Minnesota Administrative Rules

8710.7200 CLOCK HOURS; REQUIREMENTS FOR RENEWAL OF PROFESSIONAL LICENSES.

Subpart 1.

Definition.

"Clock hour" means an hour of actual instruction, or planned group or individual professional development activity as approved by the local continuing education/relicensure committee.

Subp. 2.

Renewal clock hours.

Verification by the local continuing education/relicensure committee that the applicant has completed 125 approved clock hours is required for renewal. Instruction and professional development activities meet requirements to renew licenses only if they address one or more of the standards in part 8710.2000. Effective for renewal of professional licenses which expire on June 30, 2001, and after, applicants must include in their 125 clock hours instruction or other professional development activities which address positive behavioral intervention strategies and accommodation, modification, and adaptation of curriculum, materials, and instruction to appropriately meet the needs of varied students in achieving graduation standards. Effective for renewal of professional licenses which expire on June 30, 2004, and after, applicants must also include in their 125 clock hours instruction or other professional development activities which evidence further reading preparation, consistent with Minnesota Statutes, section 122A.06, subdivision 4. Effective for renewal of professional licenses which expire on June 30, 2005, and after, applicants must also include in their 125 clock hours instruction or other professional development activities which address further preparation in understanding the key warning signs of early-onset mental illnesses in children and adolescents which may include depressed mood, excessive fears and anxieties, changes in behavior and performance, failure to develop peer relationships, impaired concentration and thinking, suicidal gestures, the potential connection to substance use, and knowledge of steps to be taken if such warning signs are observed. Effective for renewal of professional licenses that expire on June 30, 2012, and thereafter, applicants must also include in their 125-clock hours instruction or other professional development activities that integrate technology effectively with student learning to increase engagement and student achievement.

Subp. 3.

Categories for clock hour allocation.

Verification of completion of experiences must be submitted by the applicant to the local committee. Clock hours must be earned in two or more of the categories in items A to I:

A.

relevant coursework completed at accredited colleges and universities;

B.

educational workshops, conferences, institutes, seminars, or lectures in areas appropriate to licenses held;

C.

staff development activities, inservice meetings, and courses;

D.

site, district, regional, state, national, or international curriculum development;

E.

engagement in formal peer coaching or mentorship relationships with colleagues that addresses one or more of the standards in part 8710.2000;

F.

professional service in the following areas:

(1)

supervision of clinical experiences of persons enrolled in teacher preparation programs;

(2)

participation on national, state, and local committees involved with licensure, teacher education, or professional standards; or

(3)

participation in national, regional, or state accreditation;

G.

leadership experiences in the following areas:

(1)

development of new or broader skills and sensitivities to the school, community, or profession;

(2)

publication of professional articles in a professional journal in an appropriate field; or

(3)

volunteer work in professional organizations related to the areas of licensure held;

H.

opportunities to enhance knowledge and understanding of diverse educational settings in the following areas:

(1)

experiences with students of another age, ability, culture, or socioeconomic level; or

(2)

systematic, purposeful observation during visits to schools and to related business and industry; and

I.

preapproved travel or work experience:

(1)

travel for purposes of improving instructional capabilities related to the field of licensure; or

(2)

work experience in business or industry appropriate to the field of licensure.

Subp. 4.

Maximum allocation.

Effective for all experiences completed after June 30, 2000, the local continuing education/relicensure committee shall grant clock hours on the following basis:

A.

Relevant coursework under subpart 3, item A, must be granted 16 clock hours for each quarter credit earned, and 24 clock hours for each semester credit earned.

B.

Successful completion of activities under subpart 3, items B to I, must be granted one clock hour for each hour of participation with the following exceptions:

(1)

Supervision of clinical experiences of persons enrolled in teacher licensure programs for one quarter equals 16 clock hours or one semester equals 24 clock hours. No more than 30 clock hours may be granted in a five-year relicensure period for supervision.

(2)

One week of preapproved travel or work experience for purposes of improving instructional capabilities equals ten clock hours. No more than 30 clock hours may be granted in a five-year relicensure period for travel or work experience. The limit of 30 clock hours may be waived when the local committee determines that the preapproved travel or work experience is critical to the teacher's advanced or current skills for the teacher's assignment; for example, travel to experience language or cultural immersion by a teacher of world language.

Subp. 5.

Exception for national board certification.

A local continuing education committee shall accept verification that a teacher is actively engaged in and making progress toward National Board of Professional Standards Certification or other national professional teaching certification approved by the Board of Teaching at the time of renewal as equivalent to fulfilling all clock hour requirements for continuing license renewal. A local continuing education committee shall accept verification that a teacher has earned National Board or other approved certification as equivalent to all clock hour requirements during the life of the certificate. If the certificate expires during the five-year renewal period, the local committee shall prorate hours completed under this exception and require completion of a prorated number of clock hours for the years the certificate is not in effect.

Subp. 6.

Exception for local option.

The Board of Teaching shall approve requests submitted by local committees that, through their school district master contracts or other official agreements between the local school board and its teachers, wish to substitute development and implementation of individualized professional development plans for some or all of the clock hour requirements for renewal of continuing licenses, provided that each individualized professional development plan:

A.

is designed primarily to enhance the teacher's ability to effect increased student learning;

B.

focuses on standards in part 8710.2000 and specific content knowledge required for the teacher's assignment;

C.

includes management and monitoring of student learning, including positive behavioral interventions and adaptation and modification of curriculum, instruction, and assessment to assist varied student learners in achieving graduation standards;

D.

includes a focus on research-based best practice;

E.

identifies the procedures and criteria by which successful development and implementation of the individualized professional development plan will be validated and communicated with the local continuing education committee; and

F.

requires that each teacher's individualized professional development plan equal or exceed 125 hours of professional development activities during the five-year period.

Subp. 7.

Experience for clock hour credit.

Except for subpart 3, item H, subitem (1), teaching experiences for which licensure is required shall not qualify for clock hour credit.

Subp. 8.

Period for earning clock hours.

An applicant requesting renewal of a license to teach must earn a minimum of 125 clock hours during each five-year period preceding application for licensure renewal. An applicant may not bank clock hours for purposes of relicensure, but clock hours earned after an application for renewal has been submitted may be applied to the next renewal period.

Subp. 9.

School staff development.

Instruction and professional development activities provided by a school may be included among the clock hours in this part.

Subp. 10.

Renewal of license for two or more areas.

An applicant who seeks renewal of a continuing license for two or more areas should allocate at least 30 clock hours to each of the licensure areas for a total of no fewer than 125 clock hours, with priority given to work in areas where the candidate is employed during the licensure period. An applicant who holds an administrative license or licenses may allocate clock hours for the renewal of teaching licensure under this subpart.

Subp. 11.

Denial of clock hours.

A local committee shall not grant clock hours for experiences that are primarily for personal rather than professional improvement or for experiences that duplicate other granted clock hour experiences without new or enhanced professional development value.

Statutory Authority:

MS s 122A.09; 122A.18

History:

25 SR 588; 26 SR 1512; 29 SR 897; 34 SR 595

Published Electronically:

November 19, 2009