Minnesota Administrative Rules

8710.4500 TEACHERS OF HEALTH.

Subpart 1.

Scope of practice.

A teacher of health is authorized to provide to students in grades 5 through 12 instruction that is designed to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to practice healthy behaviors.

Subp. 2.

Licensure requirements.

An applicant seeking a license to teach health must meet the requirements for a license pursuant to parts 8710.0311 to 8710.0314 and Minnesota Statutes, sections 122A.181 to 122A.184.

Subp. 2a.

Initial licensure program.

A candidate completing a board-approved initial licensure program for health must demonstrate the content standards set forth in subpart 3 and the standards for effective practice in part 8710.2000.

Subp. 2b.

Additional licensure program.

A candidate completing a board-approved additional licensure program for health must demonstrate the content standards set forth in subpart 3.

Subp. 2c.

Licensure via portfolio.

An applicant seeking an initial license to teach health via portfolio pursuant to part 8710.0330 must submit a content portfolio aligned to the standards set forth in subpart 3 and a pedagogy portfolio aligned to the standards for effective practice in part 8710.2000.

Subp. 3.

Subject matter standards.

A candidate for licensure as a teacher of health must demonstrate the knowledge and skills in items A to F.

A.

Health education topics.

The candidate must demonstrate competency in the following health education topics and must be able to describe applicable state and federal laws and policies that address these health education topics:

(1)

the use of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco;

(2)

healthy eating;

(3)

mental and emotional health, including preventing suicide and preventing and managing conflict, emotional stress, and anxiety for oneself and others in healthy ways;

(4)

personal health and wellness, including preventing the spread of contagious diseases;

(5)

physical activity;

(6)

safety, including recognizing and avoiding risky behavior;

(7)

sexual health, including preventing or reducing unintended pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease (STD); and

(8)

violence prevention, including recognizing and preventing harassment, sexual and physical abuse, bullying, hazing, fighting, and hate crimes.

B.

Foundational skills.

The candidate must describe and apply each of the following skills using at least two of the health education topics described in item A:

(1)

analyze the influence of family, peers, culture, media, technology, and other factors on health behaviors (INF);

(2)

demonstrate the ability to access valid information, products, and services to enhance health (AI);

(3)

demonstrate the ability to use interpersonal communication skills to enhance health and avoid or reduce health risks (IC);

(4)

demonstrate the ability to use decision-making skills to enhance short-term and long-term health (DM);

(5)

demonstrate the ability to use goal-setting skills to enhance health (GS);

(6)

demonstrate the ability to practice health-enhancing behaviors and avoid health risks (SM); and

(7)

demonstrate the ability to advocate for personal, family, and community health (AV).

C.

Planning and instruction.

A candidate for licensure as a teacher of health must demonstrate competency in planning and instruction. The candidate must:

(1)

design and apply developmentally appropriate short- and long-term plans that are aligned with national, state, or local academic standards, including plans for assessments;

(2)

design and apply individualized instruction for diverse student needs, adding specific accommodations or modifications for all students;

(3)

design and apply scaffolded sequential learning experiences that align with short- and long-term objectives and that address the diverse needs of all students;

(4)

plan for and manage resources to provide active, fair, and equitable learning experiences;

(5)

design developmentally appropriate, engaging instructional strategies and materials that foster a physically and emotionally safe learning environment;

(6)

design short- or long-term lessons that use demonstrations, explanations, and instructional cues that are aligned with short- and long-term plan objectives;

(7)

design short- or long-term plans that illustrate transitions, routines, and positive behavior management to create and maintain a safe, supportive, and engaging learning environment; and

(8)

design short- or long-term plans that include supports for common errors and strategies for feedback.

D.

Assessment.

A candidate for licensure as a teacher of health must demonstrate competency in assessment. The candidate must:

(1)

use assessment data to plan instruction, analyze student learning, and reflect on implementation practices;

(2)

provide substantive, constructive, and timely feedback and adjust units and lessons so they meet the diverse learning needs of all students;

(3)

select or create formal and informal assessments that measure short- or long-term objectives;

(4)

administer formative and summative assessments that monitor student learning; and

(5)

complete a reflective cycle to guide decision making based on short- or long-term objectives, student learning, and teacher performance.

E.

Professionalism.

A candidate for licensure as a teacher of health must demonstrate professional growth. The candidate must:

(1)

be able to work collaboratively with a variety of stakeholders to meet the diverse needs of all learners and to enhance school health programs;

(2)

engage in continued professional growth and collaboration in schools or professional organizations;

(3)

describe strategies for the promotion and advocacy of health education and expanded health education opportunities; and

(4)

demonstrate an understanding of the short-term and long-term consequences of positive and negative personal health choices.

F.

Reading.

A candidate for licensure as a teacher of health must understand the content and methods for teaching reading including:

(1)

knowledge of reading processes and instruction including:

(a)

the relationships between and among print processing abilities and digital content, motivation, background, and discourse knowledge, cognitive abilities, and reader's interest and how those relationships impact comprehension; and

(b)

the complexities involved in the development of academic language and the impact of that development in school success; and

(2)

the ability to use a wide range of instructional practices, approaches, methods, and curriculum materials to support reading instruction including:

(a)

selection and implementation of a wide variety of before, during, and after reading strategies that develop reading and metacognitive abilities;

(b)

the ability to develop and implement effective vocabulary strategies that help students understand words including domain-specific content words;

(c)

the ability to develop critical literacy skills by encouraging students to question texts and analyze texts from multiple viewpoints or perspectives; and

(d)

the ability to identify instructional practices, approaches, and methods and match materials, both print and digital, to the cognitive levels of all readers, guided by an evidence-based rationale, which support the developmental, cultural, and linguistic differences of readers.

Subp. 3a.

Placements for candidates completing an initial licensure program.

Across the combination of student teaching and other field experiences, candidates completing an initial licensure program must have experiences teaching health at both the middle level (grades 5 through 8) and high school level (grades 9 through 12).

Subp. 3b.

Placements for candidates completing an additional licensure program.

A candidate completing an additional licensure program must have experiences teaching at both the middle level (grades 5 through 8) and high school level (grades 9 through 12). The candidate must complete a practicum teaching health in at least one of the levels: middle level (grades 5 through 8) or high school level (grades 9 through 12).

Subp. 4.

[Repealed, 47 SR 986]

Subp. 5.

[Repealed, L 2015 c 21 art 1 s 110]

Statutory Authority:

MS s 122A.09; 122A.092; 122A.18

History:

23 SR 1928; 34 SR 595; L 2015 c 21 art 1 s 110; 39 SR 822; L 2017 1Sp5 art 12 s 22; 47 SR 986

NOTE:

The amendments to this part are effective July 1, 2025. 47 SR 986.

Published Electronically:

August 31, 2023