Minnesota Legislature
HF 2864
as introduced - 94th Legislature (2025 - 2026) Posted on 03/26/2025 11:33am
Bill Text Versions
| Engrossments | ||
|---|---|---|
| Introduction | Posted on 03/25/2025 |
Current Version - as introduced
1.7 1.8 1.9 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 2.10 2.11 2.12 2.13 2.14 2.15 2.16 2.17 2.18 2.19 2.20 2.21 2.22 2.23 2.24 2.25 2.26 2.27 2.28 2.29 2.30 2.31 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7 3.8 3.9 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20
3.21 3.22 3.23 3.24 3.25 3.26 3.27 3.28 3.29 3.30 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 4.5 4.6 4.7 4.8 4.9 4.10 4.11 4.12 4.13 4.14 4.15 4.16 4.17 4.18 4.19 4.20 4.21 4.22 4.23 4.24 4.25 4.26 4.27 4.28 4.29 4.30 4.31 4.32 4.33
5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 5.19 5.20 5.21 5.22 5.23 5.24 5.25 5.26
5.27 5.28 5.29 5.30 5.31 5.32 5.33 5.34 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 6.7 6.8 6.9 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 6.15 6.16 6.17 6.18 6.19 6.20 6.21 6.22 6.23 6.24 6.25 6.26
6.27 6.28 6.29 6.30 6.31 6.32 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 7.9 7.10 7.11 7.12 7.13 7.14 7.15 7.16 7.17 7.18 7.19 7.20 7.21 7.22 7.23
7.24 7.25 7.26 7.27 7.28 7.29 7.30 7.31 7.32 8.1 8.2 8.3 8.4
8.5 8.6 8.7 8.8 8.9 8.10 8.11 8.12 8.13 8.14 8.15 8.16 8.17 8.18 8.19 8.20 8.21 8.22 8.23 8.24 8.25
A bill for an act
relating to education; modifying teacher licensure requirements related to the Read
Act; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections 120B.12, subdivision 4a;
120B.123, subdivision 5, by adding a subdivision; 120B.124, subdivision 2;
122A.181, subdivision 3; 122A.182, subdivision 3; 122A.183, subdivision 2.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:
Section 1.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 120B.12, subdivision 4a, is amended to read:
Subd. 4a.
Local literacy plan.
(a) Consistent with this section, a school district must
adopt a local literacy plan to have every child reading at or above grade level every year
beginning in kindergarten and to support multilingual learners and students receiving special
education services in achieving their individualized reading goals. A district must update
and submit the plan to the commissioner by June 15 each year. The plan must be consistent
with the Read Act, and include the following:
(1) a process to assess students' foundational reading skills, oral language, and level of
reading proficiency and the approved screeners used, by school site and grade level, under
section 120B.123;
(2) a process to notify and involve parents;
(3) a description of how schools in the district will determine the targeted reading
instruction that is evidence-based and includes an intervention strategy for a student and
the process for intensifying or modifying the reading strategy in order to obtain measurable
reading progress;
(4) evidence-based intervention methods for students who are not reading at or above
grade level and progress monitoring to provide information on the effectiveness of the
intervention;
(5) identification of staff development needs, including a plan to meet those needs;
(6) the curricula used by school site and grade level and, if applicable, the district plan
and timeline for adopting approved curricula and materials starting in the 2025-2026 school
year;
(7) a statement of whether the district has adopted a MTSS framework;
(8) student data using the measures of foundational literacy skills and mastery identified
by the Department of Education for the following students:
(i) students in kindergarten through grade 3;
(ii) students who demonstrate characteristics of dyslexia; and
(iii) students in grades 4 to 12 who are identified as not reading at grade level;
(9) the number of teachers and other staff who have completed training approved by the
department;
(10) the number of teachers and other staff proposed for training in structured literacy;
and
(11) how the district used funding provided under the Read Act to implement the
requirements of the Read Act.
(b) The district must post its literacy plan on the official school district website and
submit it to the commissioner of education using the template developed by the commissioner
of education beginning June 15, 2024.
(c) By March 1, 2024, the commissioner of education must develop a streamlined template
for local literacy plans that meets the requirements of this subdivision and requires all
reading instruction and teacher training in reading instruction to be evidence-based. The
template must require a district to report information using the student categories required
in the commissioner's report under paragraph (d). The template must focus district resources
on improving students' foundational reading skills while reducing paperwork requirements
for teachers.
(d) By December 1, 2025, the commissioner of education must submit a report to the
legislative committees with jurisdiction over prekindergarten through grade 12 education
summarizing the local literacy plans submitted to the commissioner. The summary must
include the following information:
(1) the number of teachers and other staff who have completed training approved by the
Department of Education;
(2) the number of teachers and other staff required to complete the training under section
120B.123, subdivision 5, who have not completed the training;
(3) the number of teachers exempt under section 120B.123, subdivision 5, from
completing training approved by the Department of Education;
new text begin
(4) the number of teachers or other staff required to complete the training who received
other training or education that meets the requirements of the training approved by the
Department of Education;
new text end
deleted text begin (4)deleted text end new text begin (5)new text end by school site and grade, the approved screeners and the reading curriculum used;
and
deleted text begin (5)deleted text end new text begin (6)new text end by school site and grade, using the measurements of foundational literacy skills
and mastery identified by the department, both aggregated data and disaggregated data on
student performance on the approved screeners using the student categories under section
120B.35, subdivision 3, paragraph (a), clause (2).
(e) By December 1, 2026, and December 1, 2027, the commissioner of education must
submit updated reports containing the information required under paragraph (d) to the
legislative committees with jurisdiction over prekindergarten through grade 12 education.
Sec. 2.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 120B.123, subdivision 5, is amended to read:
Subd. 5.
Professional development.
(a) A district must provide training from a menu
of approved evidence-based training programs to the following teachers and staff by July
1, 2026:
(1) reading intervention teachers working with students in kindergarten through grade
12;
(2) all classroom teachers of students in kindergarten through grade 3 and children in
prekindergarten programs;
(3) special education teachers;
(4) curriculum directors;
(5) instructional support staff, contractors, and volunteers who assist in providing Tier
2 interventions;
(6) employees who select literacy instructional materials for a district; and
(7) teachers licensed to teach English to multilingual learners.
(b) A district must provide training from a menu of approved evidence-based training
programs to the following teachers by July 1, 2027:
(1) teachers who provide reading instruction to students in grades 4 to 12; and
(2) teachers who provide instruction to students in a state-approved alternative program.
(c) The commissioner of education may grant a district an extension to the deadlines in
this subdivision.
(d) Training provided by a department-approved certified trained facilitator may satisfy
the professional development requirements under this subdivision.
new text begin
(e) Beginning June 30, 2025, an educator required to receive training under paragraph
(a) who is new to the state of Minnesota or is a newly licensed teacher who did not receive
instruction in the teaching of foundational reading skills based on structured literacy must
complete one of the three approved required trainings. Training must be offered through
the regional literacy network and facilitated by a local certified and trained facilitator. The
Department of Education must review educator profiles and previous training and grant
waivers to educators who are new to the state who have completed the professional
development requirements consistent with this subdivision.
new text end
deleted text begin (e)deleted text end new text begin (f)new text end For the 2024-2025 new text begin and 2025-2026 new text end school deleted text begin yeardeleted text end new text begin yearsnew text end only, the hours of instruction
requirement under section 120A.41 for students in deleted text begin andeleted text end elementarynew text begin and secondarynew text end school, as
defined in section 120A.05, deleted text begin subdivisiondeleted text end new text begin subdivisionsnew text end 9new text begin and 13new text end , is reduced by 5-1/2 hours
for a district that enters into an agreement with the exclusive representative of the teachers
that requires teachers to receive at least 5-1/2 hours of approved evidence-based training
required under this subdivision, on a day when other students in the district receive
instruction. If a charter school's teachers are not represented by an exclusive representative,
the charter school may reduce the number of instructional hours for students in deleted text begin andeleted text end elementarynew text begin
and secondarynew text end school, as defined in section 120A.05, deleted text begin subdivisiondeleted text end new text begin subdivisionsnew text end 9new text begin and 13new text end ,
by 5-1/2 hours after consulting with its teachers in order to provide teachers with at least
5-1/2 hours of evidence-based training required under this subdivision on a day when other
students receive instruction.new text begin The hours of instruction reduction for secondary school students
is applicable only for the 2025-2026 school year.
new text end
Sec. 3.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 120B.123, is amended by adding a subdivision
to read:
new text begin Subd. 5a. new text end
new text begin Teacher licensure; renewal. new text end
new text begin
(a) Beginning July 1, 2025, a Tier 1 early
learning, elementary education, or special education teacher responsible for teaching reading
and licensed under section 122A.181 must demonstrate that they are registered for, currently
taking, or have completed evidence-based structured literacy training consistent with training
approved by the Department of Education for the teacher's first licensure renewal. A Tier
1 teacher may demonstrate evidence of progress in meeting the subject matter standards for
reading in administrative rules through evidence-based structured literacy coursework or
through the department educator profile review under subdivision 5, paragraph (e). The
required training must be completed before a second renewal of the Tier 1 license.
new text end
new text begin
(b) Beginning July 1, 2025, a Tier 2 early learning, elementary education, or special
education teacher who is responsible for teaching reading and licensed under section
122A.182 must demonstrate that they are currently taking or have completed evidence-based
structured literacy training consistent with training approved by the Department of Education
for the teacher's first licensure renewal. A Tier 2 teacher may demonstrate evidence of
progress in meeting the subject matter standards for reading in administrative rules through
evidence-based structured literacy coursework or through the department educator profile
review under subdivision 5, paragraph (e). The required training must be completed before
the first renewal of the Tier 2 license is granted.
new text end
new text begin
(c) Beginning July 1, 2026, a Tier 3 early learning, elementary education, or special
education teacher licensure candidate under section 122A.183 who demonstrates field-specific
teaching experience to complete the coursework requirements under section 122A.183,
subdivision 2, must demonstrate they have completed evidence-based structured literacy
training required under subdivision 5 before the Professional Educator Licensing and
Standards Board issues the Tier 3 license.
new text end
Sec. 4.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 120B.124, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2.
deleted text begin Reconsiderationdeleted text end new text begin Curriculum review cyclenew text end .
(a) new text begin Every five years, beginning
July 1, 2030, new text end the department and CAREI must provide districts an opportunity to request
that the department and CAREI add to the list of new text begin reviewed new text end curricula deleted text begin or professional
developmentdeleted text end new text begin and interventionnew text end programs deleted text begin a specific curriculum or professional development
programdeleted text end . The department must publish the deleted text begin requestdeleted text end new text begin procedurenew text end for deleted text begin reconsideration proceduredeleted text end new text begin
reviewnew text end on the department websitenew text begin by July 1, 2029new text end . A request for deleted text begin reconsiderationdeleted text end new text begin reviewnew text end
must demonstrate that the curriculum or deleted text begin professional developmentdeleted text end new text begin interventionnew text end program
meets the requirements of the Read Act, is evidence-based, and has structured literacy
components. deleted text begin The department and CAREI must review the request for reconsideration and
approve or deny the request within 60 days.deleted text end new text begin The review process must use the rubric used
to approve curriculum under subdivision 1 with the addition of culturally responsive criteria
as determined by the third-party review.
new text end
(b) deleted text begin The department and CAREI must conduct a final curriculum review of previously
submitted curriculum by March 3, 2025, to review curriculum that is available to districts
at no cost.deleted text end new text begin The reviewed resources must be categorized as highly aligned, partially aligned,
minimally aligned, or not aligned to evidenced-based structured literacy practices. Nonranked
curricular resources do not meet the criteria to be classified as a Tier 1 core highly aligned
program. The reviewed resources categories are defined as follows:
new text end
new text begin
(1) "highly aligned" means 100 percent of domains were above the cut point with no
significant red flags identified for the program;
new text end
new text begin
(2) "partially aligned" means 60 to 99 percent of domains were above the cut point;
new text end
new text begin
(3) "minimally aligned" means 34 to 59 percent of domains were above the cut point;
and
new text end
new text begin
(4) "not aligned" means 33 percent or less of domains were above the cut point.
new text end
new text begin
It is a district's responsibility when planning for curriculum implementation to verify
instruction and materials align with evidence-based structured literacy practices and to
resolve issues identified in the report and rubric provided by the Department of Education.
new text end
new text begin
(c) A district must ensure that any red flags for a program are resolved through district
enhancements to the selected program.
new text end
new text begin
(d) A program going through a full review cycle must be added to the reviewed curricula
and intervention program list after the review process is completed.
new text end
new text begin
(e) Only materials categorized as highly aligned may qualify for use of literacy incentive
aid under section 124D.98 or state funding provided under the Read Act.
new text end
Sec. 5.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.181, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3.
Term of license and renewal.
(a) The Professional Educator Licensing and
Standards Board must issue an initial Tier 1 license for a term of one year. A Tier 1 license
may be renewed subject to paragraphs (b) deleted text begin anddeleted text end new text begin ,new text end (c)new text begin , and (d)new text end .
(b) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must renew a Tier 1
license if:
(1) the district or charter school requesting the renewal demonstrates that it has posted
the teacher position but was unable to hire an acceptable teacher with a Tier 2, 3, or 4 license
for the position;
(2) the teacher holding the Tier 1 license took a content examination in accordance with
section 122A.185 and submitted the examination results to the teacher's employing district
or charter school within one year of the board approving the request for the initial Tier 1
license;
(3) the teacher holding the Tier 1 license participated in cultural competency training
consistent with section 120B.30, subdivision 8, within one year of the board approving the
request for the initial Tier 1 license; and
(4) the teacher holding the Tier 1 license met the mental illness training renewal
requirement under section 122A.187, subdivision 6.
The requirement in clause (2) does not apply to a teacher that teaches a class in a career and
technical education or career pathways course of study.
(c) A Tier 1 license must not be renewed more than three times, unless the requesting
district or charter school can show good cause for additional renewals. A Tier 1 license
issued to teach (1) a class or course in a career and technical education or career pathway
course of study, or (2) in a shortage area, as defined in section 122A.06, subdivision 6, may
be renewed without limitation.
new text begin
(d) Beginning July 1, 2025, a Tier 1 licensed early learning, elementary education, or
special education teacher responsible for teaching reading must meet the evidence-based
literacy training requirements under section 120B.123, subdivision 5a, for their first licensure
renewal.
new text end
Sec. 6.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.182, subdivision 3, is amended to read:
Subd. 3.
Term of license and renewal.
new text begin (a) new text end The Professional Educator Licensing and
Standards Board must issue an initial Tier 2 license for a term of two years. A Tier 2 license
may be renewed three times.
new text begin (b) new text end Before a Tier 2 license is renewed for the first time, a teacher holding a Tier 2 license
must participate in cultural competency training consistent with section 120B.30, subdivision
8, and mental illness training under section 122A.187, subdivision 6.
new text begin
(c) Beginning July 1, 2025, a Tier 2 licensed early learning, elementary education, or
special education teacher responsible for teaching reading must demonstrate they have
completed the evidence-based literacy training requirements of section 120B.123, subdivision
5a, for the first renewal of their initial license.
new text end
new text begin (d) new text end The board must issue rules setting forth the conditions for additional renewals after
the initial license has been renewed three times.
Sec. 7.
Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.183, subdivision 2, is amended to read:
Subd. 2.
Coursework.
new text begin (a) new text end An applicant 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 an
applicant that has two years of field-specific teaching experience;
(3) a recommendation for licensure through the licensure via portfolio process;
(4) a professional teaching license from another state, evidence that the applicant's license
is in good standing, and two years of field-specific teaching experience; or
(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 122A.41, subdivision
5.
new text begin
(b) Beginning July 1, 2026, a Tier 3 early learning, elementary education, or special
education licensure applicant who demonstrates field-specific teaching experience to
complete the coursework requirements under this subdivision must demonstrate they have
completed evidence-based structured literacy training according to section 120B.123,
subdivision 5a, before the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board may issue
an initial Tier 3 license.
new text end