
relating to education; clarifying licensing teachers trained in other states;
amending Minnesota Statutes 2014, sections 122A.09, as amended; 122A.18,
as amended; 122A.21, as amended; 122A.245, as amended; Minnesota Statutes
2015 Supplement, section 122A.23.

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

Section 1.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.09, as amended by Laws 2015,
chapter 69, article 2, section 3, and Laws 2015, First Special Session chapter 3, article 2,
sections 9 to 11, is amended to read:

122A.09 DUTIES.

Subdivision 1.

Code of ethics.

The Board of Teaching must develop by rule a code
of ethics covering standards of professional teaching practices, including areas of ethical
conduct and professional performance and methods of enforcement.

Subd. 2.

Advise members of profession.

The board must act in an advisory
capacity to members of the profession in matters of interpretation of the code of ethics.

Subd. 3.

Election of chair and officers.

The board shall elect a chair and such
other officers as it may deem necessary.

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 require all candidates for teacher licensure to demonstrate a
passing score on a board-adopted skills examination in reading, writing, and mathematics,
as a requirement for new text begin an new text end initial deleted text begin teacher licensure deleted text end new text begin professional one-year teaching license new text end ,
except that the board may issue up to four deleted text begin temporary, deleted text end new text begin initial professional new text end one-year teaching
licenses to an otherwise qualified candidate who has not yet passed the board-adopted
skills exam. The board must require colleges and universities offering a board-approved
teacher preparation program to provide remedial assistance to persons who did not achieve
a qualifying score on the board-adopted skills examination, including those for whom
English is a second language. The requirement to pass a board-adopted reading, writing,
and mathematics skills examination does not apply to nonnative English speakers, as
verified by qualified Minnesota school district personnel or Minnesota higher education
faculty, who, after meeting the content and pedagogy requirements under this subdivision,
apply for a teaching license to provide direct instruction in their native language or world
language instruction under section 120B.022, subdivision 1. The Board of Teaching and
the entity administering the content, pedagogy, and skills examinations must allow any
individual who produces documentation of a disability in the form of an evaluation, 504
plan, or individual education program (IEP) to receive the same testing accommodations
on the content, pedagogy, and skills examinations that the applicant received during their
secondary or postsecondary education.

(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. Among other components,
teacher preparation programs may use the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
program model to provide a school-year-long student teaching program that combines
clinical opportunities with academic coursework and in-depth student teaching
experiences to offer students ongoing mentorship, coaching, and assessment, help to
prepare a professional development plan, and structured learning experiences. 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. The board's redesign rules must include creating flexible,
specialized teaching licenses, credentials, and other endorsement forms to increase
students' participation in language immersion programs, world language instruction,
career development opportunities, work-based learning, early college courses and careers,
career and technical programs, Montessori schools, and project and place-based learning,
among other career and college ready learning offerings.

(e) The board must adopt rules requiring candidates for deleted text begin initial deleted text end new text begin professional
five-year teaching new text end 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 deleted text begin initial deleted text end new text begin professional
five-year teaching new text end licenses based on appropriate professional competencies that are
aligned with the board's licensing system and students' diverse learning needs. All teacher
candidates must have preparation in English language development and content instruction
for English learners in order to be able to effectively instruct the English learners in their
classrooms. 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, recognizes the importance of cultural and linguistic competencies,
including the ability to teach and communicate in culturally competent and aware ways,
and formalizes mentoring and induction for newly licensed teachers provided through a
teacher support framework.

deleted text begin (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.
deleted text end

deleted text begin (i) deleted text end new text begin (h) new text end The board must receive recommendations from local committees as established
by the board for the renewal of teaching licenses. The board must require new text begin a new text end licensed
deleted text begin teachers deleted text end new text begin teacher new text end who deleted text begin are deleted text end new text begin is new text end renewing a deleted text begin continuing license deleted text end new text begin professional five-year teaching
license new text end to include in the renewal requirements further preparation in English language
development and specially designed content instruction in English for English learners.

deleted text begin (j) deleted text end new text begin (i) new text end The board must grant deleted text begin life deleted text end new text begin lifetime substitute new text end licenses to those who qualify
according to new text begin board new text end requirements deleted text begin established by the board deleted text end , and suspend or revoke licenses
deleted text begin pursuant to deleted text end new text begin under new text end sections 122A.20 and 214.10. The board must not establish any
expiration date for application for deleted text begin life deleted text end new text begin lifetime substitute new text end licenses.

deleted text begin (k) deleted text end new text begin (j) new text end The board must adopt rules that require all licensed teachers who are renewing
their deleted text begin continuing license deleted text end new text begin professional five-year teaching licenses new text end 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.

deleted text begin (l) deleted text end new text begin (k) new text end 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.

deleted text begin (m) deleted text end new text begin (l) new text end The board must adopt rules that require all licensed teachers who are
renewing their deleted text begin continuing license deleted text end new text begin professional five-year teaching licenses new text end 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.

deleted text begin (n) deleted text end new text begin (m) new text end The board must adopt rules that require all licensed teachers who are
renewing their deleted text begin continuing license deleted text end new text begin professional five-year teaching licenses new text end to include
in their renewal requirements further preparation, first, in understanding the key
warning signs of early-onset mental illness in children and adolescents and then,
during subsequent licensure renewal periods, preparation may include providing a
more in-depth understanding of students' mental illness trauma, accommodations for
students' mental illness, parents' role in addressing students' mental illness, Fetal Alcohol
Spectrum Disorders, autism, the requirements of section 125A.0942 governing restrictive
procedures, and de-escalation methods, among other similar topics.

deleted text begin (o) deleted text end new text begin (n) new text end The board must adopt rules by January 1, 2016, to license applicants under
sections 122A.23 and 122A.245. The rules must permit applicants to demonstrate their
qualifications through the board's recognition of a teaching license from another state
in a similar content field, completion of a state-approved teacher preparation program,
teaching experience as the teacher of record in a similar licensure field, depth of content
knowledge, depth of content methods or general pedagogy, subject-specific professional
development and contribution to the field, or classroom performance as determined by
documented student growth on normed assessments or documented effectiveness on
evaluations. The rules must adopt criteria for determining a "similar content field" and
"similar licensure area."

Subd. 4a.

Teacher and administrator preparation and performance data;
report.

(a) The Board of Teaching and the Board of School Administrators, in cooperation
with the Minnesota Association of Colleges of Teacher Education and Minnesota colleges
and universities offering board-adopted teacher or administrator preparation programs,
annually must collect and report summary data on teacher and administrator preparation
and performance outcomes, consistent with this subdivision. The Board of Teaching
and the Board of School Administrators annually by June 1 must update and post the
reported summary preparation and performance data on teachers and administrators from
the preceding school years on a Web site hosted jointly by the boards.

(b) Publicly reported summary data on teacher preparation programs must include:
student entrance requirements for each Board of Teaching-approved program, including
grade point average for enrolling students in the preceding year; the average board-adopted
skills examination or ACT or SAT scores of students entering the program in the preceding
year; summary data on faculty qualifications, including at least the content areas of faculty
undergraduate and graduate degrees and their years of experience either as kindergarten
through grade 12 classroom teachers or school administrators; the average time resident
and nonresident program graduates in the preceding year needed to complete the program;
the current number and percent of students by program who graduated, received a standard
Minnesota teaching license, and were hired to teach full time in their licensure field in a
Minnesota district or school in the preceding year; the number of content area credits and
other credits by undergraduate program that students in the preceding school year needed
to complete to graduate; students' pass rates on skills and subject matter exams required for
graduation in each program and licensure area in the preceding school year; survey results
measuring student and graduate satisfaction with the program in the preceding school
year; a standard measure of the satisfaction of school principals or supervising teachers
with the student teachers assigned to a school or supervising teacher; and information
under paragraphs (d) and (e). Program reporting must be consistent with subdivision 11.

(c) Publicly reported summary data on administrator preparation programs
approved by the Board of School Administrators must include: summary data on faculty
qualifications, including at least the content areas of faculty undergraduate and graduate
degrees and their years of experience either as kindergarten through grade 12 classroom
teachers or school administrators; the average time program graduates in the preceding
year needed to complete the program; the current number and percent of students who
graduated, received a standard Minnesota administrator license, and were employed as an
administrator in a Minnesota school district or school in the preceding year; the number of
credits by graduate program that students in the preceding school year needed to complete
to graduate; survey results measuring student, graduate, and employer satisfaction with
the program in the preceding school year; and information under paragraphs (f) and (g).
Program reporting must be consistent with section 122A.14, subdivision 10.

(d) School districts annually by October 1 must report to the Board of Teaching
the following information for all teachers who finished the probationary period and
accepted a continuing contract position with the district from September 1 of the previous
year through August 31 of the current year: the effectiveness category or rating of the
teacher on the summative evaluation under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or 122A.41,
subdivision 5; the licensure area in which the teacher primarily taught during the
three-year evaluation cycle; and the teacher preparation program preparing the teacher in
the teacher's primary areas of instruction and licensure.

(e) School districts annually by October 1 must report to the Board of Teaching the
following information for all probationary teachers in the district who were released or
whose contracts were not renewed from September 1 of the previous year through August
31 of the current year: the licensure areas in which the probationary teacher taught; and
the teacher preparation program preparing the teacher in the teacher's primary areas of
instruction and licensure.

(f) School districts annually by October 1 must report to the Board of School
Administrators the following information for all school principals and assistant principals
who finished the probationary period and accepted a continuing contract position with the
district from September 1 of the previous year through August 31 of the current year: the
effectiveness category or rating of the principal or assistant principal on the summative
evaluation under section 123B.147, subdivision 3; and the principal preparation program
providing instruction to the principal or assistant principal.

(g) School districts annually by October 1 must report to the Board of School
Administrators all probationary school principals and assistant principals in the district
who were released or whose contracts were not renewed from September 1 of the previous
year through August 31 of the current year.

Subd. 5.

Commissioner's representative to comment on proposed rule.

deleted text begin Prior
to the adoption by deleted text end new text begin Before new text end the Board of Teaching deleted text begin of deleted text end new text begin adopts new text end any rule deleted text begin which deleted text end new text begin that new text end must be
submitted to public hearing, a representative of the commissioner shall appear before the
Board of Teaching and at the hearing required deleted text begin pursuant to deleted text end new text begin under new text end section 14.14, subdivision
1, to comment on the cost and educational implications of that proposed rule.

Subd. 6.

Register of persons licensed.

The executive secretary of the Board of
Teaching shall keep a record of the proceedings of and a register of all persons licensed
pursuant to the provisions of this chapter. The register must show the name, address,
license number and the renewal of the license. The board must on July 1, of each year
or as soon thereafter as is practicable, compile a list of such duly licensed teachers and
transmit a copy of the list to the board. A copy of the register must be available during
business hours at the office of the board to any interested person.

Subd. 7.

Commissioner's assistance; board money.

The commissioner shall
provide all necessary materials and assistance for the transaction of the business of the
Board of Teaching and all moneys received by the Board of Teaching shall be paid into
the state treasury as provided by law. The expenses of administering sections 122A.01,
122A.05 to 122A.09, 122A.15, 122A.16, 122A.17, 122A.18, 122A.20, 122A.21, 122A.22,
122A.23, 122A.26, 122A.30, 122A.40, 122A.41, 122A.42, 122A.45, 122A.49, 122A.54,
122A.55, 122A.56, 122A.57, and 122A.58 which are incurred by the Board of Teaching
shall be paid for from appropriations made to the Board of Teaching.

Subd. 8.

Fraud; gross misdemeanor.

A person who claims to be a licensed teacher
without a valid existing license issued by the board or any person who employs fraud or
deception in applying for or securing a license is guilty of a gross misdemeanor.

Subd. 9.

Board may adopt rules.

The Board of Teaching may adopt rules subject
to the provisions of chapter 14 to implement sections 122A.05 to 122A.09, 122A.16,
122A.17, 122A.18, 122A.20, 122A.21, and 122A.23.

Subd. 10.

deleted text begin Variances deleted text end new text begin Permissions new text end .

(a) Notwithstanding subdivision 9 and section
deleted text begin 14.05, subdivision 4 deleted text end new text begin 14.055 new text end , the Board of Teaching may grant deleted text begin a variance deleted text end new text begin waivers new text end to its
rules upon application by a school district for purposes of implementing experimental
programs in learning or management.

(b) To enable a school district to meet the needs of students enrolled in an alternative
education program and to enable licensed teachers instructing those students to satisfy
content area licensure requirements, the Board of Teaching annually may permit a licensed
teacher teaching in an alternative education program to instruct students in a content area
for which the teacher is not licensed, consistent with paragraph (a).

(c) A special education license deleted text begin variance deleted text end new text begin permission new text end issued by the Board of Teaching
for a primary employer's low-incidence region shall be valid in all low-incidence regions.

Subd. 11.

Teacher preparation program reporting.

By December 31, 2018, and
annually thereafter, the Board of Teaching shall report and publish on its Web site the
cumulative summary results of at least three consecutive years of data reported to the board
under subdivision 4a, paragraph (b). Where the data are sufficient to yield statistically
reliable information and the results would not reveal personally identifiable information
about an individual teacher, the board shall report the data by teacher preparation program.

Sec. 2.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.18, as amended by Laws 2015, First
Special Session chapter 3, article 2, sections 14 and 15, is amended to read:

122A.18 BOARD TO ISSUE LICENSES.

Subdivision 1.

Authority to license.

(a) The Board of Teaching must license
teachers, as defined in section 122A.15, subdivision 1, except for supervisory personnel,
as defined in section 122A.15, subdivision 2.

(b) The Board of School Administrators must license supervisory personnel as
defined in section 122A.15, subdivision 2, except for athletic coaches.

(c) Licenses under the jurisdiction of the Board of Teaching, the Board of School
Administrators, and the commissioner of education must be issued through the licensing
section of the department.

(d) The Board of Teaching and the Department of Education must enter into a data
sharing agreement to share educational data at the E-12 level for the limited purpose
of program approval and improvement for teacher education programs. The program
approval process must include targeted redesign of teacher preparation programs to
address identified E-12 student areas of concern.

(e) The Board of School Administrators and the Department of Education must enter
into a data sharing agreement to share educational data at the E-12 level for the limited
purpose of program approval and improvement for education administration programs.
The program approval process must include targeted redesign of education administration
preparation programs to address identified E-12 student areas of concern.

(f) For purposes of the data sharing agreements under paragraphs (d) and (e), the
Board of Teaching, Board of School Administrators, and Department of Education may
share private data, as defined in section 13.02, subdivision 12, on teachers and school
administrators. The data sharing agreements must not include educational data, as defined
in section 13.32, subdivision 1, but may include summary data, as defined in section
13.02, subdivision 19, derived from educational data.

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, including those meeting the standards adopted
under section 122A.09, subdivision 4, paragraph deleted text begin (o) deleted text end new text begin (n) new text end .

(b) The board must require a candidate for teacher licensure to demonstrate a passing
score on a board-adopted examination of skills in reading, writing, and mathematics,
before being granted deleted text begin an initial deleted text end new text begin a professional five-year new text end teaching license to provide direct
instruction to pupils in prekindergarten, elementary, secondary, or special education
programs, except that the board may issue up to four temporary, one-year teaching licenses
to an otherwise qualified candidate who has not yet passed a board-adopted skills exam.
At the request of the employing school district or charter school, the Board of Teaching
may issue deleted text begin a restricted deleted text end new text begin an initial professional one-year teaching new text end license to an otherwise
qualified teacher not passing or demonstrating a passing score on a board-adopted skills
examination in reading, writing, and mathematics. For purposes of this section, the
deleted text begin restricted deleted text end new text begin initial professional one-year teaching new text end license issued by the board is limited to the
current subject or content matter the teacher is employed to teach and limited to the district
or charter school requesting the deleted text begin restricted deleted text end new text begin initial professional one-year teaching new text end license. If
the board denies the request, it must provide a detailed response to the school administrator
as to the reasons for the denial. The board must require colleges and universities offering
a board approved teacher preparation program to make available upon request remedial
assistance that includes a formal diagnostic component to persons enrolled in their
institution who did not achieve a qualifying score on a board-adopted skills examination,
including those for whom English is a second language. The colleges and universities
must make available assistance in the specific academic areas of candidates' deficiency.
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 a board-adopted skills examination, and who received deleted text begin a temporary deleted text end new text begin an initial
professional one-year teaching new text end license to teach in Minnesota. 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 a board-adopted skills
examination, the number who achieve a qualifying score on the examination, the number
who do not achieve a qualifying score on the examination, and the candidates who have
not passed a content or pedagogy exam, disaggregated by categories of race, ethnicity,
and eligibility for financial aid.

(c) The Board of Teaching must grant deleted text begin continuing deleted text end new text begin professional five-year teaching
new text end licenses only to those persons who have met board criteria for deleted text begin granting a continuing deleted text end new text begin that
new text end license, which includes passing a board-adopted skills examination in reading, writing, and
mathematics, and the exceptions in section 122A.09, subdivision 4, paragraph (b), that are
consistent with this paragraph. The requirement to pass a board-adopted reading, writing,
and mathematics skills examination, does not apply to nonnative English speakers, as
verified by qualified Minnesota school district personnel or Minnesota higher education
faculty, who, after meeting the content and pedagogy requirements under this subdivision,
apply for a new text begin professional five-year new text end teaching license to provide direct instruction in their
native language or world language instruction under section 120B.022, subdivision 1.

(d) 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. Among other requirements, teacher candidates must demonstrate the knowledge
and skills needed to provide appropriate instruction to English learners to support and
accelerate their academic literacy, including oral academic language, and achievement in
content areas in a regular classroom setting. 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.

Subd. 2a.

Reading strategies.

(a) All colleges and universities approved by the
Board of Teaching to prepare persons for classroom teacher licensure must include in
their teacher preparation programs research-based best practices in reading, consistent
with section 122A.06, subdivision 4, that enable the licensure candidate to know how to
teach reading in the candidate's content areas. Teacher candidates must be instructed
in using students' native languages as a resource in creating effective differentiated
instructional strategies for English learners developing literacy skills. These colleges and
universities also must prepare new text begin early childhood and elementary teacher new text end candidates for deleted text begin initial
deleted text end new text begin professional five-year teaching new text end licenses deleted text begin to teach prekindergarten or elementary students
deleted text end for the deleted text begin assessment of reading instruction deleted text end portion of the examination deleted text begin of licensure-specific
teaching skills deleted text end under section 122A.09, subdivision 4, paragraph (e) new text begin , covering assessment
of reading instruction new text end .

(b) Board-approved teacher preparation programs for teachers of elementary
education must require instruction deleted text begin in the application of deleted text end new text begin in applying new text end comprehensive,
scientifically based, and balanced reading instruction programs that:

(1) teach students to read using foundational knowledge, practices, and strategies
consistent with section 122A.06, subdivision 4, so that all students deleted text begin will deleted text end achieve continuous
progress in reading; and

(2) teach specialized instruction in reading strategies, interventions, and remediations
that enable students of all ages and proficiency levels to become proficient readers.

(c) Nothing in this section limits the authority of a school district to select a school's
reading program or curriculum.

Subd. 2b.

Reading specialist.

Not later than July 1, 2002, the Board of Teaching
must adopt rules providing for deleted text begin the deleted text end new text begin reading teacher new text end licensure deleted text begin of teachers of reading deleted text end .

Subd. 3.

Supervisory and coach qualifications; code of ethics.

The commissioner
of education must issue licenses under its jurisdiction to persons the commissioner finds
to be qualified and competent for their respective positions under the rules it adopts.
The commissioner of education may develop, by rule, a code of ethics for supervisory
personnel covering standards of professional practices, including areas of ethical conduct
and professional performance and methods of enforcement.

Subd. 3a.

Technology strategies.

All colleges and universities approved by the
Board of Teaching to prepare persons for classroom teacher licensure must include in their
teacher preparation programs the knowledge and skills teacher candidates need to deliver
digital and blended learning and curriculum and engage students with technology.

Subd. 4.

Expiration and renewal.

(a) Each license the Department of Education
issues through its licensing section must bear the date of issue new text begin and the name of the
state-approved teacher training provider new text end . Licenses must expire and be renewed according
to the respective rules the Board of Teaching, the Board of School Administrators, or the
commissioner of education adopts. Requirements for renewing a license must include
showing satisfactory evidence of successful teaching or administrative experience for
at least one school year during the period covered by the license in grades or subjects
for which the license is valid or completing such additional preparation as the Board of
Teaching prescribes. The Board of School Administrators shall establish requirements for
renewing the licenses of supervisory personnel except athletic coaches. The State Board
of Teaching shall establish requirements for renewing the licenses of athletic coaches.

(b) deleted text begin Relicensure deleted text end Applicants new text begin for license renewal new text end who have been employed as a teacher
during the renewal period of their expiring license, as a condition of deleted text begin relicensure deleted text end new text begin license
renewal new text end , must present to their local continuing education and relicensure committee
or other local relicensure committee evidence of work that demonstrates professional
reflection and growth in best teaching practices, including among other things, practices in
meeting the varied needs of English learners, from young children to adults under section
124D.59, subdivisions 2 and 2a. The applicant must include a reflective statement of
professional accomplishment and the applicant's own assessment of professional growth
showing evidence of:

(1) support for student learning;

(2) use of best practices techniques and their applications to student learning;

(3) collaborative work with colleagues that includes examples of collegiality such as
attested-to committee work, collaborative staff development programs, and professional
learning community work; or

(4) continual professional development that may include (i) job-embedded or other
ongoing formal professional learning or (ii) for teachers employed for only part of the
renewal period of their expiring license, other similar professional development efforts
made during the relicensure period.

The Board of Teaching must ensure that its teacher relicensing requirements also include
this paragraph.

(c) The Board of Teaching shall offer alternative deleted text begin continuing relicensure deleted text end options new text begin for
license renewal new text end for teachers who are accepted into and complete the National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards certification process, and offer additional continuing
relicensure options for teachers who earn National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards certification. Continuing relicensure requirements for teachers who do not
maintain National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification are those the
board prescribes, consistent with this section.

deleted text begin Subd. 4a. deleted text end

deleted text begin Limited Provisional licenses. deleted text end

deleted text begin The board may grant two-year provisional
licenses to licensure candidates in a field in which they were not previously licensed or in a
field in which a shortage of licensed teachers exists. A shortage is defined as an inadequate
supply of licensed personnel in a given licensure area as determined by the commissioner.
deleted text end

deleted text begin Subd. 5. deleted text end

deleted text begin Effective date. deleted text end

deleted text begin Nothing contained herein shall be construed as affecting
the validity of a permanent certificate or license issued prior to July 1, 1969.
deleted text end

Subd. 6.

Human relations.

The Board of Teaching deleted text begin and the commissioner of
education deleted text end shall accept training programs completed through Peace Corps, VISTA, or
Teacher Corps in lieu of deleted text begin completion of deleted text end new text begin completing new text end the human relations component of the
training program for purposes of issuing or renewing a new text begin teaching new text end license deleted text begin in education deleted text end .

deleted text begin Subd. 7. deleted text end

deleted text begin Limited provisional licenses. deleted text end

deleted text begin The Board of Teaching may grant
provisional licenses, which shall be valid for two years, in fields in which licenses were not
issued previously or in fields in which a shortage of licensed teachers exists. A shortage is
defined as a lack of or an inadequate supply of licensed personnel within a given licensure
area in a school district that has notified the Board of Teaching of the shortage and has
applied to the Board of Teaching for provisional licenses for that district's licensed staff.
deleted text end

Subd. 7a.

Permission to substitute teach.

(a) The Board of Teaching may allow a
person who is enrolled in and making satisfactory progress in a board-approved teacher
program and who has successfully completed student teaching to be employed as a
short-call substitute teacher.

(b) The Board of Teaching may issue a lifetime deleted text begin qualified short-call deleted text end substitute
teaching license to a person who:

(1) was a qualified teacher under section 122A.16 while holding a deleted text begin continuing
deleted text end new text begin professional new text end five-year teaching license issued by the board, and receives a retirement
annuity from the Teachers Retirement Association or the St. Paul Teachers Retirement
Fund Association;

(2) holds an out-of-state teaching license and receives a retirement annuity as a
result of the person's teaching experience; or

(3) held a deleted text begin continuing deleted text end new text begin professional new text end five-year new text begin teaching new text end license issued by the board,
taught at least three school years in an accredited nonpublic school in Minnesota, and
receives a retirement annuity as a result of the person's teaching experience.

A person holding a lifetime qualified short-call substitute teaching license is not required
to complete continuing education clock hours. A person holding this license may reapply
to the board for a deleted text begin continuing deleted text end new text begin professional new text end five-year new text begin teaching new text end license and must again
complete continuing education clock hours one school year after receiving the deleted text begin continuing
deleted text end new text begin professional new text end five-year new text begin teaching new text end license.

Subd. 7b.

deleted text begin Temporary limited licenses deleted text end new text begin Provisional permission new text end ; personnel
deleted text begin variances deleted text end new text begin variance; emergency permission new text end .

(a) deleted text begin The Board of Teaching must accept
applications for a temporary limited teaching license beginning July 1 of the school year
for which the license is requested and must issue or deny the temporary limited teaching
license within 30 days of receiving the complete application deleted text end new text begin The Board of Teaching
may grant a two-year provisional permission to a licensure candidate in a field in which
a shortage of licensed teachers exists. A shortage is defined as an inadequate supply of
licensed personnel in a given licensure area as determined by the commissioner new text end .

(b) new text begin The board may grant a one-year personnel variance to a licensed teacher in a
field in which they were not previously licensed. new text end The Board of Teaching must accept
applications for a personnel variance beginning July 1 of the school year for which the
variance is requested and must issue or deny the personnel variance within 30 days of
receiving the complete application.

new text begin (c) The board may grant a one-year emergency permission to a nonlicensed applicant
based on a district's satisfactory demonstration of need. The board must accept an
application for an emergency permission beginning on July 1 of the school year for which
the permission is requested and must issue or deny the emergency permission within 30
days of receiving the complete application.
new text end

Subd. 7c.

Temporary military license.

The Board of Teaching shall establish
a temporary license in accordance with section 197.4552 for teaching. The fee for a
temporary license under this subdivision shall be $87.90 for an online application or
$86.40 for a paper application.

Subd. 8.

Background checks.

(a) The Board of Teaching and the commissioner
of education must request a criminal history background check from the superintendent
of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on all new text begin first-time teaching new text end applicants for deleted text begin initial
deleted text end licenses under their jurisdiction. deleted text begin An application for a license under this section must be
accompanied by deleted text end new text begin Applicants must include with their licensure applications new text end :

(1) an executed criminal history consent form, including fingerprints; and

(2) a money order or cashier's check payable to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension
for the fee for conducting the criminal history background check.

(b) The superintendent of the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension shall perform the
background check required under paragraph (a) by retrieving criminal history data as
defined in section 13.87 and shall also conduct a search of the national criminal records
repository. The superintendent is authorized to exchange fingerprints with the Federal
Bureau of Investigation for purposes of the criminal history check. The superintendent
shall recover the cost to the bureau of a background check through the fee charged to
the applicant under paragraph (a).

(c) The Board of Teaching or the commissioner of education may issue a license
pending completion of a background check under this subdivision, but must notify
the individual that the individual's license may be revoked based on the result of the
background check.

Sec. 3.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.21, as amended by Laws 2015, First
Special Session chapter 3, article 2, section 17, is amended to read:

122A.21 TEACHERS' AND ADMINISTRATORS' LICENSES; FEES.

Subdivision 1.

Licensure applications.

Each application for the issuance, renewal,
or extension of a license to teach, including applications for licensure via portfolio under
subdivision 2, must be accompanied by a processing fee deleted text begin of $57 deleted text end . Each application for
issuing, renewing, or extending the license of a school administrator or supervisor must
be accompanied by a processing fee in the amount set by the Board of deleted text begin Teaching deleted text end new text begin School
Administrators new text end . The processing fee for a teacher's license and for the licenses of supervisory
personnel must be paid to the executive secretary of the appropriate board. The executive
secretary of the board shall deposit the fees with the commissioner of management and
budget. The fees as set by the board are nonrefundable for applicants not qualifying for a
license. However, a fee must be refunded by the commissioner of management and budget
in any case in which the applicant already holds a valid unexpired license. The board may
waive or reduce fees for applicants who apply at the same time for more than one license.

Subd. 2.

Licensure via portfolio.

(a) An eligible candidate may use licensure via
portfolio to obtain deleted text begin an initial licensure deleted text end new text begin a professional five-year teaching license new text end or to add a
licensure field, consistent with applicable Board of Teaching licensure rules.

(b) A candidate for deleted text begin initial licensure deleted text end new text begin a professional five-year teaching license new text end must
submit to the Educator Licensing Division at the department one portfolio demonstrating
pedagogical competence and one portfolio demonstrating content competence.

(c) A candidate seeking to add a licensure field must submit to the Educator
Licensing Division at the department one portfolio demonstrating content competence.

(d) The Board of Teaching must notify a candidate who submits a portfolio under
paragraph (b) or (c) within 90 calendar days after the portfolio is received whether or not
the portfolio was approved. If the portfolio was not approved, the board must immediately
inform the candidate how to revise the portfolio to successfully demonstrate the requisite
competence. The candidate may resubmit a revised portfolio at any time and the Educator
Licensing Division at the department must approve or disapprove the portfolio within
60 calendar days of receiving it.

(e) A candidate must pay to the executive secretary of the Board of Teaching a
$300 fee for the first portfolio submitted for review and a $200 fee for any portfolio
submitted subsequently. deleted text begin The fees must be paid to the executive secretary of the Board of
Teaching. deleted text end The revenue generated from the fee must be deposited in an education licensure
portfolio account in the special revenue fund. The fees set by the Board of Teaching are
nonrefundable for applicants not qualifying for a license. The Board of Teaching may
waive or reduce fees for candidates based on financial need.

Sec. 4.

Minnesota Statutes 2015 Supplement, section 122A.23, is amended to read:

122A.23 APPLICANTS TRAINED IN OTHER STATES.

Subdivision 1.

Preparation equivalency.

When a license to teach is authorized to
be issued to any holder of a diploma or a degree of a Minnesota state university, or of the
University of Minnesota, or of a liberal arts university, or a technical training institution,
such license may also, in the discretion of the Board of Teaching deleted text begin or the commissioner of
education, whichever has jurisdiction deleted text end , be issued to any holder of a diploma or a degree of a
teacher training institution of equivalent rank and standing of any other state. The diploma
or degree must be granted by virtue of completing coursework in teacher preparation as
preliminary to the granting of a diploma or a degree of the same rank and class. For
purposes of granting a Minnesota teaching license to a person who receives a diploma or
degree from a state-accredited, out-of-state teacher training program leading to licensure,
the Board of Teaching must establish criteria and streamlined new text begin policies and new text end procedures by
January 1, 2016, to recognize the experience and professional credentials of the person
holding the out-of-state diploma or degree and allow that person to demonstrate to the
board the person's qualifications for receiving a Minnesota teaching license based on
performance measures the board adopts by January 1, 2016, under this section.

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
new text begin professional five-year new text end teaching license or deleted text begin a temporary deleted text end new text begin an initial professional one-year
new text end teaching license under paragraphs (c) to (f) to an applicant who holds at least a
baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university and holds or
held an out-of-state teaching license that requires the applicant to successfully complete
a teacher preparation program approved by the issuing state, which includes either (1)
field-specific teaching methods, student teaching, or equivalent experience, or (2) at least
two years of teaching experience as the teacher of record in a similar licensure deleted text begin field deleted text end new text begin area new text end .

(b) The Board of Teaching may issue a deleted text begin standard deleted text end new text begin professional five-year teaching
new text end license on the basis of teaching experience and examination requirements only.

(c) The Board of Teaching must issue a new text begin professional five-year new text end 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 a similar content field and
grade levels if the scope of the out-of-state license is no more than two grade levels less
than a similar Minnesota license, and either (i) has completed field-specific teaching
methods, student teaching, or equivalent experience, or (ii) has at least two years of
teaching experience as the teacher of record in a similar licensure deleted text begin field deleted text end new text begin area new text end .

(d) The Board of Teaching, consistent with board rules and paragraph (i), must
issue up to four deleted text begin one-year temporary deleted text end new text begin initial professional one-year new text end teaching licenses to an
applicant who holds or held an out-of-state teaching license to teach a similar deleted text begin content field
deleted text end new text begin licensure area new text end and grade levels, where the scope of the out-of-state license is no more
than two grade levels less than a similar Minnesota license, but has not successfully
completed all exams and human relations preparation components required by the Board
of Teaching. new text begin The board must issue a professional five-year teaching license to an applicant
who successfully completes the requirements under this paragraph.
new text end

(e) The Board of Teaching, consistent with board rules, must issue up to four new text begin initial
professional new text end one-year deleted text begin temporary deleted text end 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 a similar deleted text begin content field
deleted text end new text begin licensure area new text end and grade levels, where the scope of the out-of-state license is no more than
two grade levels less than a similar Minnesota license, but has not completed field-specific
teaching methods or student teaching or equivalent experience.

The applicant deleted text begin may deleted text end new text begin must new text end complete field-specific teaching methods deleted text begin and student teaching
or equivalent experience deleted text end by successfully participating in a one-year school district
mentorship program consistent with board-adopted standards of effective practice and
Minnesota graduation requirements. new text begin If no school district mentorship program is available,
the applicant must complete field-specific teaching methods coursework while serving
as a teacher of record and providing classroom instruction in the applicant's field of
licensure. The board must issue a professional five-year teaching license to an applicant
who successfully completes the requirements under this paragraph.
new text end

deleted text begin (f) The Board of Teaching must issue a restricted teaching license for only in the
content field or grade levels specified in the out-of-state license to an applicant who:
deleted text end

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

deleted text begin (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.
deleted text end

new text begin (f) The Board of Teaching must issue to an applicant with an out-of-state teaching
license up to four initial professional one-year teaching licenses that are restricted in
content or grade levels specified in the out-of-state license if the applicant's out-of-state
teaching license is more limited than a similar Minnesota license in content field or
grade levels. The Board of Teaching must issue a professional five-year teaching license
to an applicant who successfully completes all exams and human relations preparation
components required by the Board of Teaching. Any content or grade level restriction
placed on a license under this paragraph remains in effect.
new text end

(g) The Board of Teaching may issue a two-year deleted text begin limited deleted text end provisional deleted text begin license
deleted text end new text begin permission new text end to an applicant under this subdivision to teach in a shortage area, consistent
with section 122A.18, subdivision 4a.

(h) The Board of Teaching may issue a license under this subdivision if the applicant
has attained the additional degrees, credentials, or licenses required in a particular
licensure field and the applicant can demonstrate competency by obtaining qualifying
scores on the board-adopted skills examination in reading, writing, and mathematics, and
on applicable board-adopted rigorous content area and pedagogy examinations under
section 122A.09, subdivision 4, paragraphs (a) and (e).

(i) The Board of Teaching must require an applicant for a new text begin professional five-year
new text end teaching license or deleted text begin a temporary deleted text end new text begin an initial professional one-year new text end teaching license under
this subdivision to pass a board-adopted skills examination in reading, writing, and
mathematics before the board issues the license unless, notwithstanding other provisions
of this subdivision, an applicable board-approved National Association of State Directors
of Teacher Education and Certification interstate deleted text begin reciprocity deleted text end agreement exists to allow
fully certified teachers from other states to transfer their certification to Minnesota.

Subd. 3.

Teacher licensure agreements with adjoining states.

(a) Notwithstanding
any other law to the contrary, the Board of Teaching must enter into a National Association
of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) interstate
agreement and other interstate agreements for teacher licensure to allow fully certified
teachers from adjoining states to transfer their certification to Minnesota. The board must
enter into these interstate agreements only after determining that the rigor of the teacher
licensure or certification requirements in the adjoining state is commensurate with the
rigor of Minnesota's teacher licensure requirements. The board may limit an interstate
agreement to particular content fields or grade levels based on established priorities or
identified shortages. This subdivision does not apply to out-of-state applicants holding
only a provisional teaching license.

(b) The Board of Teaching must work with designated authorities in adjoining states
to establish interstate teacher licensure agreements under this section.

Sec. 5.

Minnesota Statutes 2014, section 122A.245, as amended by Laws 2015, First
Special Session chapter 3, article 2, sections 19 to 21, is amended to read:

122A.245 ALTERNATIVE TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM AND
deleted text begin LIMITED-TERM deleted text end new text begin INTERN new text end TEACHER LICENSE.

Subdivision 1.

Requirements.

(a) To improve academic excellence, improve ethnic
and cultural diversity in the classroom, and close the academic achievement gap, the
Board of Teaching must approve qualified teacher preparation programs under this section
that are a means to acquire a two-year deleted text begin limited-term deleted text end new text begin intern teacher new text end license, which the
board may renew one time for an additional one-year term, and to prepare for acquiring a
deleted text begin standard deleted text end new text begin professional five-year new text end license. The following entities are eligible to participate
under this section:

(1) a school district, charter school, or nonprofit corporation organized under chapter
317A for an education-related purpose that forms a partnership with a college or university
that has a board-approved alternative teacher preparation program; or

(2) a school district or charter school, after consulting with a college or university
with a board-approved teacher preparation program, that forms a partnership with a
nonprofit corporation organized under chapter 317A for an education-related purpose that
has a board-approved teacher preparation program.

(b) Before becoming a teacher of record, a candidate must:

(1) have a bachelor's degree with a 3.0 or higher grade point average unless the
board waives the grade point average requirement based on board-adopted criteria adopted
by January 1, 2016;

(2) demonstrate a passing score on a board-adopted reading, writing, and
mathematics skills examination under section 122A.09, subdivision 4, paragraph (b); and

(3) obtain qualifying scores on applicable board-approved rigorous content area and
pedagogy examinations under section 122A.09, subdivision 4, paragraph (e).

(c) The Board of Teaching must issue a two-year deleted text begin limited-term deleted text end new text begin intern teacher new text end license
to a person who enrolls in an alternative teacher preparation program.

Subd. 2.

Characteristics.

An alternative teacher preparation program under this
section must include:

(1) a minimum 200-hour instructional phase that provides intensive preparation and
student teaching before the teacher candidate assumes classroom responsibilities;

(2) a research-based and results-oriented approach focused on best teaching practices
to increase student proficiency and growth measured against state academic standards;

(3) strategies to combine pedagogy and best teaching practices to better inform
teacher candidates' classroom instruction;

(4) assessment, supervision, and evaluation of teacher candidates to determine
their specific needs throughout the program and to support their efforts to successfully
complete the program;

(5) intensive, ongoing, and multiyear professional learning opportunities that
accelerate teacher candidates' professional growth, support student learning, and provide a
workplace orientation, professional staff development, and mentoring and peer review
focused on standards of professional practice and continuous professional growth; and

(6) a requirement that teacher candidates demonstrate to the local site team under
subdivision 5 satisfactory progress toward acquiring deleted text begin a standard license deleted text end new text begin professional
five-year teaching licenses new text end from the Board of Teaching.

Subd. 3.

Program approval; disapproval.

(a) The Board of Teaching must approve
alternative teacher preparation programs under this section based on board-adopted
criteria that reflect best practices for alternative teacher preparation programs, consistent
with this section.

(b) The board must permit teacher candidates to demonstrate mastery of pedagogy
and content standards in school-based settings and through other nontraditional means.
"Nontraditional means" must include a portfolio of previous experiences, teaching
experience, educator evaluations, certifications marking the completion of education
training programs, and essentially equivalent demonstrations.

(c) The board deleted text begin must deleted text end new text begin may new text end use nontraditional criteria to determine the qualifications of
program instructors.

(d) The board may permit instructors to hold a baccalaureate degree only.

(e) If the Board of Teaching determines that a teacher preparation program under this
section does not meet the requirements of this section, it may revoke its approval of the
program after it notifies the program provider of any deficiencies and gives the program
provider an opportunity to remedy the deficiencies.

Subd. 4.

Employment conditions.

Where applicable, teacher candidates with
deleted text begin a limited-term deleted text end new text begin an intern teacher new text end license under this section are members of the local
employee organization representing teachers and subject to the terms of the local collective
bargaining agreement between the exclusive representative of the teachers and the school
board. A collective bargaining agreement between a school board and the exclusive
representative of the teachers must not prevent or restrict or otherwise interfere with a
school district's ability to employ a teacher prepared under this section.

Subd. 5.

Approval for deleted text begin standard deleted text end new text begin professional five-year new text end license.

A school board
or its designee must appoint members to a local site team that includes teachers, school
administrators, and postsecondary faculty under subdivision 1, paragraph (a), clause
(1), or staff of a participating nonprofit corporation under subdivision 1, paragraph (a),
clause (2), to evaluate the performance of the teacher candidate. The evaluation must be
consistent with board-adopted performance measures, use the Minnesota state standards
of effective practice and subject matter content standards for teachers established in
Minnesota Rules, and include a report to the board recommending whether or not to issue
the teacher candidate a deleted text begin standard deleted text end new text begin professional five-year teaching new text end license.

Subd. 6.

Applicants trained in other states.

A person who successfully completes
another state's alternative teacher preparation program, consistent with section 122A.23,
deleted text begin subdivision 1, deleted text end may apply to the Board of Teaching for deleted text begin a standard deleted text end new text begin an initial professional
one-year teaching new text end license deleted text begin under subdivision 7 deleted text end new text begin or a professional five-year teaching license new text end .

Subd. 7.

deleted text begin Standard deleted text end new text begin Professional five-year new text end license.

The Board of Teaching must
issue a deleted text begin standard deleted text end new text begin professional five-year teaching new text end license to an otherwise qualified teacher
candidate under this section who successfully performs throughout a program under this
section, obtains qualifying scores on applicable board-adopted rigorous skills, pedagogy,
and content area examinations under section 122A.09, subdivision 4, paragraphs (a) and
(e), and is recommended for licensure under subdivision 5 or successfully demonstrates to
the board qualifications for licensure under subdivision 6.

Subd. 8.

Highly qualified teacher.

A person holding a valid limited-term license
under this section is a highly qualified teacher and the teacher of record under section
122A.16.

Subd. 9.

Exchange of best practices.

By July 31 in an even-numbered year,
deleted text begin a program participant and deleted text end new text begin approved alternative preparation program providers, new text end the
Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, the University of Minnesota, the Minnesota
Private College Council, and the Department of Education must exchange information
about best practices and educational innovations.

Subd. 10.

Reports.

The Board of Teaching must submit an interim report on the
efficacy of this program to the policy and finance committees of the legislature with
jurisdiction over kindergarten through grade 12 education by February 15, 2013, and a
final report by February 15, 2015.