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CHAPTER 122A. TEACHERS AND OTHER EDUCATORS

Table of Sections
Section Headnote
122A.001 MS 2006 [Renumbered 15.001]
122A.01 DEFINITIONS.
BOARD OF TEACHING
122A.05 PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES; INTENT.
122A.06 DEFINITIONS.
122A.07 BOARD OF TEACHING MEMBERSHIP.
122A.08 MEETINGS.
122A.09 DUTIES.
BOARD OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS
122A.11 DEFINITIONS.
122A.12 BOARD OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS.
122A.13 MEETINGS.
122A.14 DUTIES OF BOARD OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS.
LICENSURE
122A.15 TEACHERS, SUPERVISORY AND SUPPORT PERSONNEL, DEFINITIONS, LICENSURE.
122A.16 HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHER DEFINED.
122A.162 LICENSURE RULES.
122A.163 TEACHER RULE VARIANCES; COMMISSIONER.
122A.164 [Repealed, 1998 c 398 art 6 s 38]
122A.17 VALIDITY OF CERTIFICATES OR LICENSES.
122A.18 BOARD TO ISSUE LICENSES.
122A.19 BILINGUAL AND ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE TEACHERS; LICENSES.
122A.20 SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF LICENSES.
122A.21 TEACHERS' AND ADMINISTRATORS' LICENSES; FEES.
122A.22 DISTRICT VERIFICATION OF TEACHER LICENSES.
122A.23 APPLICANTS TRAINED IN OTHER STATES.
122A.24 [Repealed, 2011 c 5 s 5]
122A.245 ALTERNATIVE TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM AND LIMITED-TERM TEACHER LICENSE.
122A.25 NONLICENSED COMMUNITY EXPERTS; VARIANCE.
122A.26 COMMUNITY EDUCATION TEACHERS; LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS.
122A.27 ALTERNATIVE PREPARATION LICENSING FOR ADMINISTRATORS.
122A.28 TEACHERS OF DEAF AND HARD-OF-HEARING STUDENTS; LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS.
122A.29 TEACHERS OF BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED STUDENTS; LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS.
122A.30 EXEMPTION FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION INSTRUCTORS.
122A.31 AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE/ENGLISH INTERPRETERS.
122A.32 [Repealed, 2009 c 96 art 2 s 68]
122A.33 LICENSE AND DEGREE EXEMPTION FOR HEAD COACH.
EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS;
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
122A.40 EMPLOYMENT; CONTRACTS; TERMINATION.
122A.41 TEACHER TENURE ACT; CITIES OF THE FIRST CLASS; DEFINITIONS.
122A.413 EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.
122A.414 ALTERNATIVE TEACHER PAY.
122A.4144 SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENTS; ALTERNATIVE TEACHER PAY.
122A.415 ALTERNATIVE COMPENSATION REVENUE.
122A.4155 ALTERNATIVE COMPENSATION RURAL DISTRICT APPLICATION ASSISTANCE.
122A.416 ALTERNATIVE TEACHER COMPENSATION REVENUE FOR PERPICH CENTER FOR ARTS EDUCATION AND MULTIDISTRICT INTEGRATION COLLABORATIVES.
122A.42 GENERAL CONTROL OF SCHOOLS.
122A.43 SHORT-TERM, LIMITED CONTRACTS.
122A.44 CONTRACTING WITH TEACHERS; SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS.
122A.45 TEACHER CONTRACTS FOR SUMMER SCHOOL.
122A.46 EXTENDED LEAVES OF ABSENCE.
122A.47 RETURN TO FULL-TIME WORK.
122A.48 TEACHER EARLY RETIREMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM.
122A.49 SABBATICAL LEAVE FOR TEACHERS.
122A.50 PREPARATION TIME.
122A.51 TEACHER LUNCH PERIOD.
122A.52 [Repealed, 2014 c 272 art 8 s 4]
122A.53 [Repealed, 2014 c 272 art 8 s 4]
122A.54 EXCHANGE TEACHERS.
122A.55 STAFF EXCHANGE PROGRAM.
122A.56 FACULTY EXCHANGE AND TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENT PROGRAM.
122A.57 EXCHANGES BETWEEN EDUCATION FACULTY.
122A.58 COACHES, TERMINATION OF DUTIES.
TEACHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING;
STAFF DEVELOPMENT
122A.60 STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.
122A.61 RESERVED REVENUE FOR STAFF DEVELOPMENT.
122A.62 Subdivisions renumbered, repealed, or no longer in effect
122A.624 EDUCATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS PROGRAM.
122A.625 EDUCATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS PLAN.
122A.628 [Repealed, 2009 c 96 art 2 s 68]
122A.63 GRANTS TO PREPARE INDIAN TEACHERS.
122A.64 [Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 2 s 56]
122A.65 [Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 2 s 56]
122A.66 TEACHER TRAINING; EFFECTS OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL.
122A.68 TEACHING RESIDENCY PROGRAM.
122A.69 PRACTICE OR STUDENT TEACHERS.
122A.695 BEST PRACTICES.
122A.70 TEACHER MENTORSHIP.
122A.71 RESEARCH ON PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS.
122A.72 TEACHER CENTERS.
122A.74 PRINCIPALS' LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE.
122A.75 [Repealed, 2009 c 96 art 2 s 68]
INTERSTATE AGREEMENT
122A.90 INTERSTATE AGREEMENT ON QUALIFICATIONS OF EDUCATIONAL PERSONNEL.
122A.91 DESIGNATED STATE OFFICIAL.
122A.92 RECORD OF CONTRACTS.
122A.001 MS 2006 [Renumbered 15.001]

122A.01 DEFINITIONS.

For purposes of this chapter, except for section 122A.41, the Teacher Tenure Act for cities of the first class, the words defined in section 120A.05 have the same meaning.

BOARD OF TEACHING

122A.05 PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES; INTENT.

The purpose of sections 122A.05 to 122A.09 is to develop standards of ethical conduct for the guidance and improvement of the teaching profession and to provide measures through which the observance of standards by the members of the profession may be promoted and enforced.

122A.06 DEFINITIONS.

Subdivision 1.Scope.

For the purpose of sections 122A.05 to 122A.09, the terms defined in this section have the meanings given them, unless another meaning is clearly indicated.

Subd. 2.Teacher.

"Teacher" means a classroom teacher or other similar professional employee required to hold a license from the Board of Teaching.

Subd. 3.Board.

"Board" means the Board of Teaching.

Subd. 4.Comprehensive, scientifically based reading instruction.

(a) "Comprehensive, scientifically based reading instruction" includes a program or collection of instructional practices that is based on valid, replicable evidence showing that when these programs or practices are used, students can be expected to achieve, at a minimum, satisfactory reading progress. The program or collection of practices must include, at a minimum, effective, balanced instruction in all five areas of reading: phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary development, and reading comprehension.

Comprehensive, scientifically based reading instruction also includes and integrates instructional strategies for continuously assessing, evaluating, and communicating the student's reading progress and needs in order to design and implement ongoing interventions so that students of all ages and proficiency levels can read and comprehend text, write, and apply higher level thinking skills. For English learners developing literacy skills, districts are encouraged to use strategies that teach reading and writing in the students' native language and English at the same time.

(b) "Fluency" is the ability of students to read text with speed, accuracy, and proper expression.

(c) "Phonemic awareness" is the ability of students to notice, think about, and manipulate individual sounds in spoken syllables and words.

(d) "Phonics" is the understanding that there are systematic and predictable relationships between written letters and spoken words. Phonics instruction is a way of teaching reading that stresses learning how letters correspond to sounds and how to apply this knowledge in reading and spelling.

(e) "Reading comprehension" is an active process that requires intentional thinking during which meaning is constructed through interactions between text and reader. Comprehension skills are taught explicitly by demonstrating, explaining, modeling, and implementing specific cognitive strategies to help beginning readers derive meaning through intentional, problem-solving thinking processes.

(f) "Vocabulary development" is the process of teaching vocabulary both directly and indirectly, with repetition and multiple exposures to vocabulary items. Learning in rich contexts, incidental learning, and use of computer technology enhance the acquiring of vocabulary.

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

122A.07 BOARD OF TEACHING MEMBERSHIP.

Subdivision 1.Appointment of members.

The Board of Teaching consists of 11 members appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate. Membership terms, compensation of members, removal of members, the filling of membership vacancies, and fiscal year and reporting requirements are as provided in sections 214.07 to 214.09. No member may be reappointed for more than one additional term.

Subd. 2.Eligibility; board composition.

Except for the representatives of higher education and the public, to be eligible for appointment to the Board of Teaching a person must be a teacher currently teaching in a Minnesota school and fully licensed for the position held and have at least five years teaching experience in Minnesota, including the two years immediately preceding nomination and appointment. Each nominee, other than a public nominee, must be selected on the basis of professional experience and knowledge of teacher education, accreditation, and licensure. The board must be composed of:

(1) six teachers who are currently teaching in a Minnesota school or who were teaching at the time of the appointment and who do not qualify under clause (2) or (3), at least four of whom must be teaching in a public school;

(2) one higher education representative, who must be a faculty member preparing teachers;

(3) one school administrator; and

(4) three members of the public, two of whom must be present or former members of school boards.

Subd. 3.Vacant position.

With the exception of a teacher who retires from teaching during the course of completing a board term, the position of a member who leaves Minnesota or whose employment status changes to a category different from that from which appointed is deemed vacant.

Subd. 4.Administration, terms, compensation; removal; vacancies.

The provision of staff, administrative services and office space; the review and processing of complaints; the setting of fees; the selection and duties of an executive secretary to serve the board; and other provisions relating to board operations are as provided in chapter 214. Membership terms, compensation of members, removal of members, the filling of membership vacancies, and fiscal year and reporting requirements are as provided in sections 214.07 to 214.09.

Subd. 5.District reimbursement for costs of substitute teachers.

The board may reimburse local school districts for the costs of substitute teachers employed when regular teachers are providing professional assistance to the state by serving on the board or on a committee or task force appointed by the board and charged to make recommendations concerning standards for teacher licensure in this state.

122A.08 MEETINGS.

Subdivision 1.Meetings.

The Board of Teaching must meet regularly at the times and places as the board determines. Meetings must be called by the chair or at the written request of any eight members.

Subd. 2.Executive secretary.

The Board of Teaching must have an executive secretary who is in the unclassified civil service and who is not a member of the board.

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 initial teacher licensure, except that the board may issue up to four temporary, 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 initial 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 initial 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.

(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.

(i) The board must receive recommendations from local committees as established by the board for the renewal of teaching licenses. The board must require licensed teachers who are renewing a continuing license to include in the renewal requirements further preparation in English language development and specially designed content instruction in English for English learners.

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

(k) The board must adopt rules that require all licensed teachers who are renewing their continuing license 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.

(l) 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.

(m) The board must adopt rules that require all licensed teachers who are renewing their continuing license 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.

(n) The board must adopt rules that require all licensed teachers who are renewing their continuing license 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.

(o) 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.

[See Note.]

Subd. 5.Commissioner's representative to comment on proposed rule.

Prior to the adoption by the Board of Teaching of any rule which must be submitted to public hearing, a representative of the commissioner shall appear before the Board of Teaching and at the hearing required pursuant to 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.Variances.

(a) Notwithstanding subdivision 9 and section 14.05, subdivision 4, the Board of Teaching may grant a variance 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 variance 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.

NOTE: Subdivision 4a, as added by Laws 2015, First Special Session chapter 3, article 2, section 10, is effective July 1, 2016. Laws 2015, First Special Session chapter 3, article 2, section 10, the effective date.

BOARD OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS

122A.11 DEFINITIONS.

Subdivision 1.Scope.

For the purposes of sections 122A.11 to 122A.13, the terms in this section have the meanings given them, unless another meaning is clearly indicated.

Subd. 2.Board.

"Board" means Board of School Administrators.

Subd. 3.Supervisory personnel.

"Supervisory personnel" means supervisory personnel as defined in section 122A.15, subdivision 2, excluding athletic coaches.

122A.12 BOARD OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS.

Subdivision 1.Membership.

A Board of School Administrators is established and must consist of ten members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate, including at least:

(1) one elementary school principal;

(2) one secondary school principal;

(3) one higher education faculty member in an educational administration program approved by the board;

(4) one higher education administrator for an educational administration program approved by the board;

(5) one school superintendent;

(6) one classroom teacher;

(7) one community education director;

(8) one special education director; and

(9) two members of the public, one of whom must be a present or former school board member.

In making appointments, the governor shall solicit recommendations from groups representing persons in clauses (1) to (9).

Subd. 2.Terms; compensation; removal; administration; reimbursement.

(a) Membership terms, removal of members, and the filling of membership vacancies are as provided in section 214.09. The terms of the initial board members must be determined by lot as follows:

(1) three members must be appointed for terms that expire August 1, 2002;

(2) three members must be appointed for terms that expire August 1, 2003; and

(3) four members must be appointed for terms that expire August 1, 2004.

Members shall not receive the daily payment under section 214.09, subdivision 3. The public employer of a member shall not reduce the member's compensation or benefits for the member's absence from employment when engaging in the business of the board. The provision of staff, administrative services, and office space; the review and processing of complaints; the setting of fees; the selection and duties of an executive secretary to serve the board; and other provisions relating to board operations are as provided in chapter 214. Fiscal year and reporting requirements are as provided in sections 214.07 and 214.08.

(b) The board may reimburse local school districts for the cost of a substitute teacher employed when a regular teacher is providing professional assistance to the state by serving on the board or on a committee or task force appointed by the board.

Subd. 3.Vacant position.

The position of a member who leaves Minnesota or whose employment status changes to a category different from that from which appointed shall be deemed vacant.

122A.13 MEETINGS.

Subdivision 1.Meetings.

The Board of School Administrators shall meet regularly at the times and places determined by the board. The board shall nominate and elect a chair and other officers from its membership. Meetings shall be called by the chair or at the written request of any three members.

Subd. 2.Executive secretary.

The Board of School Administrators may hire an executive secretary and other staff or may arrange to share an executive secretary and staff with the Board of Teaching. If the board hires an executive secretary, the person is in the unclassified service.

122A.14 DUTIES OF BOARD OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS.

Subdivision 1.Licensing.

The board shall license school administrators. The board shall adopt rules to license school administrators under chapter 14. Other than the rules transferred to the board under section 122A.18, subdivision 4, the board may not adopt or amend rules under this section until the rules are approved by law. The rules shall include the licensing of persons who have successfully completed alternative preparation programs under section 122A.27 or other alternative competency-based preparation programs. The board may enter into agreements with the Board of Teaching regarding multiple license matters.

Subd. 2.Preparation programs.

The board shall review and approve or disapprove preparation programs for school administrators and alternative preparation programs for administrators under section 122A.27, and must consider other alternative competency-based preparation programs leading to licensure. Among other requirements, preparation programs must include instruction on meeting the varied needs of English learners, from young children to adults, in English and, where practicable, in students' native language.

Subd. 3.Rules for continuing education requirements.

The board shall adopt rules establishing continuing education requirements that promote continuous improvement and acquisition of new and relevant skills by school administrators. Continuing education programs, among other things, must provide school administrators with information and training about building coherent and effective English learner strategies that include relevant professional development, accountability for student progress, students' access to the general curriculum, and sufficient staff capacity to effect these strategies.

Subd. 4.Code of ethics.

The board shall adopt by rule a code of ethics covering standards of professional practice, including ethical conduct, professional performance, and methods of enforcement, and advise school administrators in interpreting the code of ethics.

Subd. 5.Commissioner's representative to comment on proposed rule.

Before adopting any rule that must be submitted to public hearing, a representative of the commissioner of education shall appear before the board and at any hearing required under section 14.14, subdivision 1, to comment on the cost and educational implications of the proposed rule.

Subd. 6.Register of persons licensed.

The executive director of the board shall keep a record of board proceedings and a register of all persons licensed under 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 licensed school administrators 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 transacting board business and all money received by the board shall be paid into the state treasury as provided by law. The expenses of administering the Board of School Administrators shall be paid for from appropriations made to the Board of School Administrators.

Subd. 8.Accountability.

The board must develop accountability measures for programs preparing students for licensure and report the progress of the programs to the legislature by January 15 of every other year beginning with the 2003 legislature.

Subd. 9. Fee.

Each person licensed by the Board of School Administrators shall pay the board a fee of $75, collected each fiscal year. When transmitting notice of the license fee, the board also must notify the licensee of the penalty for failing to pay the fee within the time specified by the board. The board may provide a lower fee for persons on retired or inactive status. After receiving notice from the board, any licensed school administrator who does not pay the fee in the given fiscal year shall have all administrative licenses held by the person automatically suspended, without the right to a hearing, until the fee has been paid to the board. If the board suspends a licensed school administrator for failing to pay the fee, it must immediately notify the district currently employing the school administrator of the school administrator's suspension. The executive secretary shall deposit the fees in the state treasury.

Subd. 10.Principal preparation program reporting.

By December 31, 2018, and annually thereafter, the Board of School Administrators shall report and publish on its Web site the cumulative summary results of three years of data reported to the board under section 122A.09, subdivision 4a, paragraph (c), for each principal preparation program.

LICENSURE

122A.15 TEACHERS, SUPERVISORY AND SUPPORT PERSONNEL, DEFINITIONS, LICENSURE.

Subdivision 1.Teachers.

The term "teachers" for the purpose of licensure, means all persons employed in a public school or education district or by a service cooperative as members of the instructional, supervisory, and support staff including superintendents, principals, supervisors, secondary vocational and other classroom teachers, librarians, counselors, school psychologists, school nurses, school social workers, audio-visual directors and coordinators, recreation personnel, media generalists, media supervisors, and speech therapists.

Subd. 2.Supervisory personnel.

"Supervisory personnel" for the purpose of licensure means superintendents, principals, and professional employees who devote 50 percent or more of their time to administrative or supervisory duties over other personnel, and includes athletic coaches.

122A.16 HIGHLY QUALIFIED TEACHER DEFINED.

(a) A qualified teacher is one holding a valid license, under this chapter, to perform the particular service for which the teacher is employed in a public school.

(b) For the purposes of the federal No Child Left Behind Act, a highly qualified teacher is one who holds a valid license under this chapter, including under section 122A.245, among other sections and is determined by local administrators as having highly qualified status according to the approved Minnesota highly qualified plan. Teachers delivering core content instruction must be deemed highly qualified at the local level and reported to the state via the staff automated reporting system.

122A.162 LICENSURE RULES.

The commissioner may make rules relating to licensure of school personnel not licensed by the Board of Teaching or Board of School Administrators.

122A.163 TEACHER RULE VARIANCES; COMMISSIONER.

Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, and only upon receiving the agreement of the State Board of Teaching or Board of School Administrators, whichever has jurisdiction over the licensure, the commissioner of education may grant a variance to rules governing licensure of persons licensed by the Board of Teaching or Board of School Administrators, whichever has jurisdiction.

122A.164 [Repealed, 1998 c 398 art 6 s 38]

122A.17 VALIDITY OF CERTIFICATES OR LICENSES.

A rule adopted by the Board of Teaching must not affect the validity of certificates or licenses to teach in effect on July 1, 1974, or the rights and privileges of the holders thereof, except that any such certificate or license may be suspended or revoked for any of the causes and by the procedures specified by law.

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 (o).

(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 an initial 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 a restricted 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 restricted 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 restricted 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 a temporary 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 continuing licenses only to those persons who have met board criteria for granting a continuing 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 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 candidates for initial licenses to teach prekindergarten or elementary students for the assessment of reading instruction portion of the examination of licensure-specific teaching skills under section 122A.09, subdivision 4, paragraph (e).

(b) Board-approved teacher preparation programs for teachers of elementary education must require instruction in the application of 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 will 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 the licensure of teachers of reading.

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. 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) Relicensure applicants who have been employed as a teacher during the renewal period of their expiring license, as a condition of relicensure, 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 continuing relicensure options 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.

Subd. 4a.Limited provisional licenses.

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.

Subd. 5.Effective date.

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

Subd. 6.Human relations.

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

Subd. 7.Limited provisional licenses.

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.

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 qualified short-call substitute teaching license to a person who:

(1) was a qualified teacher under section 122A.16 while holding a continuing 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 continuing five-year 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 continuing five-year license and must again complete continuing education clock hours one school year after receiving the continuing five-year license.

Subd. 7b.Temporary limited licenses; personnel variances.

(a) 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.

(b) 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.

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 applicants for initial licenses under their jurisdiction. An application for a license under this section must be accompanied by:

(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.

Subd. 9.

[Repealed, 2012 c 239 art 2 s 21]

122A.19 BILINGUAL AND ENGLISH AS A SECOND LANGUAGE TEACHERS; LICENSES.

Subdivision 1.Bilingual and English as a second language licenses.

The Board of Teaching, hereinafter the board, must grant teaching licenses in bilingual education and English as a second language to persons who present satisfactory evidence that they:

(a) Possess competence and communicative skills in English and in another language;

(b) Possess a bachelor's degree or other academic degree approved by the board, and meet such requirements as to course of study and training as the board may prescribe, consistent with subdivision 4.

Subd. 2.Persons holding general teaching licenses.

The board may license a person who holds a general teaching license and who presents the board with satisfactory evidence of competence and communicative skills in a language other than English under this section.

Subd. 3.

[Repealed, 2014 c 272 art 1 s 18,43]

Subd. 4.Teacher preparation programs.

For the purpose of licensing bilingual and English as a second language teachers, the board may approve programs at colleges or universities designed for their training. These programs must provide instruction in implementing research-based practices designed specifically for English learners. The programs must focus on developing English learners' academic language proficiency in English, including oral academic language, giving English learners meaningful access to the full school curriculum, developing culturally relevant teaching practices appropriate for immigrant students, and providing more intensive instruction and resources to English learners with lower levels of academic English proficiency and varied needs, consistent with section 124D.59, subdivisions 2 and 2a.

Subd. 5.Persons eligible for employment.

Any person licensed under this section is eligible for employment by a school board as a teacher in a bilingual education or English as a second language program in which the language for which the person is licensed is taught or used as a medium of instruction. A board may prescribe only those additional qualifications for teachers licensed under this section that are approved by the board of teaching.

Subd. 6.Affirmative efforts in hiring.

In hiring for all bilingual education program positions, districts must give preference to and make affirmative efforts to seek, recruit, and employ persons who (1) are native speakers of the language which is the medium of instruction in the bilingual education program or share a native language with the majority of their students, and (2) share the culture of the English learners enrolled in the program. The district shall provide procedures for involving the parent advisory committees in designing the procedures for recruiting, screening, and selecting applicants. This section must not be construed to limit the school board's authority to hire and discharge personnel.

122A.20 SUSPENSION OR REVOCATION OF LICENSES.

Subdivision 1.Grounds for revocation, suspension, or denial.

(a) The Board of Teaching or Board of School Administrators, whichever has jurisdiction over a teacher's licensure, may, on the written complaint of the school board employing a teacher, a teacher organization, or any other interested person, refuse to issue, refuse to renew, suspend, or revoke a teacher's license to teach for any of the following causes:

(1) immoral character or conduct;

(2) failure, without justifiable cause, to teach for the term of the teacher's contract;

(3) gross inefficiency or willful neglect of duty;

(4) failure to meet licensure requirements; or

(5) fraud or misrepresentation in obtaining a license.

The written complaint must specify the nature and character of the charges.

(b) The Board of Teaching or Board of School Administrators, whichever has jurisdiction over a teacher's licensure, shall refuse to issue, refuse to renew, or automatically revoke a teacher's license to teach without the right to a hearing upon receiving a certified copy of a conviction showing that the teacher has been convicted of child abuse, as defined in section 609.185, sex trafficking in the first degree under section 609.322, subdivision 1, sex trafficking in the second degree under section 609.322, subdivision 1a, engaging in hiring, or agreeing to hire a minor to engage in prostitution under section 609.324, subdivision 1, sexual abuse under section 609.342, 609.343, 609.344, 609.345, 609.3451, subdivision 3, or 617.23, subdivision 3, solicitation of children to engage in sexual conduct or communication of sexually explicit materials to children under section 609.352, interference with privacy under section 609.746 or stalking under section 609.749 and the victim was a minor, using minors in a sexual performance under section 617.246, possessing pornographic works involving a minor under section 617.247, or any other offense not listed in this paragraph that requires the person to register as a predatory offender under section 243.166, or a crime under a similar law of another state or the United States. The board shall send notice of this licensing action to the district in which the teacher is currently employed.

(c) A person whose license to teach has been revoked, not issued, or not renewed under paragraph (b), may petition the board to reconsider the licensing action if the person's conviction for child abuse or sexual abuse is reversed by a final decision of the Court of Appeals or the Supreme Court or if the person has received a pardon for the offense. The petitioner shall attach a certified copy of the appellate court's final decision or the pardon to the petition. Upon receiving the petition and its attachment, the board shall schedule and hold a disciplinary hearing on the matter under section 214.10, subdivision 2, unless the petitioner waives the right to a hearing. If the board finds that, notwithstanding the reversal of the petitioner's criminal conviction or the issuance of a pardon, the petitioner is disqualified from teaching under paragraph (a), clause (1), the board shall affirm its previous licensing action. If the board finds that the petitioner is not disqualified from teaching under paragraph (a), clause (1), it shall reverse its previous licensing action.

(d) For purposes of this subdivision, the Board of Teaching is delegated the authority to suspend or revoke coaching licenses.

Subd. 2.Mandatory reporting.

A school board must report to the Board of Teaching, the Board of School Administrators, or the Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, whichever has jurisdiction over the teacher's or administrator's license, when its teacher or administrator is discharged or resigns from employment after a charge is filed with the school board under section 122A.41, subdivisions 6, clauses (1), (2), and (3), and 7, or after charges are filed that are grounds for discharge under section 122A.40, subdivision 13, paragraph (a), clauses (1) to (5), or when a teacher or administrator is suspended or resigns while an investigation is pending under section 122A.40, subdivision 13, paragraph (a) clauses (1) to (5); 122A.41, subdivisions 6, clauses (1), (2), and (3), and 7; or 626.556, or when a teacher or administrator is suspended without an investigation under section 122A.41, subdivisions 6, paragraph (a), clauses (1), (2), and (3), and 7; or 626.556. The report must be made to the appropriate licensing board within ten days after the discharge, suspension, or resignation has occurred. The licensing board to which the report is made must investigate the report for violation of subdivision 1 and the reporting board must cooperate in the investigation. Notwithstanding any provision in chapter 13 or any law to the contrary, upon written request from the licensing board having jurisdiction over the license, a board or school superintendent shall provide the licensing board with information about the teacher or administrator from the district's files, any termination or disciplinary proceeding, any settlement or compromise, or any investigative file. Upon written request from the appropriate licensing board, a board or school superintendent may, at the discretion of the board or school superintendent, solicit the written consent of a student and the student's parent to provide the licensing board with information that may aid the licensing board in its investigation and license proceedings. The licensing board's request need not identify a student or parent by name. The consent of the student and the student's parent must meet the requirements of chapter 13 and Code of Federal Regulations, title 34, section 99.30. The licensing board may provide a consent form to the district. Any data transmitted to any board under this section is private data under section 13.02, subdivision 12, notwithstanding any other classification of the data when it was in the possession of any other agency.

The licensing board to which a report is made must transmit to the Attorney General's Office any record or data it receives under this subdivision for the sole purpose of having the Attorney General's Office assist that board in its investigation. When the Attorney General's Office has informed an employee of the appropriate licensing board in writing that grounds exist to suspend or revoke a teacher's license to teach, that licensing board must consider suspending or revoking or decline to suspend or revoke the teacher's or administrator's license within 45 days of receiving a stipulation executed by the teacher or administrator under investigation or a recommendation from an administrative law judge that disciplinary action be taken.

Subd. 3.Immunity from liability.

A school board, its members in their official capacity, and employees of the district run by the board are immune from civil or criminal liability for reporting or cooperating as required under subdivision 2, if their actions required under subdivision 2 are done in good faith and with due care.

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 of $57. 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 Teaching. 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 an initial licensure or to add a licensure field, consistent with applicable Board of Teaching licensure rules.

(b) A candidate for initial licensure 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. The fees must be paid to the executive secretary of the Board of Teaching. 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.

122A.22 DISTRICT VERIFICATION OF TEACHER LICENSES.

No person shall be accounted a qualified teacher until the school district or charter school contracting with the person for teaching services verifies through the Minnesota education licensing system available on the department Web site that the person is a qualified teacher, consistent with sections 122A.16 and 122A.44, subdivision 1.

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 or the commissioner of education, whichever has jurisdiction, 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 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 teaching license or a temporary 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 field.

(b) The Board of Teaching may issue a standard license on the basis of teaching experience and examination requirements only.

(c) The Board of Teaching must issue a 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 field.

(d) The Board of Teaching, consistent with board rules and paragraph (i), must issue up to four one-year temporary teaching licenses to an applicant who holds or held an out-of-state teaching license to teach a similar content field 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.

(e) The Board of Teaching, consistent with board rules, must issue up to four one-year temporary 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 content field 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 may complete field-specific teaching methods and student teaching or equivalent experience by successfully participating in a one-year school district mentorship program consistent with board-adopted standards of effective practice and Minnesota graduation requirements.

(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:

(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 where the out-of-state license is more limited in the content field or grade levels than a similar Minnesota license.

(g) The Board of Teaching may issue a two-year limited provisional license 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 teaching license or a temporary 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 reciprocity 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.

122A.24 [Repealed, 2011 c 5 s 5]

122A.245 ALTERNATIVE TEACHER PREPARATION PROGRAM AND LIMITED-TERM 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 limited-term license, which the board may renew one time for an additional one-year term, and to prepare for acquiring a standard 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 limited-term 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 a standard license 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 must 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 a limited-term 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 standard 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 standard 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, subdivision 1, may apply to the Board of Teaching for a standard license under subdivision 7.

Subd. 7.Standard license.

The Board of Teaching must issue a standard 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, a program participant and 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.

122A.25 NONLICENSED COMMUNITY EXPERTS; VARIANCE.

Subdivision 1.Authorization.

Notwithstanding any law or commissioner of education rule to the contrary, the Board of Teaching may allow school districts or charter schools to hire nonlicensed community experts to teach in the public schools or charter schools on a limited basis according to this section.

Subd. 2.Applications; criteria.

The school district or charter school shall apply to the Board of Teaching for approval to hire nonlicensed teaching personnel from the community. In approving or disapproving the application for each community expert, the board shall consider:

(1) the qualifications of the community person whom the district or charter school proposes to employ;

(2) the reasons for the need for a variance from the teacher licensure requirements;

(3) the district's efforts to obtain licensed teachers, who are acceptable to the school board, for the particular course or subject area or the charter school's efforts to obtain licensed teachers for the particular course or subject area;

(4) the amount of teaching time for which the community expert would be hired;

(5) the extent to which the district or charter school is utilizing other nonlicensed community experts under this section;

(6) the nature of the community expert's proposed teaching responsibility; and

(7) the proposed level of compensation to the community expert.

Subd. 3.Approval of plan.

The Board of Teaching shall approve or disapprove an application within 60 days of receiving it from a school district or charter school.

Subd. 4.Background check.

A school district or charter school shall provide the Board of Teaching with confirmation that criminal background checks have been completed for all nonlicensed community experts employed by the district or charter school and approved by the Board of Teaching under this section.

122A.26 COMMUNITY EDUCATION TEACHERS; LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS.

Subdivision 1.Exemption.

Notwithstanding the provisions of any law to the contrary and except as otherwise provided in this section, a person who teaches in a community education program established pursuant to sections 124D.18 and 124D.19 is exempt from all licensure requirements.

Subd. 2.Exceptions.

A person who teaches in a community education program which qualifies for aid pursuant to section 124D.52 shall continue to meet licensure requirements as a teacher. A person who teaches in an early childhood and family education program which is offered through a community education program and which qualifies for community education aid pursuant to section 124D.20 or early childhood and family education aid pursuant to section 124D.135 shall continue to meet licensure requirements as a teacher. A person who teaches in a community education course which is offered for credit for graduation to persons under 18 years of age shall continue to meet licensure requirements as a teacher. A person who teaches a driver training course which is offered through a community education program to persons under 18 years of age shall be licensed by the Board of Teaching or be subject to section 171.35. A license which is required for an instructor in a community education program pursuant to this subdivision shall not be construed to bring an individual within the definition of a teacher for purposes of section 122A.40, subdivision 1, or 122A.41, subdivision 1, clause (a).

Subd. 3.English as a second language.

Notwithstanding subdivision 2, a person who possesses a bachelor's or master's degree in English as a second language, applied linguistics, or bilingual education, or who possesses a related degree as approved by the commissioner, shall be permitted to teach English as a second language in an adult basic education program that receives funding under section 124D.531.

122A.27 ALTERNATIVE PREPARATION LICENSING FOR ADMINISTRATORS.

Subdivision 1.Requirements.

(a) A preparation program that is an alternative to a graduate program in education administration for public school administrators to acquire an entrance license is established. The program may be offered in any administrative field.

(b) To participate in the alternative preparation program, the candidate must:

(1) have a master's degree in an administrative area;

(2) have been offered an administrative position in a school district, group of districts, or an education district approved by the commissioner of education to offer an alternative preparation licensure program;

(3) have five years of experience in a field related to administration; and

(4) document successful experiences working with children and adults.

(c) An alternative preparation license is of one year duration and is issued by the commissioner of education to participants on admission to the alternative preparation program.

Subd. 2.Characteristics.

The alternative preparation program has the characteristics enumerated in this subdivision:

(1) staff development conducted by a resident mentorship team made up of administrators, teachers, and postsecondary faculty members;

(2) an instruction phase involving intensive preparation of a candidate for licensure before the candidate assumes responsibility for an administrative position;

(3) formal instruction and peer coaching during the school year;

(4) assessment, supervision, and evaluation of a candidate to determine the candidate's specific needs and to ensure satisfactory completion of the program;

(5) a research-based and results-oriented approach focused on skills administrators need to be effective;

(6) assurance of integration of education theory and classroom practices; and

(7) the shared design and delivery of staff development between school district personnel and postsecondary faculty.

Subd. 3.Affiliation with a postsecondary institution.

An alternative preparation program at a school district, group of schools, or an education district must be affiliated with a postsecondary institution that has a graduate program in educational administration for public school administrators.

Subd. 4.Approval for standard entrance license.

The resident mentorship team must prepare for the commissioner of education an evaluation report on the performance of the alternative preparation licensee during the school year and a positive or negative recommendation on whether the alternative preparation licensee shall receive a standard entrance license.

Subd. 5.Standard entrance license.

The commissioner of education must issue a standard entrance license to an alternative preparation licensee who has successfully completed the school year in the alternative preparation program and who has received a positive recommendation from the licensee's mentorship team.

Subd. 6.Qualified administrator.

A person with a valid alternative preparation license is a qualified administrator within the meaning of section 122A.16.

122A.28 TEACHERS OF DEAF AND HARD-OF-HEARING STUDENTS; LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS.

Subdivision 1.K-12 license to teach deaf and hard-of-hearing students; relicensure.

(a) The Board of Teaching must review and determine appropriate licensure requirements for a candidate for a license or an applicant for a continuing license to teach deaf and hard-of-hearing students in prekindergarten through grade 12. In addition to other requirements, a candidate must demonstrate the minimum level of proficiency in American sign language as determined by the board.

(b) Among other relicensure requirements, each teacher under this section must complete 30 continuing education clock hours on hearing loss topics, including American Sign Language, American Sign Language linguistics, or deaf culture, in each licensure renewal period.

Subd. 2.Licensure for teaching oral/aural deaf education programs.

(a) The Board of Teaching shall adopt a separate licensure rule for a candidate for a license or an applicant for a continuing license to teach in oral/aural deaf education programs or to provide services, including itinerant oral/aural deaf education services, to deaf and hard-of-hearing students in prekindergarten through grade 12.

(b) The board shall design rule requirements for teaching oral/aural deaf education in collaboration with representatives of parents and educators of deaf and hard-of-hearing students, postsecondary programs preparing teachers of deaf and hard-of-hearing students, and the Department of Education.

(c) Rule requirements for teaching oral/aural deaf education shall reflect best practice research in oral/aural deaf education. Advanced competencies in teaching deaf and hard-of-hearing students through oral/aural modes shall be included.

(d) Licensure requirements for teachers of oral/aural deaf education must include minimum competency in American sign language, but are not subject to the guidelines established in Laws 1993, chapter 224, article 3, section 32, as amended by Laws 1998, chapter 398, article 2, section 47. The signed communication proficiency interview shall not be required for teachers licensed to teach deaf and hard-of-hearing students through oral/aural deaf education methods.

(e) Requirements for teachers or oral/aural deaf education shall include appropriate continuing education requirements for renewing this licensure.

122A.29 TEACHERS OF BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED STUDENTS; LICENSURE REQUIREMENTS.

Teachers licensed in the education of blind and visually impaired students must demonstrate competence in reading and writing Braille. The Board of Teaching, at such time as a valid and reliable test is available, shall adopt a rule to assess these competencies that is consistent with the standards of the National Library Services for the Blind and Physically Handicapped.

122A.30 EXEMPTION FOR TECHNICAL EDUCATION INSTRUCTORS.

(a) Notwithstanding section 122A.15, subdivision 1, and upon approval of the local employer school board, a person who teaches in a part-time vocational or career and technical education program is exempt from a license requirement. Nothing in this section shall exclude licensed career and technical educators from the definition of "teacher" in section 122A.40, 122A.41, or 179A.03.

(b) This section expires June 30, 2020.

122A.31 AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE/ENGLISH INTERPRETERS.

Subdivision 1.Requirements for American sign language/English interpreters.

(a) In addition to any other requirements that a school district establishes, any person employed to provide American sign language/English interpreting or sign transliterating services on a full-time or part-time basis for a school district after July 1, 2000, must:

(1) hold current interpreter and transliterator certificates awarded by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID), or the general level interpreter proficiency certificate awarded by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), or a comparable state certification from the commissioner of education; and

(2) satisfactorily complete an interpreter/transliterator training program affiliated with an accredited educational institution.

(b) New graduates of an interpreter/transliterator program affiliated with an accredited education institution shall be granted a two-year provisional certificate by the commissioner. During the two-year provisional period, the interpreter/transliterator must develop and implement an education plan in collaboration with a mentor under paragraph (c).

(c) A mentor of a provisionally certified interpreter/transliterator must be an interpreter/transliterator who has either NAD level IV or V certification or RID certified interpreter and certified transliterator certification and have at least three years interpreting/transliterating experience in any educational setting. The mentor, in collaboration with the provisionally certified interpreter/transliterator, shall develop and implement an education plan designed to meet the requirements of paragraph (a), clause (1), and include a weekly on-site mentoring process.

(d) Consistent with the requirements of this paragraph, a person holding a provisional certificate may apply to the commissioner for one time-limited extension. The commissioner, in consultation with the Commission of Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard-of-Hearing Minnesotans, must grant the person a time-limited extension of the provisional certificate based on the following documentation:

(1) letters of support from the person's mentor, a parent of a pupil the person serves, the special education director of the district in which the person is employed, and a representative from the regional service center of the deaf and hard-of-hearing;

(2) records of the person's formal education, training, experience, and progress on the person's education plan; and

(3) an explanation of why the extension is needed.

As a condition of receiving the extension, the person must comply with a plan and the accompanying time line for meeting the requirements of this subdivision. A committee composed of the deaf and hard-of-hearing state specialist, a representative of the Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens, a representative of the Minnesota Registry of Interpreters of the Deaf, and other appropriate persons selected by the commissioner must develop the plan and time line for the person receiving the extension.

(e) A school district may employ only an interpreter/transliterator who has been certified under paragraph (a) or (b), or for whom a time-limited extension has been granted under paragraph (d).

Subd. 2.Oral or cued speech transliterators.

(a) In addition to any other requirements that a school district establishes, any person employed to provide oral transliterating or cued speech transliterating services on a full-time or part-time basis for a school district after July 1, 2000, must hold a current applicable transliterator certificate awarded by the national certifying association or comparable state certification from the commissioner of education.

(b) To provide oral or cued speech transliterator services on a full-time or part-time basis, a person employed in a school district must comply with paragraph (a). The commissioner shall grant a nonrenewable, two-year certificate to a school district on behalf of a person who has not yet attained a current applicable transliterator certificate under paragraph (a). A person for whom a nonrenewable, two-year certificate is issued must work under the direction of a licensed teacher who is skilled in language development of individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. A person for whom a nonrenewable, two-year certificate is issued also must enroll in a state-approved training program and demonstrate progress towards the certification required under paragraph (a) sufficient for the person to be certified at the end of the two-year period.

(c) Consistent with the requirements of this paragraph, a person holding a provisional certificate may apply to the commissioner for one time-limited extension. The commissioner, in consultation with the Commission Serving Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing People, must grant the person a time-limited extension of the provisional certificate based on the following documentation:

(1) letters of support from the person's mentor, a parent of a pupil the person serves, the special education director of the district in which the person is employed, and a representative from the regional service center of the deaf and hard-of-hearing;

(2) records of the person's formal education, training, experience, and progress on the person's education plan; and

(3) an explanation of why the extension is needed.

As a condition of receiving the extension, the person must comply with a plan and the accompanying time line for meeting the requirements of this subdivision. A committee composed of the deaf and hard-of-hearing state specialist, a representative of the Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens, a representative of the Minnesota Registry of Interpreters of the Deaf, and other appropriate persons selected by the commissioner must develop the plan and time line for the person receiving the extension.

Subd. 3.Qualified interpreters.

The Department of Education and the resource center: deaf and hard of hearing shall work with existing interpreter/transliterator training programs, other training/educational institutions, and the regional service centers to ensure that ongoing staff development training for educational interpreters/transliterators is provided throughout the state.

Subd. 4.Reimbursement.

(a) For purposes of revenue under section 125A.76, the Department of Education must only reimburse school districts for the services of those interpreters/transliterators who satisfy the standards of competency under this section.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a district shall be reimbursed for the services of interpreters with a nonrenewable provisional certificate, interpreters/transliterators employed to mentor the provisional certified interpreters, and persons for whom a time-limited extension has been granted under subdivision 1, paragraph (d), or subdivision 2, paragraph (c).

122A.32 [Repealed, 2009 c 96 art 2 s 68]

122A.33 LICENSE AND DEGREE EXEMPTION FOR HEAD COACH.

Subdivision 1.Employment.

Notwithstanding section 122A.15, subdivision 1, a school district may employ as a head varsity coach of an interscholastic sport at its secondary school a person who does not have a license as head varsity coach of interscholastic sports and who does not have a bachelor's degree if:

(1) in the judgment of the school board, the person has the knowledge and experience necessary to coach the sport;

(2) can verify completion of six quarter credits, or the equivalent, or 60 clock hours of instruction in first aid and the care and prevention of athletic injuries; and

(3) can verify completion of a coaching methods or theory course.

Subd. 2.Annual contract.

Notwithstanding section 122A.58, a person employed as a head varsity coach has an annual contract as a coach that the school board may or may not renew as the board sees fit.

Subd. 3.Notice of nonrenewal; opportunity to respond.

A school board that declines to renew the coaching contract of a licensed or nonlicensed head varsity coach must notify the coach within 14 days of that decision. If the coach requests reasons for not renewing the coaching contract, the board must give the coach its reasons in writing within ten days of receiving the request. The existence of parent complaints must not be the sole reason for a board not to renew a coaching contract. Upon request, the board must provide the coach with a reasonable opportunity to respond to the reasons at a board meeting. The hearing may be opened or closed at the election of the coach unless the board closes the meeting under section 13D.05, subdivision 2, to discuss private data.

EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS;
TERMS AND CONDITIONS

122A.40 EMPLOYMENT; CONTRACTS; TERMINATION.

Subdivision 1.Teacher defined.

A principal, supervisor, and classroom teacher and any other professional employee required to hold a license from the state department shall be deemed to be a "teacher" within the meaning of this section. A superintendent is a "teacher" only for purposes of subdivisions 3 and 19.

Subd. 2.Nonprovisional license defined.

For purposes of this section, "nonprovisional license" means an entrance, continuing, or life license.

Subd. 3.Hiring, dismissing.

School boards must hire or dismiss teachers at duly called meetings. Where a husband and wife, brother and sister, or two brothers or sisters, constitute a quorum, no contract employing a teacher shall be made or authorized except upon the unanimous vote of the full board. A teacher related by blood or marriage, within the fourth degree, computed by the civil law, to a board member shall not be employed except by a unanimous vote of the full board. The initial employment of the teacher in the district must be by written contract, signed by the teacher and by the chair and clerk. All subsequent employment of the teacher in the district must be by written contract, signed by the teacher and by the chair and clerk, except where there is a master agreement covering the employment of the teacher. Contracts for teaching or supervision of teaching can be made only with qualified teachers. A teacher shall not be required to reside within the employing district as a condition to teaching employment or continued teaching employment.

Subd. 4.Employment in supervisory positions.

Notwithstanding other law, a teacher, as defined in section 179A.03, does not have a right to employment in a district as an assistant superintendent, as a principal defined in section 179A.03, as a confidential or supervisory employee defined in section 179A.03, or in a position that is a promotion from the position currently held, based on seniority, seniority date, or order of employment by the district. This provision shall not alter the reinstatement rights of an individual who is placed on leave from an assistant superintendent, principal or assistant principal, or supervisory or confidential employee position pursuant to this chapter.

Subd. 5.Probationary period.

(a) The first three consecutive years of a teacher's first teaching experience in Minnesota in a single district is deemed to be a probationary period of employment, and, the probationary period in each district in which the teacher is thereafter employed shall be one year. The school board must adopt a plan for written evaluation of teachers during the probationary period that is consistent with subdivision 8. Evaluation must occur at least three times periodically throughout each school year for a teacher performing services during that school year; the first evaluation must occur within the first 90 days of teaching service. Days devoted to parent-teacher conferences, teachers' workshops, and other staff development opportunities and days on which a teacher is absent from school must not be included in determining the number of school days on which a teacher performs services. Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b), during the probationary period any annual contract with any teacher may or may not be renewed as the school board shall see fit. However, the board must give any such teacher whose contract it declines to renew for the following school year written notice to that effect before July 1. If the teacher requests reasons for any nonrenewal of a teaching contract, the board must give the teacher its reason in writing, including a statement that appropriate supervision was furnished describing the nature and the extent of such supervision furnished the teacher during the employment by the board, within ten days after receiving such request. The school board may, after a hearing held upon due notice, discharge a teacher during the probationary period for cause, effective immediately, under section 122A.44.

(b) A board must discharge a probationary teacher, effective immediately, upon receipt of notice under section 122A.20, subdivision 1, paragraph (b), that the teacher's license has been revoked due to a conviction for child abuse or sexual abuse.

(c) A probationary teacher whose first three years of consecutive employment are interrupted for active military service and who promptly resumes teaching consistent with federal reemployment timelines for uniformed service personnel under United States Code, title 38, section 4312(e), is considered to have a consecutive teaching experience for purposes of paragraph (a).

(d) A probationary teacher whose first three years of consecutive employment are interrupted for maternity, paternity, or medical leave and who resumes teaching within 12 months of when the leave began is considered to have a consecutive teaching experience for purposes of paragraph (a) if the probationary teacher completes a combined total of three years of teaching service immediately before and after the leave.

(e) A probationary teacher must complete at least 120 days of teaching service each year during the probationary period. Days devoted to parent-teacher conferences, teachers' workshops, and other staff development opportunities and days on which a teacher is absent from school do not count as days of teaching service under this paragraph.

Subd. 6.Mentoring for probationary teachers.

A school board and an exclusive representative of the teachers in the district must develop a probationary teacher peer review process through joint agreement that is consistent with subdivision 8. The process may include having trained observers serve as mentors or coaches or having teachers participate in professional learning communities.

Subd. 7.Termination of contract after probationary period.

(a) A teacher who has completed a probationary period in any district, and who has not been discharged or advised of a refusal to renew the teacher's contract under subdivision 5, shall elect to have a continuing contract with such district where contract terms and conditions, including salary and salary increases, are established based either on the length of the school calendar or an extended school calendar under section 120A.415. Thereafter, the teacher's contract must remain in full force and effect, except as modified by mutual consent of the board and the teacher, until terminated by a majority roll call vote of the full membership of the board prior to April 1 upon one of the grounds specified in subdivision 9 or July 1 upon one of the grounds specified in subdivision 10 or 11, or until the teacher is discharged pursuant to subdivision 13, or by the written resignation of the teacher submitted prior to April 1. If an agreement as to the terms and conditions of employment for the succeeding school year has not been adopted pursuant to the provisions of sections 179A.01 to 179A.25 prior to March 1, the teacher's right of resignation is extended to the 30th calendar day following the adoption of said contract in compliance with section 179A.20, subdivision 5. Such written resignation by the teacher is effective as of June 30 if submitted prior to that date and the teachers' right of resignation for the school year then beginning shall cease on July 15. Before a teacher's contract is terminated by the board, the board must notify the teacher in writing and state its ground for the proposed termination in reasonable detail together with a statement that the teacher may make a written request for a hearing before the board within 14 days after receipt of such notification. If the grounds are those specified in subdivision 9 or 13, the notice must also state a teacher may request arbitration under subdivision 15. Within 14 days after receipt of this notification the teacher may make a written request for a hearing before the board or an arbitrator and it shall be granted upon reasonable notice to the teacher of the date set for hearing, before final action is taken. If no hearing is requested within such period, it shall be deemed acquiescence by the teacher to the board's action. Such termination shall take effect at the close of the school year in which the contract is terminated in the manner aforesaid. Such contract may be terminated at any time by mutual consent of the board and the teacher and this section does not affect the powers of a board to suspend, discharge, or demote a teacher under and pursuant to other provisions of law.

(b) A teacher electing to have a continuing contract based on the extended school calendar under section 120A.415 must participate in staff development training under subdivision 7a and shall receive an increased base salary.

Subd. 7a.Additional staff development and salary.

(a) A teacher electing to have a continuing contract based on the extended school calendar under section 120A.415 must participate in a total number of staff development days where the total number of such days equals the difference between the total number of days of student instruction and 240 days. Staff development includes peer mentoring, peer gathering, continuing education, professional development, or other training. A school board may schedule such days throughout the calendar year. Staff development programs provided during such days shall enable teachers to achieve the staff development outcomes under section 122A.60, subdivision 3.

(b) A public employer and the exclusive representative of the teachers must include terms in the collective bargaining agreement for all teachers who participate in additional staff development days under paragraph (a) that increase base salaries.

Subd. 8.Development, evaluation, and peer coaching for continuing contract teachers.

(a) To improve student learning and success, a school board and an exclusive representative of the teachers in the district, consistent with paragraph (b), may develop a teacher evaluation and peer review process for probationary and continuing contract teachers through joint agreement. If a school board and the exclusive representative of the teachers do not agree to an annual teacher evaluation and peer review process, then the school board and the exclusive representative of the teachers must implement the state teacher evaluation plan under paragraph (c). The process must include having trained observers serve as peer coaches or having teachers participate in professional learning communities, consistent with paragraph (b).

(b) To develop, improve, and support qualified teachers and effective teaching practices and improve student learning and success, the annual evaluation process for teachers:

(1) must, for probationary teachers, provide for all evaluations required under subdivision 5;

(2) must establish a three-year professional review cycle for each teacher that includes an individual growth and development plan, a peer review process, and at least one summative evaluation performed by a qualified and trained evaluator such as a school administrator. For the years when a tenured teacher is not evaluated by a qualified and trained evaluator, the teacher must be evaluated by a peer review;

(3) must be based on professional teaching standards established in rule;

(4) must coordinate staff development activities under sections 122A.60 and 122A.61 with this evaluation process and teachers' evaluation outcomes;

(5) may provide time during the school day and school year for peer coaching and teacher collaboration;

(6) may include job-embedded learning opportunities such as professional learning communities;

(7) may include mentoring and induction programs;

(8) must include an option for teachers to develop and present a portfolio demonstrating evidence of reflection and professional growth, consistent with section 122A.18, subdivision 4, paragraph (b), and include teachers' own performance assessment based on student work samples and examples of teachers' work, which may include video among other activities for the summative evaluation;

(9) must use data from valid and reliable assessments aligned to state and local academic standards and must use state and local measures of student growth and literacy that may include value-added models or student learning goals to determine 35 percent of teacher evaluation results;

(10) must use longitudinal data on student engagement and connection, and other student outcome measures explicitly aligned with the elements of curriculum for which teachers are responsible, including academic literacy, oral academic language, and achievement of content areas of English learners;

(11) must require qualified and trained evaluators such as school administrators to perform summative evaluations and ensure school districts and charter schools provide for effective evaluator training specific to teacher development and evaluation;

(12) must give teachers not meeting professional teaching standards under clauses (3) through (11) support to improve through a teacher improvement process that includes established goals and timelines; and

(13) must discipline a teacher for not making adequate progress in the teacher improvement process under clause (12) that may include a last chance warning, termination, discharge, nonrenewal, transfer to a different position, a leave of absence, or other discipline a school administrator determines is appropriate.

Data on individual teachers generated under this subdivision are personnel data under section 13.43. The observation and interview notes of peer coaches may only be disclosed to other school officials with the consent of the teacher being coached.

(c) The department, in consultation with parents who may represent parent organizations and teacher and administrator representatives appointed by their respective organizations, representing the Board of Teaching, the Minnesota Association of School Administrators, the Minnesota School Boards Association, the Minnesota Elementary and Secondary Principals Associations, Education Minnesota, and representatives of the Minnesota Assessment Group, the Minnesota Business Partnership, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, and Minnesota postsecondary institutions with research expertise in teacher evaluation, must create and publish a teacher evaluation process that complies with the requirements in paragraph (b) and applies to all teachers under this section and section 122A.41 for whom no agreement exists under paragraph (a) for an annual teacher evaluation and peer review process. The teacher evaluation process created under this subdivision does not create additional due process rights for probationary teachers under subdivision 5.

(d) Consistent with the measures of teacher effectiveness under this subdivision:

(1) for students in kindergarten through grade 4, a school administrator must not place or approve the placement of a student in the classroom of a teacher who is in the improvement process referenced in paragraph (b), clause (12), or has not had a summative evaluation if, in the prior year, that student was in the classroom of a teacher who received discipline pursuant to paragraph (b), clause (13), unless no other teacher at the school teaches that grade; and

(2) for students in grades 5 through 12, a school administrator must not place or approve the placement of a student in the classroom of a teacher who is in the improvement process referenced in paragraph (b), clause (12), or has not had a summative evaluation if, in the prior year, that student was in the classroom of a teacher who received discipline pursuant to paragraph (b), clause (13), unless no other teacher at the school teaches that subject area and grade.

All data created and used under this paragraph retains its classification under chapter 13.

Subd. 9.Grounds for termination.

A continuing contract may be terminated, effective at the close of the school year, upon any of the following grounds:

(1) inefficiency in teaching or in the management of a school, consistent with subdivision 8, paragraph (b);

(2) neglect of duty, or persistent violation of school laws, rules, regulations, or directives;

(3) conduct unbecoming a teacher which materially impairs the teacher's educational effectiveness; or

(4) other good and sufficient grounds rendering the teacher unfit to perform the teacher's duties.

A contract must not be terminated upon one of the grounds specified in clause (1), (2), (3), or (4), unless the teacher fails to correct the deficiency after being given written notice of the specific items of complaint and reasonable time within which to remedy them.

Subd. 10.Negotiated unrequested leave of absence.

The school board and the exclusive bargaining representative of the teachers may negotiate a plan providing for unrequested leave of absence without pay or fringe benefits for as many teachers as may be necessary because of discontinuance of position, lack of pupils, financial limitations, or merger of classes caused by consolidation of districts. Failing to successfully negotiate such a plan, the provisions of subdivision 11 shall apply. The negotiated plan must not include provisions which would result in the exercise of seniority by a teacher holding a provisional license, other than a vocational education license, contrary to the provisions of subdivision 11, paragraph (c), or the reinstatement of a teacher holding a provisional license, other than a vocational education license, contrary to the provisions of subdivision 11, paragraph (e). The provisions of section 179A.16 do not apply for the purposes of this subdivision.

Subd. 11.Unrequested leave of absence.

The board may place on unrequested leave of absence, without pay or fringe benefits, as many teachers as may be necessary because of discontinuance of position, lack of pupils, financial limitations, or merger of classes caused by consolidation of districts. The unrequested leave is effective at the close of the school year. In placing teachers on unrequested leave, the board is governed by the following provisions:

(a) The board may place probationary teachers on unrequested leave first in the inverse order of their employment. A teacher who has acquired continuing contract rights must not be placed on unrequested leave of absence while probationary teachers are retained in positions for which the teacher who has acquired continuing contract rights is licensed;

(b) Teachers who have acquired continuing contract rights shall be placed on unrequested leave of absence in fields in which they are licensed in the inverse order in which they were employed by the school district. In the case of equal seniority, the order in which teachers who have acquired continuing contract rights shall be placed on unrequested leave of absence in fields in which they are licensed is negotiable;

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (b), a teacher is not entitled to exercise any seniority when that exercise results in that teacher being retained by the district in a field for which the teacher holds only a provisional license, as defined by the board of teaching, unless that exercise of seniority results in the placement on unrequested leave of absence of another teacher who also holds a provisional license in the same field. The provisions of this paragraph do not apply to vocational education licenses;

(d) Notwithstanding paragraphs (a), (b), and (c), if the placing of a probationary teacher on unrequested leave before a teacher who has acquired continuing rights, the placing of a teacher who has acquired continuing contract rights on unrequested leave before another teacher who has acquired continuing contract rights but who has greater seniority, or the restriction imposed by the provisions of paragraph (c) would place the district in violation of its affirmative action program, the district may retain the probationary teacher, the teacher with less seniority, or the provisionally licensed teacher;

(e) Teachers placed on unrequested leave of absence must be reinstated to the positions from which they have been given leaves of absence or, if not available, to other available positions in the school district in fields in which they are licensed. Reinstatement must be in the inverse order of placement on leave of absence. A teacher must not be reinstated to a position in a field in which the teacher holds only a provisional license, other than a vocational education license, while another teacher who holds a nonprovisional license in the same field remains on unrequested leave. The order of reinstatement of teachers who have equal seniority and who are placed on unrequested leave in the same school year is negotiable;

(f) Appointment of a new teacher must not be made while there is available, on unrequested leave, a teacher who is properly licensed to fill such vacancy, unless the teacher fails to advise the school board within 30 days of the date of notification that a position is available to that teacher who may return to employment and assume the duties of the position to which appointed on a future date determined by the board;

(g) A teacher placed on unrequested leave of absence may engage in teaching or any other occupation during the period of this leave;

(h) The unrequested leave of absence must not impair the continuing contract rights of a teacher or result in a loss of credit for previous years of service;

(i) The unrequested leave of absence of a teacher who is placed on unrequested leave of absence and who is not reinstated shall continue for a period of five years, after which the right to reinstatement shall terminate. The teacher's right to reinstatement shall also terminate if the teacher fails to file with the board by April 1 of any year a written statement requesting reinstatement;

(j) The same provisions applicable to terminations of probationary or continuing contracts in subdivisions 5 and 7 must apply to placement on unrequested leave of absence;

(k) Nothing in this subdivision shall be construed to impair the rights of teachers placed on unrequested leave of absence to receive unemployment benefits if otherwise eligible.

Subd. 12.Suspension and leave of absence for health reasons.

Affliction with a communicable disease, mental illness, drug or alcoholic addiction, or other serious incapacity shall be grounds for temporary suspension and leave of absence while the teacher is suffering from such disability. Unless the teacher consents, such action must be taken only upon evidence that suspension is required from a physician who has examined the teacher. The physician must be competent in the field involved and must be selected by the teacher from a list of three provided by the school board, and the examination must be at the expense of the school district. A copy of the report of the physician shall be furnished the teacher upon request. If the teacher fails to submit to the examination within the prescribed time, the board may discharge the teacher, effective immediately. In the event of mental illness, if the teacher submits to such an examination and the examining physician's or psychiatrist's statement is unacceptable to the teacher or the board, a panel of three physicians or psychiatrists must be selected to examine the teacher at the board's expense. The board and the teacher shall each select a member of this panel, and these two members shall select a third member. The panel must examine the teacher and submit a statement of its findings and conclusions to the board. Upon receipt and consideration of the statement from the panel the board may suspend the teacher. The board must notify the teacher in writing of such suspension and the reasons therefor. During the leave of absence, the district must pay the teacher sick leave benefits up to the amount of unused accumulated sick leave, and after it is exhausted, the district may in its discretion pay additional benefits. The teacher must be reinstated to the teacher's position upon evidence from such a physician of sufficient recovery to be capable of resuming performance of duties in a proper manner. In the event that the teacher does not qualify for reinstatement within 12 months after the date of suspension, the continuing disability may be a ground for discharge under subdivision 13.

Subd. 13.Immediate discharge.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b), a board may discharge a continuing-contract teacher, effective immediately, upon any of the following grounds:

(1) immoral conduct, insubordination, or conviction of a felony;

(2) conduct unbecoming a teacher which requires the immediate removal of the teacher from classroom or other duties;

(3) failure without justifiable cause to teach without first securing the written release of the school board;

(4) gross inefficiency which the teacher has failed to correct after reasonable written notice;

(5) willful neglect of duty; or

(6) continuing physical or mental disability subsequent to a 12 months leave of absence and inability to qualify for reinstatement in accordance with subdivision 12.

For purposes of this paragraph, conduct unbecoming a teacher includes an unfair discriminatory practice described in section 363A.13.

Prior to discharging a teacher under this paragraph, the board must notify the teacher in writing and state its ground for the proposed discharge in reasonable detail. Within ten days after receipt of this notification the teacher may make a written request for a hearing before the board and it shall be granted before final action is taken. The board may suspend a teacher with pay pending the conclusion of the hearing and determination of the issues raised in the hearing after charges have been filed which constitute ground for discharge. If a teacher has been charged with a felony and the underlying conduct that is the subject of the felony charge is a ground for a proposed immediate discharge, the suspension pending the conclusion of the hearing and determination of the issues may be without pay. If a hearing under this paragraph is held, the board must reimburse the teacher for any salary or compensation withheld if the final decision of the board or the arbitrator does not result in a penalty to or suspension, termination, or discharge of the teacher.

(b) A board must discharge a continuing-contract teacher, effective immediately, upon receipt of notice under section 122A.20, subdivision 1, paragraph (b), that the teacher's license has been revoked due to a conviction for child abuse, as defined in section 609.185; sex trafficking in the first degree under section 609.322, subdivision 1; sex trafficking in the second degree under section 609.322, subdivision 1a; engaging in hiring or agreeing to hire a minor to engage in prostitution under section 609.324, subdivision 1; sexual abuse under section 609.342, 609.343, 609.344, 609.345, 609.3451, subdivision 3, or 617.23, subdivision 3; solicitation of children to engage in sexual conduct or communication of sexually explicit materials to children under section 609.352; interference with privacy under section 609.746 or stalking under section 609.749 and the victim was a minor; using minors in a sexual performance under section 617.246; possessing pornographic works involving a minor under section 617.247; or any other offense not listed in this paragraph that requires the person to register as a predatory offender under section 243.166, or a crime under a similar law of another state or the United States.

(c) When a teacher is discharged under paragraph (b) or when the commissioner makes a final determination of child maltreatment involving a teacher under section 626.556, subdivision 11, the school principal or other person having administrative control of the school must include in the teacher's employment record the information contained in the record of the disciplinary action or the final maltreatment determination, consistent with the definition of public data under section 13.41, subdivision 5, and must provide the Board of Teaching and the licensing division at the department with the necessary and relevant information to enable the Board of Teaching and the department's licensing division to fulfill their statutory and administrative duties related to issuing, renewing, suspending, or revoking a teacher's license. Information received by the Board of Teaching or the licensing division at the department under this paragraph is governed by section 13.41 or other applicable law governing data of the receiving entity. In addition to the background check required under section 123B.03, a school board or other school hiring authority must contact the Board of Teaching and the department to determine whether the teacher's license has been suspended or revoked, consistent with the discharge and final maltreatment determinations identified in this paragraph. Unless restricted by federal or state data practices law or by the terms of a collective bargaining agreement, the responsible authority for a school district must disseminate to another school district private personnel data on a current or former teacher employee or contractor of the district, including the results of background investigations, if the requesting school district seeks the information because the subject of the data has applied for employment with the requesting school district.

Subd. 14.Hearing procedures.

Any hearing held pursuant to this section must be held upon appropriate and timely notice to the teacher, and any hearing held pursuant to subdivision 9 or 13 must be private or public at the discretion of the teacher. A hearing held pursuant to subdivision 11 must be public and may be consolidated by the school board. At the hearing, the board and the teacher may each be represented by counsel at each party's own expense, and such counsel may examine and cross-examine witnesses and present arguments. The board must first present evidence to sustain the grounds for termination or discharge and then receive evidence presented by the teacher. Each party may then present rebuttal evidence. Dismissal of the teacher must be based upon substantial and competent evidence in the record. All witnesses shall be sworn upon oath administered by the presiding officer of the board. The clerk of the board shall issue subpoenas for witnesses or the production of records pertinent to the grounds upon the request of either the board or the teacher. The board must employ a court reporter to record the proceedings at the hearing, and either party may obtain a transcript of the hearing at its own expense.

Subd. 15.Hearing and determination by arbitrator.

A teacher whose termination is proposed under subdivision 7 on grounds specified in subdivision 9, or whose discharge is proposed under subdivision 13, may elect a hearing before an arbitrator instead of the school board. The hearing is governed by this subdivision.

(a) The teacher must make a written request for a hearing before an arbitrator within 14 days after receiving notification of proposed termination on grounds specified in subdivision 9 or within ten days of receiving notification of proposed discharge under subdivision 13. If a request for a hearing does not specify that the hearing be before an arbitrator, it is considered to be a request for a hearing before the school board.

(b) If the teacher and the school board are unable to mutually agree on an arbitrator, the board must request from the bureau of mediation services a list of five persons to serve as an arbitrator. If the matter to be heard is a proposed termination on grounds specified in subdivision 9, arbitrators on the list must be available to hear the matter and make a decision within a time frame that will allow the board to comply with all statutory timelines relating to termination. If the teacher and the board are unable to mutually agree on an arbitrator from the list provided, the parties shall alternately strike names from the list until the name of one arbitrator remains. The person remaining after the striking procedure must be the arbitrator. If the parties are unable to agree on who shall strike the first name, the question must be decided by a flip of a coin. The teacher and the school board must share equally the costs and fees of the arbitrator.

(c) The arbitrator shall determine, by a preponderance of the evidence, whether the grounds for termination or discharge specified in subdivision 9 or 13 exist to support the proposed termination or discharge. A lesser penalty than termination or discharge may be imposed by the arbitrator only to the extent that either party proposes such lesser penalty in the proceeding. In making the determination, the arbitration proceeding is governed by sections 572B.15 to 572B.28 and by the collective bargaining agreement applicable to the teacher.

(d) An arbitration hearing conducted under this subdivision is a meeting for preliminary consideration of allegations or charges within the meaning of section 13D.05, subdivision 3, paragraph (a), and must be closed, unless the teacher requests it to be open.

(e) The arbitrator's award is final and binding on the parties, subject to sections 572B.18 to 572B.28.

Subd. 16.Decision.

After the hearing, the board must issue a written decision and order. If the board orders termination of a continuing contract or discharge of a teacher, its decision must include findings of fact based upon competent evidence in the record and must be served on the teacher, accompanied by an order of termination or discharge, prior to April 1 in the case of a contract termination for grounds specified in subdivision 9, prior to July 1 for grounds specified in subdivision 10 or 11, or within ten days after conclusion of the hearing in the case of a discharge. If the decision of the board or of a reviewing court is favorable to the teacher, the proceedings must be dismissed and the decision entered in the board minutes, and all references to such proceedings must be excluded from the teacher's record file.

Subd. 17.Judicial review.

The pendency of judicial proceedings must not be ground for postponement of the effective date of the board's order, but if judicial review eventuates in reinstatement of the teacher, the board must pay the teacher all compensation withheld as a result of the termination or dismissal order.

Subd. 18.Exception.

This section does not apply to any district in a city of the first class.

Subd. 19.Records relating to individual teacher; access; expungement.

All evaluations and files generated within a school district relating to each individual teacher must be available to each individual teacher upon written request. Effective January 1, 1976, all evaluations and files, wherever generated, relating to each individual teacher must be available to each individual teacher upon written request. The teacher shall have the right to reproduce any of the contents of the files at the teacher's expense and to submit for inclusion in the file written information in response to any material contained therein.

A district may destroy the files as provided by law and must expunge from the teacher's file any material found to be false or inaccurate through the grievance procedure required pursuant to section 179A.20, subdivision 4. The grievance procedure promulgated by the director of the bureau of mediation services, pursuant to section 179A.04, subdivision 3, clause (h), applies to those principals and supervisory employees not included in an appropriate unit as defined in section 179A.03. Expungement proceedings must be commenced within the time period provided in the collective bargaining agreement for the commencement of a grievance. If no time period is provided in the bargaining agreement, the expungement proceedings must commence within 15 days after the teacher has knowledge of the inclusion in the teacher's file of the material the teacher seeks to have expunged.

122A.41 TEACHER TENURE ACT; CITIES OF THE FIRST CLASS; DEFINITIONS.

Subdivision 1.Words, terms, and phrases.

Unless the language or context clearly indicates that a different meaning is intended, the following words, terms, and phrases, for the purposes of the following subdivisions in this section shall be defined as follows:

(a) Teachers. The term "teacher" includes every person regularly employed, as a principal, or to give instruction in a classroom, or to superintend or supervise classroom instruction, or as placement teacher and visiting teacher. Persons regularly employed as counselors and school librarians shall be covered by these sections as teachers if licensed as teachers or as school librarians.

(b) School board. The term "school board" includes a majority in membership of any and all boards or official bodies having the care, management, or control over public schools.

(c) Demote. The word "demote" means to reduce the compensation a person actually receives in the new position.

(d) Nonprovisional license. For purposes of this section, "nonprovisional license" shall mean an entrance, continuing, or life license.

Subd. 2.Probationary period; discharge or demotion.

(a) All teachers in the public schools in cities of the first class during the first three years of consecutive employment shall be deemed to be in a probationary period of employment during which period any annual contract with any teacher may, or may not, be renewed as the school board, after consulting with the peer review committee charged with evaluating the probationary teachers under subdivision 3, shall see fit. The school site management team or the school board if there is no school site management team, shall adopt a plan for a written evaluation of teachers during the probationary period according to subdivisions 3 and 5. Evaluation by the peer review committee charged with evaluating probationary teachers under subdivision 3 shall occur at least three times periodically throughout each school year for a teacher performing services during that school year; the first evaluation must occur within the first 90 days of teaching service. Days devoted to parent-teacher conferences, teachers' workshops, and other staff development opportunities and days on which a teacher is absent from school shall not be included in determining the number of school days on which a teacher performs services. The school board may, during such probationary period, discharge or demote a teacher for any of the causes as specified in this code. A written statement of the cause of such discharge or demotion shall be given to the teacher by the school board at least 30 days before such removal or demotion shall become effective, and the teacher so notified shall have no right of appeal therefrom.

(b) A probationary teacher whose first three years of consecutive employment are interrupted for active military service and who promptly resumes teaching consistent with federal reemployment timelines for uniformed service personnel under United States Code, title 38, section 4312(e), is considered to have a consecutive teaching experience for purposes of paragraph (a).

(c) A probationary teacher whose first three years of consecutive employment are interrupted for maternity, paternity, or medical leave and who resumes teaching within 12 months of when the leave began is considered to have a consecutive teaching experience for purposes of paragraph (a) if the probationary teacher completes a combined total of three years of teaching service immediately before and after the leave.

(d) A probationary teacher must complete at least 120 days of teaching service each year during the probationary period. Days devoted to parent-teacher conferences, teachers' workshops, and other staff development opportunities and days on which a teacher is absent from school do not count as days of teaching service under this paragraph.

Subd. 3.Mentoring for probationary teachers.

A board and an exclusive representative of the teachers in the district must develop a probationary teacher peer review process through joint agreement that is consistent with subdivision 5. The process may include having trained observers serve as mentors or coaches or having teachers participate in professional learning communities.

Subd. 4.Period of service after probationary period; discharge or demotion.

(a) After the completion of such probationary period, without discharge, such teachers as are thereupon reemployed shall continue in service and hold their respective position during good behavior and efficient and competent service and must not be discharged or demoted except for cause after a hearing. The terms and conditions of a teacher's employment contract, including salary and salary increases, must be based either on the length of the school year or an extended school calendar under section 120A.415.

(b) A probationary teacher is deemed to have been reemployed for the ensuing school year, unless the school board in charge of such school gave such teacher notice in writing before July 1 of the termination of such employment.

(c) A teacher electing to have an employment contract based on the extended school calendar under section 120A.415 must participate in staff development training under subdivision 4a and shall receive an increased base salary.

Subd. 4a.Additional staff development and salary.

(a) A teacher electing to have a continuing contract based on the extended school calendar under section 120A.415 must participate in a total number of staff development days where the total number of such days equals the difference between the total number of days of student instruction and 240 days. Staff development includes peer mentoring, peer gathering, continuing education, professional development, or other training. A school board may schedule such days throughout the calendar year. Staff development programs provided during such days shall enable teachers to achieve the staff development outcomes under section 122A.60, subdivision 3.

(b) A public employer and the exclusive representative of the teachers must include terms in the collective bargaining agreement for all teachers who participate in additional staff development days under paragraph (a) that increase base salaries.

Subd. 5.Development, evaluation, and peer coaching for continuing contract teachers.

(a) To improve student learning and success, a school board and an exclusive representative of the teachers in the district, consistent with paragraph (b), may develop an annual teacher evaluation and peer review process for probationary and nonprobationary teachers through joint agreement. If a school board and the exclusive representative of the teachers in the district do not agree to an annual teacher evaluation and peer review process, then the school board and the exclusive representative of the teachers must implement the state teacher evaluation plan developed under paragraph (c). The process must include having trained observers serve as peer coaches or having teachers participate in professional learning communities, consistent with paragraph (b).

(b) To develop, improve, and support qualified teachers and effective teaching practices and improve student learning and success, the annual evaluation process for teachers:

(1) must, for probationary teachers, provide for all evaluations required under subdivision 2;

(2) must establish a three-year professional review cycle for each teacher that includes an individual growth and development plan, a peer review process, and at least one summative evaluation performed by a qualified and trained evaluator such as a school administrator;

(3) must be based on professional teaching standards established in rule;

(4) must coordinate staff development activities under sections 122A.60 and 122A.61 with this evaluation process and teachers' evaluation outcomes;

(5) may provide time during the school day and school year for peer coaching and teacher collaboration;

(6) may include job-embedded learning opportunities such as professional learning communities;

(7) may include mentoring and induction programs;

(8) must include an option for teachers to develop and present a portfolio demonstrating evidence of reflection and professional growth, consistent with section 122A.18, subdivision 4, paragraph (b), and include teachers' own performance assessment based on student work samples and examples of teachers' work, which may include video among other activities for the summative evaluation;

(9) must use data from valid and reliable assessments aligned to state and local academic standards and must use state and local measures of student growth and literacy that may include value-added models or student learning goals to determine 35 percent of teacher evaluation results;

(10) must use longitudinal data on student engagement and connection and other student outcome measures explicitly aligned with the elements of curriculum for which teachers are responsible, including academic literacy, oral academic language, and achievement of English learners;

(11) must require qualified and trained evaluators such as school administrators to perform summative evaluations and ensure school districts and charter schools provide for effective evaluator training specific to teacher development and evaluation;

(12) must give teachers not meeting professional teaching standards under clauses (3) through (11) support to improve through a teacher improvement process that includes established goals and timelines; and

(13) must discipline a teacher for not making adequate progress in the teacher improvement process under clause (12) that may include a last chance warning, termination, discharge, nonrenewal, transfer to a different position, a leave of absence, or other discipline a school administrator determines is appropriate.

Data on individual teachers generated under this subdivision are personnel data under section 13.43. The observation and interview notes of peer coaches may only be disclosed to other school officials with the consent of the teacher being coached.

(c) The department, in consultation with parents who may represent parent organizations and teacher and administrator representatives appointed by their respective organizations, representing the Board of Teaching, the Minnesota Association of School Administrators, the Minnesota School Boards Association, the Minnesota Elementary and Secondary Principals Associations, Education Minnesota, and representatives of the Minnesota Assessment Group, the Minnesota Business Partnership, the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, and Minnesota postsecondary institutions with research expertise in teacher evaluation, must create and publish a teacher evaluation process that complies with the requirements in paragraph (b) and applies to all teachers under this section and section 122A.40 for whom no agreement exists under paragraph (a) for an annual teacher evaluation and peer review process. The teacher evaluation process created under this subdivision does not create additional due process rights for probationary teachers under subdivision 2.

(d) Consistent with the measures of teacher effectiveness under this subdivision:

(1) for students in kindergarten through grade 4, a school administrator must not place or approve the placement of a student in the classroom of a teacher who is in the improvement process referenced in paragraph (b), clause (12), or has not had a summative evaluation if, in the prior year, that student was in the classroom of a teacher who received discipline pursuant to paragraph (b), clause (13), unless no other teacher at the school teaches that grade; and

(2) for students in grades 5 through 12, a school administrator must not place or approve the placement of a student in the classroom of a teacher who is in the improvement process referenced in paragraph (b), clause (12), or has not had a summative evaluation if, in the prior year, that student was in the classroom of a teacher who received discipline pursuant to paragraph (b), clause (13), unless no other teacher at the school teaches that subject area and grade.

All data created and used under this paragraph retains its classification under chapter 13.

Subd. 5a.Probationary period for principals hired internally.

A board and the exclusive representative of the school principals in the district may negotiate a plan for a probationary period of up to two school years for licensed teachers employed by the board who are subsequently employed by the board as a licensed school principal or assistant principal and an additional probationary period of up to two years for licensed assistant principals employed by the board who are subsequently employed by the board as a licensed school principal.

Subd. 6.Grounds for discharge or demotion.

(a) Except as otherwise provided in paragraph (b), causes for the discharge or demotion of a teacher either during or after the probationary period must be:

(1) immoral character, conduct unbecoming a teacher, or insubordination;

(2) failure without justifiable cause to teach without first securing the written release of the school board having the care, management, or control of the school in which the teacher is employed;

(3) inefficiency in teaching or in the management of a school, consistent with subdivision 5, paragraph (b);

(4) affliction with a communicable disease must be considered as cause for removal or suspension while the teacher is suffering from such disability; or

(5) discontinuance of position or lack of pupils.

For purposes of this paragraph, conduct unbecoming a teacher includes an unfair discriminatory practice described in section 363A.13.

(b) A probationary or continuing-contract teacher must be discharged immediately upon receipt of notice under section 122A.20, subdivision 1, paragraph (b), that the teacher's license has been revoked due to a conviction for child abuse, as defined in section 609.185; sex trafficking in the first degree under section 609.322, subdivision 1; sex trafficking in the second degree under section 609.322, subdivision 1a; engaging in hiring or agreeing to hire a minor to engage in prostitution under section 609.324, subdivision 1; sexual abuse under section 609.342, 609.343, 609.344, 609.345, 609.3451, subdivision 3, or 617.23, subdivision 3; solicitation of children to engage in sexual conduct or communication of sexually explicit materials to children under section 609.352; interference with privacy under section 609.746 or stalking under section 609.749 and the victim was a minor; using minors in a sexual performance under section 617.246; possessing pornographic works involving a minor under section 617.247; or any other offense not listed in this paragraph that requires the person to register as a predatory offender under section 243.166, or a crime under a similar law of another state or the United States.

(c) When a teacher is discharged under paragraph (b) or when the commissioner makes a final determination of child maltreatment involving a teacher under section 626.556, subdivision 11, the school principal or other person having administrative control of the school must include in the teacher's employment record the information contained in the record of the disciplinary action or the final maltreatment determination, consistent with the definition of public data under section 13.41, subdivision 5, and must provide the Board of Teaching and the licensing division at the department with the necessary and relevant information to enable the Board of Teaching and the department's licensing division to fulfill their statutory and administrative duties related to issuing, renewing, suspending, or revoking a teacher's license. Information received by the Board of Teaching or the licensing division at the department under this paragraph is governed by section 13.41 or other applicable law governing data of the receiving entity. In addition to the background check required under section 123B.03, a school board or other school hiring authority must contact the Board of Teaching and the department to determine whether the teacher's license has been suspended or revoked, consistent with the discharge and final maltreatment determinations identified in this paragraph. Unless restricted by federal or state data practices law or by the terms of a collective bargaining agreement, the responsible authority for a school district must disseminate to another school district private personnel data on a current or former teacher employee or contractor of the district, including the results of background investigations, if the requesting school district seeks the information because the subject of the data has applied for employment with the requesting school district.

Subd. 7.Hearing of charges against teacher.

The charges against a teacher must be in writing and signed by the person making the same and then filed with the secretary or clerk of the school board having charge of the school in which the teacher is employed. Before the school board discharges or demotes a teacher, the board must notify the teacher in writing and state in reasonable detail its grounds for the proposed discharge or demotion, together with a statement that the teacher may request in writing within ten days after receiving the notice a hearing before the board. The board may have the notice served personally or may send it by certified mail addressed to the teacher at the teacher's last known post office address. The teacher, under subdivision 13, also may elect a hearing before an arbitrator instead of the school board. Within ten days after receiving the notice the teacher may request in writing a hearing before the board or an arbitrator and it shall be granted. The teacher must be given reasonable notice of the time and place of the hearing before final action is taken. A teacher who fails to request a hearing within ten days is considered to acquiesce in the board's action. If the charge is made by a person not connected with the school system the charge may be disregarded by the school board. If the grounds are those specified in subdivision 6, clause (1), (2), (3), or (4), the notice must also state a teacher may request arbitration under subdivision 13. At the hearing, the school board or arbitrator shall hear all evidence that may be adduced in support of the charges and for the teacher's defense to the charges. Either party has the right to have a written record of the hearing at the expense of the board and to have witnesses subpoenaed and all witnesses so subpoenaed must be examined under oath. Any member of the school board conducting such a hearing has authority to issue subpoenas and to administer oaths to witnesses.

Subd. 8.Counsel; examination of witnesses.

Each party appearing before the school board has the right to be represented by counsel, and such counsel may examine and cross-examine witnesses and present arguments.

Subd. 9.Hearings.

All hearings before the school board must be private or may be public at the decision of the teacher against whom such charges have been filed.

Subd. 10.Decision, when rendered.

The hearing must be concluded and a decision in writing, stating the grounds on which it is based, rendered within 25 days after giving of such notice. Where the hearing is before a school board the teacher may be discharged or demoted upon the affirmative vote of a majority of the members of the board. If the charges, or any of such, are found to be true, the board conducting the hearing must discharge, demote, or suspend the teacher, as seems to be for the best interest of the school. A teacher must not be discharged for either of the causes specified in subdivision 6, clause (3), except during the school year, and then only upon charges filed at least four months before the close of the school sessions of such school year.

Subd. 11.Charges expunged from records.

In all cases where the final decision is in favor of the teacher the charge or charges must be physically expunged from the records.

Subd. 12.Suspension pending hearing; salary.

After charges are filed against a teacher, the school board may suspend the teacher from regular duty. If the teacher is suspended or removed after the final decision, the board may in its discretion determine the teacher's salary or compensation as of the time of filing the charges. If the final decision is favorable to the teacher, the board must not abate the teacher's salary or compensation.

Subd. 13.Hearing and determination by arbitrator.

A teacher against whom charges have been filed alleging any cause for discharge or demotion specified in subdivision 6, clause (1), (2), (3), or (4), may elect a hearing before an arbitrator instead of the school board. The hearing is governed by this subdivision.

(a) The teacher must make a written request for a hearing before an arbitrator within ten days after receiving a written notice of the filing of charges required by subdivision 7. Failure to request a hearing before an arbitrator during this period is considered acquiescence to the board's action.

(b) If the teacher and the school board are unable to mutually agree on an arbitrator, the board must request from the Bureau of Mediation Services a list of five persons to serve as an arbitrator. If the teacher and the school board are unable to mutually agree on an arbitrator from the list provided, the parties shall alternately strike names from the list until the name of one arbitrator remains. The person remaining after the striking procedure must be the arbitrator. If the parties are unable to agree on who shall strike the first name, the question must be decided by a flip of a coin. The teacher and the board must share equally the costs and fees of the arbitrator.

(c) The arbitrator shall determine, by a preponderance of the evidence, whether the causes specified in subdivision 6, clause (1), (2), (3), or (4), exist to support the proposed discharge or demotion. A lesser penalty than discharge or demotion may be imposed by the arbitrator only to the extent that either party proposes such lesser penalty in the proceeding. In making the determination, the arbitration proceeding is governed by sections 572B.15 to 572B.28 and by the collective bargaining agreement applicable to the teacher.

(d) An arbitration hearing conducted under this subdivision is a meeting for preliminary consideration of allegations or charges within the meaning of section 13D.05, subdivision 3, paragraph (a), and must be closed, unless the teacher requests it to be open.

(e) The arbitrator's decision is final and binding on the parties, subject to sections 572B.18 to 572B.28.

Subd. 14.Services terminated by discontinuance or lack of pupils; preference given.

(a) A teacher whose services are terminated on account of discontinuance of position or lack of pupils must receive first consideration for other positions in the district for which that teacher is qualified. In the event it becomes necessary to discontinue one or more positions, in making such discontinuance, teachers must be discontinued in any department in the inverse order in which they were employed, unless a board and the exclusive representative of teachers in the district negotiate a plan providing otherwise.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of clause (a), a teacher is not entitled to exercise any seniority when that exercise results in that teacher being retained by the district in a field for which the teacher holds only a provisional license, as defined by the Board of Teaching, unless that exercise of seniority results in the termination of services, on account of discontinuance of position or lack of pupils, of another teacher who also holds a provisional license in the same field. The provisions of this clause do not apply to vocational education licenses.

(c) Notwithstanding the provisions of clause (a), a teacher must not be reinstated to a position in a field in which the teacher holds only a provisional license, other than a vocational education license, while another teacher who holds a nonprovisional license in the same field is available for reinstatement.

Subd. 15.Records relating to individual teacher; access; expungement.

All evaluations and files generated within a district relating to each individual teacher must be available to each individual teacher upon the teacher's written request. Effective January 1, 1976, all evaluations and files, wherever generated, relating to each individual teacher must be available to each individual teacher upon the teacher's written request. The teacher has the right to reproduce any of the contents of the files at the teacher's expense and to submit for inclusion in the file written information in response to any material contained therein.

A district may destroy the files as provided by law and must expunge from the teacher's file any material found to be false or substantially inaccurate through the grievance procedure required pursuant to section 179A.20, subdivision 4. The grievance procedure promulgated by the director of the Bureau of Mediation Services, pursuant to section 179A.04, subdivision 3, clause (h), applies to those principals and supervisory employees not included in an appropriate unit as defined in section 179A.03. Expungement proceedings must be commenced within the time period provided in the collective bargaining agreement for the commencement of a grievance. If no time period is provided in the bargaining agreement, the expungement proceedings must commence within 15 days after the teacher has knowledge of the inclusion in the teacher's file of the material the teacher seeks to have expunged.

122A.413 EDUCATIONAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN.

Subdivision 1.Qualifying plan.

A district, intermediate school district, or a cooperative unit, as defined in section 123A.24, subdivision 2, may develop an educational improvement plan for the purpose of qualifying for the alternative teacher professional pay system under section 122A.414. The plan must include measures for improving school district, intermediate school district, cooperative, school site, teacher, and individual student performance.

[See Note.]

Subd. 2.Plan components.

The educational improvement plan must be approved by the school board or governing board and have at least these elements:

(1) assessment and evaluation tools to measure student performance and progress, including the academic literacy, oral academic language, and achievement of English learners, among other measures;

(2) performance goals and benchmarks for improvement;

(3) measures of student attendance and completion rates;

(4) a rigorous research and practice-based professional development system, based on national and state standards of effective teaching practice applicable to all students including English learners with varied needs under section 124D.59, subdivisions 2 and 2a, and consistent with section 122A.60, that is aligned with educational improvement and designed to achieve ongoing and schoolwide progress and growth in teaching practice;

(5) measures of student, family, and community involvement and satisfaction;

(6) a data system about students and their academic progress that provides parents and the public with understandable information;

(7) a teacher induction and mentoring program for probationary teachers that provides continuous learning and sustained teacher support; and

(8) substantial participation by the exclusive representative of the teachers in developing the plan.

[See Note.]

Subd. 3.School site accountability.

A district or intermediate school district that develops a plan under subdivisions 1 and 2 must ensure that each school site develops a board-approved educational improvement plan that is aligned with the district educational improvement plan under subdivision 2 and developed with the exclusive representative of the teachers. While a site plan must be consistent with the district educational improvement plan, it may establish performance goals and benchmarks that meet or exceed those of the district.

NOTE: The amendments to subdivisions 1 and 2 by Laws 2015, First Special Session chapter 3, article 2, sections 27 and 28, are effective for revenue in fiscal year 2017 and later. Laws 2015, First Special Session chapter 3, article 2, sections 27 and 28, the effective dates.

122A.414 ALTERNATIVE TEACHER PAY.

Subdivision 1.Restructured pay system.

A restructured alternative teacher professional pay system is established under subdivision 2 to provide incentives to encourage teachers to improve their knowledge and instructional skills in order to improve student learning and for school districts, intermediate school districts, cooperative units, as defined in section 123A.24, subdivision 2, and charter schools to recruit and retain highly qualified teachers, encourage highly qualified teachers to undertake challenging assignments, and support teachers' roles in improving students' educational achievement.

[See Note.]

Subd. 1a.Transitional planning year.

(a) To be eligible to participate in an alternative teacher professional pay system, a school district, intermediate school district, or site, at least one school year before it expects to fully implement an alternative pay system, must:

(1) submit to the department a letter of intent executed by the school district, intermediate school district and the exclusive representative of the teachers to complete a plan preparing for full implementation, consistent with subdivision 2, that may include, among other activities, training to evaluate teacher performance, a restructured school day to develop integrated ongoing site-based professional development activities, release time to develop an alternative pay system agreement, and teacher and staff training on using multiple data sources; and

(2) agree to use up to two percent of basic revenue for staff development purposes, consistent with sections 122A.60 and 122A.61, to develop the alternative teacher professional pay system agreement under this section.

(b) To be eligible to participate in an alternative teacher professional pay system, a charter school, at least one school year before it expects to fully implement an alternative pay system, must:

(1) submit to the department a letter of intent executed by the charter school and the charter school board of directors;

(2) submit the record of a formal vote by the teachers employed at the charter school indicating at least 70 percent of all teachers agree to implement the alternative pay system; and

(3) agree to use up to two percent of basic revenue for staff development purposes, consistent with sections 122A.60 and 122A.61, to develop the alternative teacher professional pay system.

(c) To be eligible to participate in an alternative teacher professional pay system, a cooperative, excluding intermediate school districts, at least one school year before it expects to fully implement an alternative pay system, must:

(1) submit to the department a letter of intent executed by the governing board of the cooperative; and

(2) submit the record of a formal vote by the teachers employed by the cooperative indicating at least 70 percent of all teachers agree to implement the alternative pay system.

(d) The commissioner may waive the planning year if the commissioner determines, based on the criteria under subdivision 2, that the school district, intermediate school district, cooperative, site or charter school is ready to fully implement an alternative pay system.

[See Note.]

Subd. 2.Alternative teacher professional pay system.

(a) To participate in this program, a school district, intermediate school district, school site, or charter school must have an educational improvement plan under section 122A.413 and an alternative teacher professional pay system agreement under paragraph (b). A charter school participant also must comply with subdivision 2a.

(b) The alternative teacher professional pay system agreement must:

(1) describe how teachers can achieve career advancement and additional compensation;

(2) describe how the school district, intermediate school district, school site, or charter school will provide teachers with career advancement options that allow teachers to retain primary roles in student instruction and facilitate site-focused professional development that helps other teachers improve their skills;

(3) reform the "steps and lanes" salary schedule, prevent any teacher's compensation paid before implementing the pay system from being reduced as a result of participating in this system, base at least 60 percent of any compensation increase on teacher performance using:

(i) schoolwide student achievement gains under section 120B.35 or locally selected standardized assessment outcomes, or both;

(ii) measures of student growth and literacy that may include value-added models or student learning goals, consistent with section 122A.40, subdivision 8, paragraph (b), clause (9), or 122A.41, subdivision 5, paragraph (b), clause (9), and other measures that include the academic literacy, oral academic language, and achievement of English learners under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, paragraph (b), clause (10), or 122A.41, subdivision 5, paragraph (b), clause (10); and

(iii) an objective evaluation program under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, paragraph (b), clause (2), or 122A.41, subdivision 5, paragraph (b), clause (2);

(4) provide for participation in job-embedded learning opportunities such as professional learning communities to improve instructional skills and learning that are aligned with student needs under section 122A.413, consistent with the staff development plan under section 122A.60 and led during the school day by trained teacher leaders such as master or mentor teachers;

(5) allow any teacher in a participating school district, intermediate school district, school site, or charter school that implements an alternative pay system to participate in that system without any quota or other limit; and

(6) encourage collaboration rather than competition among teachers.

(c) The alternative teacher professional pay system may:

(1) include a hiring bonus or other added compensation for teachers who are identified as effective or highly effective under the local teacher professional review cycle and work in a hard-to-fill position or in a hard-to-staff school such as a school with a majority of students whose families meet federal poverty guidelines, a geographically isolated school, or a school identified by the state as eligible for targeted programs or services for its students; and

(2) include incentives for teachers to obtain a master's degree or other advanced certification in their content field of licensure, pursue the training or education necessary to obtain an additional licensure in shortage areas identified by the district or charter school, or help fund a "grow your own" new teacher initiative.

Subd. 2a.Charter school applications; cooperative applications.

(a) For charter school applications, the board of directors of a charter school that satisfies the conditions under subdivisions 2 and 2b must submit to the commissioner an application that contains:

(1) an agreement to implement an alternative teacher professional pay system under this section;

(2) a resolution by the charter school board of directors adopting the agreement; and

(3) the record of a formal vote by the teachers employed at the charter school indicating that at least 70 percent of all teachers agree to implement the alternative teacher professional pay system, unless the charter school submits an alternative teacher professional pay system agreement under this section before the first year of operation.

(b) For cooperative unit applications, excluding intermediate school districts, the governing board of a cooperative unit that satisfies the conditions under subdivisions 2 and 2b must submit to the commissioner an application that contains:

(1) an agreement to implement an alternative teacher professional pay system under this section;

(2) a resolution by the governing board adopting the agreement; and

(3) the record of a formal vote by the teachers employed at the cooperative unit indicating that at least 70 percent of all teachers agree to implement the alternative teacher professional pay system.

[See Note.]

Subd. 2b.Approval process.

(a) Consistent with the requirements of this section and sections 122A.413 and 122A.415, the department must prepare and transmit to interested school districts, intermediate school districts, cooperatives, school sites, and charter schools a standard form for applying to participate in the alternative teacher professional pay system. The commissioner annually must establish three dates as deadlines by which interested applicants must submit an application to the commissioner under this section. An interested school district, intermediate school district, cooperative, school site, or charter school must submit to the commissioner a completed application executed by the district superintendent and the exclusive bargaining representative of the teachers if the applicant is a school district, intermediate school district, or school site, or executed by the charter school board of directors if the applicant is a charter school or executed by the governing board if the applicant is a cooperative unit. The application must include the proposed alternative teacher professional pay system agreement under subdivision 2. The department must review a completed application within 30 days of the most recent application deadline and recommend to the commissioner whether to approve or disapprove the application. The commissioner must approve applications on a first-come, first-served basis. The applicant's alternative teacher professional pay system agreement must be legally binding on the applicant and the collective bargaining representative before the applicant receives alternative compensation revenue. The commissioner must approve or disapprove an application based on the requirements under subdivisions 2 and 2a.

(b) If the commissioner disapproves an application, the commissioner must give the applicant timely notice of the specific reasons in detail for disapproving the application. The applicant may revise and resubmit its application and related documents to the commissioner within 30 days of receiving notice of the commissioner's disapproval and the commissioner must approve or disapprove the revised application, consistent with this subdivision. Applications that are revised and then approved are considered submitted on the date the applicant initially submitted the application.

[See Note.]

Subd. 3.Report; continued funding.

(a) Participating districts, intermediate school districts, cooperatives, school sites, and charter schools must report on the implementation and effectiveness of the alternative teacher professional pay system, particularly addressing each requirement under subdivision 2 and make annual recommendations by June 15 to their school boards. The school board, board of directors, or governing board shall transmit a copy of the report with a summary of the findings and recommendations of the district, intermediate school district, cooperative, school site, or charter school to the commissioner in the form and manner determined by the commissioner.

(b) If the commissioner determines that a school district, intermediate school district, cooperative, school site, or charter school that receives alternative teacher compensation revenue is not complying with the requirements of this section, the commissioner may withhold funding from that participant. Before making the determination, the commissioner must notify the participant of any deficiencies and provide the participant an opportunity to comply.

[See Note.]

Subd. 4.Planning and staff development.

A school district that qualifies to participate in the alternative teacher professional pay system transitional planning year under subdivision 1a may use up to two percent of basic revenue that would otherwise be reserved under section 122A.61 for complying with the planning and staff development activities under this section.

NOTE: The amendments to subdivisions 1, 1a, 2a, 2b, and 3 by Laws 2015, First Special Session chapter 3, article 2, sections 29, 30, and 32 to 34, are effective for revenue for fiscal year 2017 and later. Laws 2015, First Special Session chapter 3, article 2, sections 29, 30, and 32 to 34, the effective dates.

122A.4144 SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENTS; ALTERNATIVE TEACHER PAY.

Notwithstanding section 179A.20 or other law to the contrary, a school board and the exclusive representative of the teachers may agree to reopen a collective bargaining agreement for the purpose of entering into an alternative teacher professional pay system agreement under sections 122A.413, 122A.414, and 122A.415. Negotiations for a contract reopened under this section must be limited to issues related to the alternative teacher professional pay system.

122A.415 ALTERNATIVE COMPENSATION REVENUE.

Subdivision 1.Revenue amount.

(a) A school district, intermediate school district, cooperative unit as defined in section 123A.24, subdivision 2, school site, or charter school that meets the conditions of section 122A.414 and submits an application approved by the commissioner is eligible for alternative teacher compensation revenue.

(b) For school district and intermediate school district applications, the commissioner must consider only those applications to participate that are submitted jointly by a district and the exclusive representative of the teachers. The application must contain an alternative teacher professional pay system agreement that:

(1) implements an alternative teacher professional pay system consistent with section 122A.414; and

(2) is negotiated and adopted according to the Public Employment Labor Relations Act under chapter 179A, except that notwithstanding section 179A.20, subdivision 3, a district may enter into a contract for a term of two or four years.

Alternative teacher compensation revenue for a qualifying school district or site in which the school board and the exclusive representative of the teachers agree to place teachers in the district or at the site on the alternative teacher professional pay system equals $260 times the number of pupils enrolled at the district or site on October 1 of the previous fiscal year. Alternative teacher compensation revenue for a qualifying intermediate school district or cooperative must be calculated under subdivision 4, paragraph (b).

(c) For a newly combined or consolidated district, the revenue shall be computed using the sum of pupils enrolled on October 1 of the previous year in the districts entering into the combination or consolidation. The commissioner may adjust the revenue computed for a site using prior year data to reflect changes attributable to school closings, school openings, or grade level reconfigurations between the prior year and the current year.

(d) The revenue is available only to school districts, intermediate school districts, cooperatives, school sites, and charter schools that fully implement an alternative teacher professional pay system by October 1 of the current school year.

Subd. 2.

[Repealed, 1Sp2005 c 5 art 1 s 55]

Subd. 3.Revenue timing.

(a) Districts, intermediate school districts, cooperatives, school sites, or charter schools with approved applications must receive alternative compensation revenue for each school year that the district, intermediate school district, cooperative, school site, or charter school implements an alternative teacher professional pay system under this subdivision and section 122A.414. A qualifying district, intermediate school district, cooperative, school site, or charter school that received alternative teacher compensation aid for the previous fiscal year must receive at least an amount of alternative teacher compensation revenue equal to the lesser of the amount it received for the previous fiscal year or the amount it qualifies for under subdivision 1 for the current fiscal year if the district, intermediate school district, cooperative, school site, or charter school submits a timely application and the commissioner determines that the district, intermediate school district, cooperative, school site, or charter school continues to implement an alternative teacher professional pay system, consistent with its application under this section.

(b) The commissioner shall approve applications that comply with subdivision 1, and section 122A.414, subdivisions 2, paragraph (b), and 2a, if the applicant is a charter school or cooperative, in the order in which they are received, select applicants that qualify for this program, notify school districts, intermediate school districts, cooperatives, school sites, and charter schools about the program, develop and disseminate application materials, and carry out other activities needed to implement this section.

Subd. 4.Basic alternative teacher compensation aid.

(a) The basic alternative teacher compensation aid for a school with a plan approved under section 122A.414, subdivision 2b, equals 65 percent of the alternative teacher compensation revenue under subdivision 1. The basic alternative teacher compensation aid for a charter school with a plan approved under section 122A.414, subdivisions 2a and 2b, equals $260 times the number of pupils enrolled in the school on October 1 of the previous year, or on October 1 of the current year for a charter school in the first year of operation, times the ratio of the sum of the alternative teacher compensation aid and alternative teacher compensation levy for all participating school districts to the maximum alternative teacher compensation revenue for those districts under subdivision 1.

(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a) and subdivision 1, the state total basic alternative teacher compensation aid entitlement must not exceed $88,118,000 for fiscal year 2017 and later. The commissioner must limit the amount of alternative teacher compensation aid approved under this section so as not to exceed these limits. Basic alternative teacher compensation aid for an intermediate district or other cooperative unit equals $3,000 times the number of licensed teachers employed by the intermediate district or cooperative unit on October 1 of the previous school year.

Subd. 5.Alternative teacher compensation levy.

The alternative teacher compensation levy for a district receiving basic alternative teacher compensation aid equals the product of (1) the difference between the district's alternative teacher compensation revenue and the district's basic alternative teacher compensation aid, times (2) the lesser of one or the ratio of the district's adjusted net tax capacity per adjusted pupil unit to $6,100.

Subd. 6.Alternative teacher compensation equalization aid.

(a) A district's alternative teacher compensation equalization aid equals the district's alternative teacher compensation revenue minus the district's basic alternative teacher compensation aid minus the district's alternative teacher compensation levy. If a district does not levy the entire amount permitted, the alternative teacher compensation equalization aid must be reduced in proportion to the actual amount levied.

(b) A district's alternative teacher compensation aid equals the sum of the district's basic alternative teacher compensation aid and the district's alternative teacher compensation equalization aid.

NOTE: The amendment to this section by Laws 2015, First Special Session chapter 3, article 2, section 35, is effective for revenue for fiscal year 2017 and later. Laws 2015, First Special Session chapter 3, article 2, section 35, the effective date.

122A.4155 ALTERNATIVE COMPENSATION RURAL DISTRICT APPLICATION ASSISTANCE.

Subdivision 1.Eligibility.

School districts located in greater Minnesota that submit a letter of intent and begin the transitional planning year, under section 122A.414, subdivision 1a, are eligible for alternative compensation application assistance. For the purposes of this section, an eligible school district is any school district located in the rural equity region under section 126C.10, subdivision 28.

Subd. 2.Multidistrict technical assistance.

The department shall provide technical assistance in the form of, but not limited to, networking, training, and professional development to a rural district or groups of rural districts in developing applications for the alternative compensation program.

Subd. 3.Model plans.

The department shall develop and disseminate alternative compensation model plans based on the unique needs and characteristics of rural districts.

Subd. 4.Multidistrict consortia.

The department may promote the development of multidistrict consortia to optimize opportunities for rural districts to participate in and implement alternative compensation programs. A multidistrict consortium shall develop and implement a collaborative alternative compensation plan that includes the program components outlined in section 122A.414, subdivision 2. A multidistrict consortium shall provide opportunities to share best practices, professional development training and expertise, training of teacher observers, or the purchase of programmatic resources.

122A.416 ALTERNATIVE TEACHER COMPENSATION REVENUE FOR PERPICH CENTER FOR ARTS EDUCATION AND MULTIDISTRICT INTEGRATION COLLABORATIVES.

Notwithstanding sections 122A.413, 122A.414, 122A.415, and 126C.10, multidistrict integration collaboratives and the Perpich Center for Arts Education are eligible to receive alternative teacher compensation revenue as if they were intermediate school districts. To qualify for alternative teacher compensation revenue, a multidistrict integration collaborative or the Perpich Center for Arts Education must meet all of the requirements of sections 122A.413, 122A.414, and 122A.415 that apply to intermediate school districts, must report its enrollment as of October 1 of each year to the department, and must annually report its expenditures for the alternative teacher professional pay system consistent with the uniform financial accounting and reporting standards to the department by November 30 of each year.

122A.42 GENERAL CONTROL OF SCHOOLS.

The teacher shall have the general control and government of the school. When more than one teacher is employed in any district, one of the teachers may be designated by the board as principal and shall have the general control and supervision of the schools of the district, subject to the general supervisory control of the board and other officers.

122A.43 SHORT-TERM, LIMITED CONTRACTS.

Subdivision 1.Authorization.

A school board may enter into short-term, limited contracts with classroom teachers employed by the district.

Subd. 2.Board to identify needs.

The board must determine the needs of its classroom teachers and the need for changes in its curriculum. In determining these needs, the school board must obtain recommendations from classroom teachers, staff responsible for curriculum, and the curriculum advisory committee. It shall consider assessment results, other test results, the need for mentor teachers, and the district improvement plan portion of the report adopted according to section 120B.11, subdivision 3. Contracts executed under this section shall relate directly to the identified needs.

Subd. 3.Selection committee.

A committee of six members appointed by the board shall recommend teachers to receive contracts. Three members of the committee shall be classroom teachers. Three members shall be administrators, parents, members of the school board, or members of the community. The committee shall consider only classroom teachers who have background, knowledge, or expertise needed to perform duties in the areas of need identified by the board. Years of service in the district must not be a factor for consideration by the committee. A teacher shall not have a right to a contract under this section based on seniority or order of employment in the district. The committee shall recommend to the school board names of individual teachers. The number of individual teachers recommended shall be approximately the number designated by the board to meet the identified needs. The board may award contracts to any of the recommended teachers but not to any others. The board may request the committee to recommend additional names of teachers.

Subd. 4.Contract terms and conditions.

Contracts executed under this section shall provide classroom teachers any one or a combination of the following:

(1) released time during the school day;

(2) additional hours in a school day; or

(3) additional days or weeks of employment during the summer.

Contracts executed under this section shall terminate within one year of the date of execution. During the term of a contract under this section a teacher may be discharged for cause from duties under this contract; a hearing shall be held on the discharge upon request of the teacher. A teacher has no rights in a subsequent year to a contract under this subdivision.

Subd. 5.Application of other laws.

The provisions of section 122A.40 or 122A.41 shall not apply to initial awards, renewal, or termination of contracts under this section. The provisions of this section concerning short-term, limited contracts shall not be construed to alter any aspect of other contracts executed by a school board.

Subd. 6.Report.

Each district awarding contracts under this section is encouraged to submit a report to the commissioner. The report shall indicate the number of contracts awarded, whether duties are to be performed before, during, or after the school day or during the summer, the total cost of all contracts, and a general description of the duties. The statement shall also describe how the recommendations required by subdivision 2 were obtained. Any problems associated with implementing this section may be included.

122A.44 CONTRACTING WITH TEACHERS; SUBSTITUTE TEACHERS.

Subdivision 1.Contracting with qualified teachers.

The board must employ and contract with necessary qualified teachers and discharge the same for cause.

Subd. 2.Hiring substitute teachers.

(a) The board must not hire a substitute teacher except:

(1) For a duration of time of less than one school year to replace a regular teacher who is absent; or

(2) For a duration of time equal to or greater than one school year to replace a regular teacher on a leave of absence.

(b) If a substitute teacher is hired pursuant to paragraph (a), clause (2), each full school year during which the teacher is employed by a district pursuant to that clause shall be deemed one year of the teacher's probationary period of employment pursuant to either section 122A.40, subdivision 5, or 122A.41, subdivision 2. The teacher shall be eligible for continuing contract status pursuant to section 122A.40, subdivision 7, or tenure status pursuant to section 122A.41, subdivision 4, after completion of the applicable probationary period.

122A.45 TEACHER CONTRACTS FOR SUMMER SCHOOL.

In order to encourage further preparation and education of its teachers, the board of an independent school district may stipulate in a teacher's contract the amount the teacher may receive conditioned upon attending summer school.

122A.46 EXTENDED LEAVES OF ABSENCE.

Subdivision 1.Teachers defined.

As used in this section, the term "teachers" shall have the meaning given it in section 122A.15, subdivision 1. The term "teachers" also includes any teacher in the classifications included in the professional state residential instructional unit, under section 179A.10, subdivision 2, clause (16).

Subd. 1a.Appointing authority.

For purposes of teachers included in the professional state residential instructional unit, the term "school board" includes the appointing authority as defined in section 43A.02, subdivision 5.

Subd. 2.Leave of absence.

The board of any district may grant an extended leave of absence without salary to any full- or part-time elementary or secondary teacher who has been employed by the district for at least five years and has at least ten years of allowable service, as defined in section 354.05, subdivision 13, or the bylaws of the appropriate retirement association or ten years of full-time teaching service in Minnesota public elementary and secondary schools. The duration of an extended leave of absence under this section must be determined by mutual agreement of the board and the teacher at the time the leave is granted and shall be at least three but no more than five years. An extended leave of absence under this section shall be taken by mutual consent of the board and the teacher. If the school board denies a teacher's request, it must provide reasonable justification for the denial.

Subd. 3.Reinstatement.

Except as provided in subdivisions 7 and 8, a teacher on an extended leave of absence pursuant to this section shall have the right to be reinstated to a position for which the teacher is licensed at the beginning of any school year which immediately follows a year of the extended leave of absence, unless the teacher fails to give the required notice of intention to return or is discharged or placed on unrequested leave of absence or the contract is terminated pursuant to section 122A.40 or 122A.41 while the teacher is on the extended leave. The board is not obligated to reinstate any teacher who is on an extended leave of absence pursuant to this section, unless the teacher advised the board of the intention to return before February 1 in the school year preceding the school year in which the teacher wishes to return or by February 1 in the calendar year in which the leave is scheduled to terminate.

Subd. 4.Seniority and continuing contract rights.

Any teacher who is reinstated to a teaching position after an extended leave of absence pursuant to this section shall retain seniority and continuing contract rights in the employing district as though the teacher had been teaching in the district during the period of the extended leave. This subdivision shall not be construed to require a board to reinstate a teacher to any particular position or to include the years spent on the extended leave of absence in the determination of a teacher's salary upon return to teaching in this district.

Subd. 5.Salary.

The years spent by a teacher on an extended leave of absence pursuant to this section shall not be included in the determination of salary upon return to teaching in the district. The credits earned by a teacher on an extended leave of absence pursuant to this section shall not be included in the determination of salary upon return to teaching in the district for a period equal to the time of the extended leave of absence.

Subd. 6.School board authority.

Nothing within the provisions of this section shall be construed to limit the authority of a school board to grant any teacher a leave of absence which is not subject to the provisions of this section and sections 354.094 and 354A.091.

Subd. 7.Employment in another district.

A school board shall not be obligated to reinstate a teacher who takes a full-time or part-time position as a teacher in another Minnesota school district while on an extended leave of absence pursuant to this section. This subdivision shall not apply to a teacher who is employed as a substitute teacher.

Subd. 8.Superintendent.

A school board shall not be obligated to reinstate a superintendent on an extended leave of absence pursuant to this section to a position in the district.

Subd. 9.Benefits.

A teacher on an extended leave of absence shall receive all of the health, accident, medical, surgical and hospitalization insurance or benefits, for both the teacher and the teacher's dependents, for which the teacher would otherwise be eligible if not on an extended leave. A teacher shall receive the coverage if such coverage is available from the school district's insurer, if the teacher requests the coverage, and if the teacher either (a) reimburses the district for the full amount of the premium necessary to maintain the coverage within one month preceding the district's payment of the premium, or (b) if the district is wholly or partially self-insured, pays the district, according to a schedule agreed upon by the teacher and the school board, an amount determined by the school board to be the amount that would be charged for the coverage chosen by the teacher if the school board purchased all health, accident, medical, surgical and hospitalization coverage for its teachers from an insurer. A school district may enter into an agreement with the exclusive bargaining representative of the teachers in the district where the district agrees, for an individual teacher, to pay all or a portion of the premium for such coverage. Any such agreement must include a sunset of eligibility to qualify for the payment.

122A.47 RETURN TO FULL-TIME WORK.

A teacher with 20 or more years of allowable service credit under chapter 354 or 354A who was assigned to a part-time position under section 354.66 or 354A.094 after June 30, 1994, must be given the option of returning to full-time employment if the employer does not make the full employer contribution to the applicable pension fund under section 354.66, subdivision 4, or 354A.094, subdivision 4, after July 1, 1995. If an employer decides not to make the full employer contribution to the pension fund after July 1, 1995, it must notify any affected part-time teacher of this decision in writing within 30 days of the employer's decision. A teacher receiving this notice who wishes to return to work full time must notify the employer of intent to return to full-time employment within 30 days of receiving notice from the employer, and must return to full-time employment by the beginning of the next school year.

122A.48 TEACHER EARLY RETIREMENT INCENTIVE PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.Teacher defined.

For purposes of this section, "teacher" means a teacher as defined in section 122A.15, subdivision 1, who:

(a) is employed in a public elementary or secondary school in the state and

(b) either

(1)(i) has at least 15 total years of full-time teaching service in elementary, secondary, and technical colleges, or at least 15 years of allowable service as defined in sections 354.05, subdivision 13; 354.092; 354.093; 354.094; 354.53; 354.66; 354A.011, subdivision 4; 354A.091; 354A.092; 354A.093; 354A.094; or Laws 1982, chapter 578, article II, section 1 and

(ii) has or will have attained the age of 55 years but less than 65 years as of the June 30 in the school year during which an application for an early retirement incentive is made, or

(2) has at least 30 total years of full-time teaching service in elementary, secondary, and technical colleges, or at least 30 years of allowable service as defined in sections 354.05, subdivision 13; 354.092; 354.093; 354.094; 354.53; 354.66; 354A.011, subdivision 4; 354A.091; 354A.092; 354A.093; 354A.094; or Laws 1982, chapter 578, article II, section 1.

Subd. 2.Retirement.

For purposes of this section, "retirement" means termination of services in the employing district and withdrawal from active teaching service.

Subd. 3.Employment exemptions for retired teachers.

Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivision 2, a teacher who has entered into an agreement for termination of services and withdrawal from active teaching service with an early retirement incentive may be employed as a substitute teacher, behind-the-wheel instructor, or coach after retirement.

Subd. 4.Unemployment benefits.

Any amount of unemployment benefits that the teacher receives and for which the district is required to pay into the unemployment insurance program trust fund pursuant to section 268.052, subdivision 1, may be deducted by the district from the amount of the teacher's early retirement incentive or recovered by the district from the teacher up to the amount of the early retirement incentive.

Subd. 5.Applications.

A teacher meeting the requirements of subdivision 1 may apply to the school board of the employing district for a contract for termination of services, withdrawal from active teaching service, and payment of an early retirement incentive. This application must be submitted on or before February 1 of the school year at the end of which the teacher wishes to retire. A school board must approve or deny the application within 30 days after it is received by the board. The amount of the early retirement incentive shall be agreed upon between the teacher and the school board. The early retirement incentive shall be paid by the employing district at the time and in the manner mutually agreed upon by a teacher and the board.

122A.49 SABBATICAL LEAVE FOR TEACHERS.

Subdivision 1.Qualifications.

A teacher who holds a license, according to this chapter, and a contract for employment by a school district or other organization providing public education may be granted a sabbatical leave by the board employing the teacher under rules promulgated by the board.

Subd. 2.Return to position.

A teacher who applies for and accepts sabbatical leave shall agree that, upon the conclusion of said sabbatical leave, the teacher shall return to the teacher's position for a period determined by the board before the leave is granted, or repay the district the portion of salary received while on sabbatical leave.

Subd. 3.Retain rights in employing district.

A teacher who has been granted a sabbatical leave must retain all rights in the employing district as though teaching in that district.

Subd. 4.Sabbatical leave defined.

The term "sabbatical leave," as used in this section, means compensated leaves of absence granted for purposes of professional improvement or service.

122A.50 PREPARATION TIME.

Beginning with agreements effective July 1, 1995, and thereafter, all collective bargaining agreements for teachers provided for under chapter 179A, must include provisions for preparation time or a provision indicating that the parties to the agreement chose not to include preparation time in the contract.

If the parties cannot agree on preparation time the following provision shall apply and be incorporated as part of the agreement: "Within the student day for every 25 minutes of classroom instructional time, a minimum of five additional minutes of preparation time shall be provided to each licensed teacher. Preparation time shall be provided in one or two uninterrupted blocks during the student day. Exceptions to this may be made by mutual agreement between the district and the exclusive representative of the teachers."

122A.51 TEACHER LUNCH PERIOD.

A teacher must be provided with a duty-free lunch period, scheduled according to school board policy or negotiated agreement.

122A.52 [Repealed, 2014 c 272 art 8 s 4]
122A.53 [Repealed, 2014 c 272 art 8 s 4]

122A.54 EXCHANGE TEACHERS.

Subdivision 1.Eligibility.

A person holding a license and contract to teach in a Minnesota public school and assigned by the employing district to teach elsewhere is an exchange teacher.

Subd. 2.Teacher assignment.

Any district is authorized to assign a teacher for service elsewhere than in the employing district in exchange for a teacher with qualifications satisfactory to the commissioner.

Subd. 3.Teacher rights retained.

The exchange teacher shall retain all rights in the employing district as though teaching in that district.

122A.55 STAFF EXCHANGE PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.Establishment.

A staff exchange program is established to allow local districts to arrange temporary and voluntary exchanges among members of their kindergarten through grade 12 instructional and administrative staffs. The purpose of the program is to provide participants with an understanding of the educational concerns of other local school districts, including concerns of class organization, curriculum development, instructional practices, and characteristics of the student population.

The educational needs and interests of the host district and the training, experience, and interests of the participants must determine the assignments of the participants in the host district. Participants may teach courses, provide counseling and tutorial services, work with teachers to better prepare students for future educational experiences, serve an underserved population in the district, or assist with administrative functions. The assignments participants perform for the host district must be comparable to the assignments the participants perform for the district employing the participants. Participation in the exchange program need not be limited to one school or one school district and may involve other education organizations including education districts and SCs.

Subd. 2.Program requirements.

All staff exchanges made under this section are subject to the requirements in this subdivision.

(a) A school district employing a participating staff member must not adversely affect the staff member's salary, seniority, or other employment benefits, or otherwise penalize the staff member for participating in the program.

(b) Upon completion or termination of an exchange, a district employing a participating staff member must permit the staff member to return to the same assignment the staff member performed in the district before the exchange, if available, or, if not, a similar assignment.

(c) A district employing a participating staff member must continue to provide the staff member's salary and other employment benefits during the period of the exchange.

(d) A participant must be licensed and tenured.

(e) Participation in the program must be voluntary.

(f) The length of participation in the program must be no less than one-half of a school year and no more than one school year, and any premature termination of participation must be upon the mutual agreement of the participant and the participating district.

(g) A participant is responsible for transportation to and from the host district.

(h) This subdivision does not abrogate or change rights of staff members participating in the staff exchange program or the terms of an agreement between the exclusive representative of the school district employees and the district.

(i) Participating districts may enter into supplementary agreements with the exclusive representative of the school district employees to accomplish the purpose of this section.

Subd. 3.Application procedures.

The school board of a district must decide by resolution to participate in the staff exchange program. A staff member wishing to participate in the exchange program must submit an application to the school district employing the staff member. The district must, in a timely and appropriate manner, provide to the exclusive bargaining representatives of teachers in the state the number and names of prospective participants within the district, the assignments available within the district, and the length of time for each exchange. The exclusive bargaining representatives are requested to cooperatively participate in the coordination of exchanges to facilitate exchanges across all geographical regions of the state. Prospective participants must contact teachers and districts with whom they are interested in making an exchange. The prospective participants must make all arrangements to accomplish their exchange and the superintendents of the participating districts must approve the arrangements for the exchange in writing.

122A.56 FACULTY EXCHANGE AND TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENT PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.Establishment.

A program of faculty collaboration is established to allow Minnesota school districts and postsecondary institutions to arrange temporary placements in each other's institutions. These arrangements must be made on a voluntary cooperative basis between a school district and postsecondary institution, or between postsecondary institutions. Exchanges between postsecondary institutions may occur among campuses in the same system or in different systems.

Subd. 2.Uses of program.

Each participating school district and postsecondary institution may determine the way in which the staff member's time is to be used, but it must be in a way that promotes understanding of the needs of each educational system or institution. For example, a public school educator may teach courses, provide counseling and tutorial services, assist with the preparation of future educators, or take professional development courses. A postsecondary teacher might teach courses at the school district, counsel students, or work in school administration. Participation need not be limited to one school or institution and may involve other groups including service cooperatives.

Subd. 3.Salaries; benefits; certification.

Temporary placements made under the program must not have a negative effect on participants' salaries, seniority, or other benefits. Notwithstanding sections 123B.02, subdivision 14, and 122A.16, a member of the staff of a postsecondary institution may teach in an elementary or secondary school or perform a service, agreed upon according to this section, for which a license would otherwise be required without holding the applicable license. In addition, a licensed educator employed by a school district may teach or perform a service, agreed upon according to this section, at a postsecondary institution without meeting the applicable qualifications of the postsecondary institution. A district is not subject to section 127A.43 as a result of entering into an agreement according to this section that enables a postsecondary educator to teach or provide services in the district. All arrangements and details regarding the exchange must be mutually agreed to by each participating school district and postsecondary institution before implementation.

Subd. 4.Educators' employment; continuation.

An educator who held a temporary position or an exchanged position under this section must be continued in or restored to the position previously held, or to a position of like seniority, status, and pay upon return. Retirement benefits under an employer-sponsored pension or retirement plan must not be reduced because of time spent on an exchange or temporary position under this section.

Subd. 5.Entitlement to benefits and position.

An educator who is continued in or restored to a position in accordance with subdivision 4:

(1) must be continued or restored without loss of seniority; and

(2) may participate in insurance or other benefits offered by the employer under its established rules and practices.

122A.57 EXCHANGES BETWEEN EDUCATION FACULTY.

Subdivision 1.Authority; limits.

The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota may develop programs to exchange faculty between colleges or schools of education and school districts, subject to section 122A.56.

The programs must be used to assist in improving teacher education by involving current teachers in education courses and placing postsecondary faculty in elementary and secondary classrooms. Programs must include exchanges that extend beyond the immediate service area of the institution to address the needs of different types of schools, students, and teachers.

Subd. 2.Compensation.

State money for faculty exchange programs is to compensate for expenses that are unavoidable and beyond the normal living expenses exchange participants would incur if they were not involved in this exchange. The Board of Trustees of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities, the Board of Regents of the University of Minnesota, and their respective campuses, in conjunction with the participating school districts, must control costs for all participants as much as possible, through means such as arranging housing exchanges, providing campus housing, and providing university, state, or school district cars for transportation. The boards and campuses may seek other sources of funding to supplement these appropriations, if necessary.

122A.58 COACHES, TERMINATION OF DUTIES.

Subdivision 1.Termination; hearing.

Before a district terminates the coaching duties of an employee who is required to hold a license as an athletic coach from the commissioner of education, the district must notify the employee in writing and state its reason for the proposed termination. Within 14 days of receiving this notification, the employee may request in writing a hearing on the termination before the board. If a hearing is requested, the board must hold a hearing within 25 days according to the hearing procedures specified in section 122A.40, subdivision 14, and the termination is final upon the order of the board after the hearing.

Subd. 2.Final decision.

Within ten days after the hearing, the board must issue a written decision regarding the termination. If the board decides to terminate the employee's coaching duties, the decision must state the reason on which it is based and include findings of fact based upon competent evidence in the record. The board may terminate the employee's duties or not, as it sees fit, for any reason which is found to be true based on substantial and competent evidence in the record.

Subd. 3.Nonapplication of section.

This section shall not apply to the termination of coaching duties pursuant to a district transfer policy or as a result of the nonrenewal or termination of the employee's contract or the employee's discharge, demotion or suspension pursuant to section 122A.40 or 122A.41. This section shall not apply to the termination of an employee's coaching duties before completing the probationary period of employment.

TEACHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING;
STAFF DEVELOPMENT

122A.60 STAFF DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.Staff development committee.

(a) A school board must use the revenue authorized in section 122A.61 for:

(1) teacher development and evaluation plans under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or 122A.41, subdivision 5;

(2) principal development and evaluation under section 123B.147, subdivision 3;

(3) in-service education programs under section 120B.22, subdivision 2; and

(4) other staff development needs.

(b) The board must establish an advisory staff development committee to develop the plan, assist site professional development teams in developing a site plan consistent with the goals of the plan, and evaluate staff development efforts at the site level. A majority of the advisory committee and the site professional development team must be teachers representing various grade levels, subject areas, and special education. The advisory committee must also include nonteaching staff, parents, and administrators.

Subd. 1a.Effective staff development activities.

(a) Staff development activities must:

(1) focus on the school classroom and research-based strategies that improve student learning;

(2) provide opportunities for teachers to practice and improve their instructional skills over time;

(3) provide opportunities for teachers to use student data as part of their daily work to increase student achievement;

(4) enhance teacher content knowledge and instructional skills, including to accommodate the delivery of digital and blended learning and curriculum and engage students with technology;

(5) align with state and local academic standards;

(6) provide opportunities to build professional relationships, foster collaboration among principals and staff who provide instruction, and provide opportunities for teacher-to-teacher mentoring;

(7) align with the plan of the district or site for an alternative teacher professional pay system;

(8) provide teachers of English learners, including English as a second language and content teachers, with differentiated instructional strategies critical for ensuring students' long-term academic success; the means to effectively use assessment data on the academic literacy, oral academic language, and English language development of English learners; and skills to support native and English language development across the curriculum; and

(9) provide opportunities for staff to learn about current workforce trends, the connections between workforce trends and postsecondary education, and training options, including career and technical education options.

Staff development activities may include curriculum development and curriculum training programs, and activities that provide teachers and other members of site-based teams training to enhance team performance. The school district also may implement other staff development activities required by law and activities associated with professional teacher compensation models.

(b) Release time provided for teachers to supervise students on field trips and school activities, or independent tasks not associated with enhancing the teacher's knowledge and instructional skills, such as preparing report cards, calculating grades, or organizing classroom materials, may not be counted as staff development time that is financed with staff development reserved revenue under section 122A.61.

Subd. 2.Contents of plan.

The plan must include the staff development outcomes under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or 122A.41, subdivision 5, and section 123B.147, subdivision 3, the means to achieve the outcomes, and procedures for evaluating progress at each school site toward meeting education and staff development outcomes, consistent with relicensure requirements under section 122A.18, subdivision 4. The plan also must:

(1) support stable and productive professional communities achieved through ongoing and schoolwide progress and growth in teaching practice;

(2) emphasize coaching, professional learning communities, classroom action research, and other job-embedded models;

(3) maintain a strong subject matter focus premised on students' learning goals, consistent with section 120B.125;

(4) ensure specialized preparation and learning about issues related to teaching English learners and students with special needs by focusing on long-term systemic efforts to improve educational services and opportunities and raise student achievement; and

(5) reinforce national and state standards of effective teaching practice.

Subd. 3.Staff development outcomes.

The advisory staff development committee must adopt a staff development plan, consistent with section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or 122A.41, subdivision 5, for developing and evaluating teachers and for improving student outcomes and with section 123B.147, subdivision 3, for strengthening principals' capacity in areas of instruction, supervision, evaluation, and teacher development. The plan must be consistent with education outcomes that the school board determines. The plan must include ongoing staff development activities that contribute toward continuous improvement in achieving the following goals:

(1) improve student achievement of state and local education standards in all areas of the curriculum, including areas of regular academic and applied and experiential learning, by using research-based best practices methods;

(2) effectively meet the needs of a diverse student population, including at-risk children, children with disabilities, English learners, and gifted children, within the regular classroom, applied and experiential learning settings, and other settings;

(3) provide an inclusive curriculum for a racially, ethnically, linguistically, and culturally diverse student population that is consistent with the state education diversity rule and the district's education diversity plan;

(4) improve staff collaboration and develop mentoring and peer coaching programs for teachers new to the school or district;

(5) effectively teach and model violence prevention policy and curriculum that address early intervention alternatives, issues of harassment, and teach nonviolent alternatives for conflict resolution;

(6) effectively deliver digital and blended learning and curriculum and engage students with technology; and

(7) provide teachers and other members of site-based management teams with appropriate management and financial management skills.

Subd. 4.Staff development report.

(a) By October 15 of each year, the district and site staff development committees shall write and submit a report of staff development activities and expenditures for the previous year, in the form and manner determined by the commissioner. The report, signed by the district superintendent and staff development chair, must include assessment and evaluation data indicating progress toward district and site staff development goals based on teaching and learning outcomes, including the percentage of teachers and other staff involved in instruction who participate in effective staff development activities under subdivision 3.

(b) The report must break down expenditures for:

(1) curriculum development and curriculum training programs; and

(2) staff development training models, workshops, and conferences, and the cost of releasing teachers or providing substitute teachers for staff development purposes.

The report also must indicate whether the expenditures were incurred at the district level or the school site level, and whether the school site expenditures were made possible by grants to school sites that demonstrate exemplary use of allocated staff development revenue. These expenditures must be reported using the uniform financial and accounting and reporting standards.

(c) The commissioner shall report the staff development progress and expenditure data to the house of representatives and senate committees having jurisdiction over education by February 15 each year.

NOTE: The amendment to this section by Laws 2015, First Special Session chapter 3, article 2, section 36, is effective for the 2016-2017 school year and later. Laws 2015, First Special Session chapter 3, article 2, section 36, the effective date.

122A.61 RESERVED REVENUE FOR STAFF DEVELOPMENT.

Subdivision 1.Staff development revenue.

A district is required to reserve an amount equal to at least two percent of the basic revenue under section 126C.10, subdivision 2, for:

(1) teacher development and evaluation under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or 122A.41, subdivision 5;

(2) principal development and evaluation under section 123B.147, subdivision 3;

(3) professional development under section 122A.60; and

(4) in-service education for programs under section 120B.22, subdivision 2.

To the extent extra funds remain, staff development revenue may be used for staff development plans, including plans for challenging instructional activities and experiences under section 122A.60, and for curriculum development and programs, other in-service education, teachers' mentoring under section 122A.70 and evaluation, teachers' workshops, teacher conferences, the cost of substitute teachers for staff development purposes, preservice and in-service education for special education professionals and paraprofessionals, and other related costs for staff development efforts. A district may annually waive the requirement to reserve their basic revenue under this section if a majority vote of the licensed teachers in the district and a majority vote of the school board agree to a resolution to waive the requirement. A district in statutory operating debt is exempt from reserving basic revenue according to this section. Districts may expend an additional amount of unreserved revenue for staff development based on their needs.

[See Note.]

Subd. 2.

[Repealed, 2014 c 272 art 3 s 57]

Subd. 3.Coursework and training.

A school district may use the revenue reserved under subdivision 1 for grants to the district's teachers to pay for coursework and training leading to certification as a college in the schools or concurrent enrollment teacher. In order to receive a grant, the teacher must be enrolled in a program that includes coursework and training focused on teaching a core subject.

NOTE: The amendment to subdivision 1 by Laws 2015, First Special Session chapter 3, article 2, section 37, is effective for the 2016-2017 school year and later. Laws 2015, First Special Session chapter 3, article 2, section 37, the effective date.

122A.62

Subdivision 1.

[Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 1 s 54]

Subd. 3.

[Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 1 s 54]

Subd. 5.

[Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 1 s 54]

122A.624 EDUCATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.Program outcomes.

The outcomes of the educational effectiveness program are to:

(1) increase meaningful parental involvement in site-based decision making;

(2) improve results-oriented educational processes;

(3) create flexible school-based organizational structures; and

(4) improve student achievement.

Subd. 2.Program implementation.

The commissioner of education shall develop and maintain a program of educational effectiveness and results-oriented education. The program shall be based on established principles of instructional design and the essential elements of effective instruction as determined by educational research. The program shall take into account the diverse needs of the school districts due to such factors as district size and location.

Subd. 3.Educational effectiveness staff development.

The Department of Education shall provide assistance to the school districts in implementing an educational effectiveness program. The staff development shall be facilitated by building level decision-making teams. The staff development shall include clarification of individual school missions, goals, expectations, enhancement of collaborative planning and collegial relationships among the building staff, improvement of curriculum, assessment, instructional and organizational skills, improvement of financial and management skills, and planning of other staff development programs.

122A.625 EDUCATIONAL EFFECTIVENESS PLAN.

The commissioner of education shall develop a comprehensive statewide plan for maintaining and improving educational effectiveness in early childhood family education programs through secondary education programs. The plan shall include provisions for the participation of postsecondary teacher preparation programs and early childhood family education programs. The plan shall encourage implementation of educational effectiveness strategies based on research findings in the area, develop in-service programs for school district staff, integrate developments in educational technology with classroom instruction, and develop a mechanism for establishing a statewide network to coordinate and disseminate information on research in educational effectiveness. The commissioner may employ consultants and specialists to assist in the development of the plan, and, to the extent possible, shall utilize the information provided by the planning, evaluation, and reporting process and the statewide assessment program. The plan shall be revised as necessary.

122A.628 [Repealed, 2009 c 96 art 2 s 68]

122A.63 GRANTS TO PREPARE INDIAN TEACHERS.

Subdivision 1.Establishment.

A grant program is established to assist American Indian people to become teachers and to provide additional education for American Indian teachers. The commissioner may award a joint grant to each of the following:

(1) the Duluth campus of the University of Minnesota and Independent School District No. 709, Duluth;

(2) Bemidji State University and Independent School District No. 38, Red Lake;

(3) Moorhead State University and one of the school districts located within the White Earth Reservation; and

(4) Augsburg College, Independent School District No. 625, St. Paul, and Special School District No. 1, Minneapolis.

Subd. 2.Application.

To obtain a joint grant, a joint application must be submitted to the commissioner of education. The application must be developed with the participation of the parent advisory committee, established according to section 124D.78, and the Indian advisory committee at the postsecondary institution. The joint application shall set forth:

(1) the in-kind, coordination, and mentorship services to be provided by the postsecondary institution; and

(2) the coordination and mentorship services to be provided by the school district.

Subd. 3.Review and comment.

The commissioner must submit the joint application to the American Indian Education Committee for review and comment.

Subd. 4.Grant amount.

The commissioner may award a joint grant in the amount it determines to be appropriate. The grant shall include money for the postsecondary institution, school district, student scholarships, and student loans.

Subd. 5.Information to student applicants.

At the time a student applies for a scholarship and loan, the student shall be provided information about the fields of licensure needed by school districts in the part of the state within which the district receiving the joint grant is located. The information shall be acquired and periodically updated by the recipients of the joint grant. Information provided to students shall clearly state that scholarship and loan decisions are not based upon the field of licensure selected by the student.

Subd. 6.Eligibility for scholarships and loans.

The following Indian people are eligible for scholarships:

(1) a student, including a teacher aide employed by a district receiving a joint grant, who intends to become a teacher and who is enrolled in a postsecondary institution receiving a joint grant;

(2) a licensed employee of a district receiving a joint grant, who is enrolled in a master of education program; and

(3) a student who, after applying for federal and state financial aid and an Indian scholarship according to section 136A.126, has financial needs that remain unmet. Financial need shall be determined according to the congressional methodology for needs determination or as otherwise set in federal law.

A person who has actual living expenses in addition to those addressed by the congressional methodology for needs determination, or as otherwise set in federal law, may receive a loan according to criteria established by the commissioner. A contract shall be executed between the state and the student for the amount and terms of the loan.

Subd. 7.Loan forgiveness.

The loan may be forgiven if the recipient is employed as a teacher, as defined in section 122A.40 or 122A.41, in an eligible school or program in Minnesota. One-fourth of the principal of the outstanding loan amount shall be forgiven for each year of eligible employment, or a pro rata amount for eligible employment during part of a school year, part-time employment as a substitute teacher, or other eligible part-time teaching. Loans for $2,500 or less may be forgiven at the rate of up to $1,250 per year. The following schools and programs are eligible for the purposes of loan forgiveness:

(1) a school or program operated by a school district;

(2) a tribal contract school eligible to receive aid according to section 124D.83;

(3) a Head Start program;

(4) an early childhood family education program;

(5) a program providing educational services to children who have not entered kindergarten; or

(6) a program providing educational enrichment services to American Indian students in grades kindergarten through 12.

If a person has an outstanding loan obtained through this program, the duty to make payments of principal and interest may be deferred during any time period the person is enrolled at least one-half time in an advanced degree program in a field that leads to employment by a school district. To defer loan obligations, the person shall provide written notification to the commissioner of education and the recipients of the joint grant that originally authorized the loan. Upon approval by the commissioner and the joint grant recipients, payments shall be deferred.

The Minnesota Office of Higher Education shall approve the loan forgiveness program, loan deferral, and procedures to administer the program.

Subd. 8.Revolving fund.

The Indian teacher preparation loan repayment revolving account is established in the state treasury. Any amounts repaid or contributed by a teacher who received a scholarship or loan under this program shall be deposited in the account. All money in the account is annually appropriated to the commissioner of education and shall be used to enable Indian students to participate in the program.

122A.64 [Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 2 s 56]
122A.65 [Repealed, 1Sp2003 c 9 art 2 s 56]

122A.66 TEACHER TRAINING; EFFECTS OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL.

All educational institutions providing teacher education must offer a program in the personal use and misuse of and dependency on tobacco, alcohol, drugs and other chemicals. Every student attending educational institutions in preparation for teaching service shall be required to take and to satisfactorily complete a program under this section.

122A.68 TEACHING RESIDENCY PROGRAM.

Subdivision 1.Establishment.

A school district with a teaching residency plan approved by the Board of Teaching may hire graduates of approved Minnesota teacher preparation programs as teaching residents. A district shall employ each resident for one school year. The district and the resident may agree to extend the residency for one additional school year. A school may employ no more than one teaching resident for every eight full-time equivalent licensed teachers. No more than 600 eligible teachers may be employed as teacher residents in any one school year.

Subd. 2.Teacher eligibility.

Persons eligible to be hired as teaching residents must have received their initial license no more than two years prior to applying for a residency and must have less than nine months of full-time equivalency teaching experience as a licensed teacher.

Subd. 3.Program components.

In order to be approved by the Board of Teaching, a school district's residency program must at minimum include:

(1) training to prepare teachers to serve as mentors to teaching residents;

(2) a team mentorship approach to expose teaching residents to a variety of teaching methods, philosophies, and classroom environments that includes differentiated instructional strategies, effective use of student achievement data, and support for native and English language development across the curriculum and grade levels, among other things;

(3) ongoing peer coaching and assessment;

(4) assistance to the teaching resident in preparing an individual professional development plan that includes goals, activities, and assessment methodologies; and

(5) collaboration with one or more teacher education institutions, career teachers, and other community experts to provide local or regional professional development seminars or other structured learning experiences for teaching residents.

A teaching resident's direct classroom supervision responsibilities shall not exceed 80 percent of the instructional time required of a full-time equivalent teacher in the district. During the time a resident does not supervise a class, the resident shall participate in professional development activities according to the individual plan developed by the resident in conjunction with the school's mentoring team. Examples of development activities include observing other teachers, sharing experiences with other teaching residents, and professional meetings and workshops.

Subd. 4.Employment conditions.

A school district must pay a teaching resident a salary equal to 90 percent of the salary of a first-year teacher with a bachelor's degree in the district. The resident shall be a member of the local bargaining unit and shall be covered under the terms of the contract, except for salary and benefits, unless otherwise provided in this subdivision. The school district must provide health insurance coverage for the resident if the district provides it for teachers, and may provide other benefits upon negotiated agreement.

Subd. 5.Applies toward probationary period.

A teaching residency shall count as one year of a teacher's probationary period under section 122A.40, subdivision 5, or section 122A.41, subdivision 2. A residency extended for one year shall not count as an additional year under this subdivision.

Subd. 6.Learning and development revenue eligibility.

A school district with an approved teaching residency program may use learning and development revenue for each teaching resident in kindergarten through grade six. A district also may use the revenue for a paraprofessional who is a person of color enrolled in an approved teacher preparation program. A school district must not use a teaching resident to replace an existing teaching position unless:

(1) there is no teacher available who is properly licensed to fill the vacancy, who has been placed on unrequested leave of absence in the district, and who wishes to be reinstated; and

(2) the district's collective bargaining agreement includes a memorandum of understanding that permits teaching residents to fill an existing teaching position.

Subd. 7.Recommendation for licensure requirements.

The Board of Teaching must develop for teachers of students in prekindergarten through grade 12, model teaching residency outcomes and assessments, and mentoring programs.

122A.69 PRACTICE OR STUDENT TEACHERS.

The Board of Teaching may, by agreements with teacher preparation institutions, arrange for classroom experience in the district for practice or student teachers who have completed at least two years of an approved teacher preparation program. Such practice and student teachers must be appropriately supervised by a fully qualified teacher under rules adopted by the board. A practice or student teacher must be placed with a cooperating licensed teacher who has at least three years of teaching experience and is not in the improvement process under section 122A.40, subdivision 8, paragraph (b), clause (12), or 122A.41, subdivision 5, paragraph (b), clause (12). Practice and student teachers are employees of the school district in which they are rendering services for purposes of workers' compensation; liability insurance, if provided for other district employees under section 123B.23; and legal counsel under section 123B.25.

122A.695 BEST PRACTICES.

"Best practices" means research-based proven practices.

122A.70 TEACHER MENTORSHIP.

Subdivision 1.Teacher mentoring programs.

School districts are encouraged to develop teacher mentoring programs for teachers new to the profession or district, including teaching residents, teachers of color, teachers with special needs, or experienced teachers in need of peer coaching.

Subd. 2.Applications.

The Board of Teaching must make application forms available to sites interested in developing or expanding a mentorship program. A school district, a group of school districts, or a coalition of districts, teachers and teacher education institutions may apply for a teacher mentorship program grant. The Board of Teaching, in consultation with the teacher mentoring task force, must approve or disapprove the applications. To the extent possible, the approved applications must reflect effective mentoring components, include a variety of coalitions and be geographically distributed throughout the state. The Board of Teaching must encourage the selected sites to consider the use of its assessment procedures.

Subd. 3.Criteria for selection.

At a minimum, applicants must express commitment to:

(1) allow staff participation;

(2) assess skills of both beginning and mentor teachers;

(3) provide appropriate in-service to needs identified in the assessment;

(4) provide leadership to the effort;

(5) cooperate with higher education institutions;

(6) provide facilities and other resources;

(7) share findings, materials, and techniques with other school districts; and

(8) retain teachers of color.

Subd. 4.Additional funding.

Applicants are required to seek additional funding and assistance from sources such as school districts, postsecondary institutions, foundations, and the private sector.

Subd. 5.Program implementation.

New and expanding mentorship sites that are funded to design, develop, implement, and evaluate their program must participate in activities that support program development and implementation. The Board of Teaching must provide resources and assistance to support new sites in their program efforts. These activities and services may include, but are not limited to: planning, planning guides, media, training, conferences, institutes, and regional and statewide networking meetings. Nonfunded schools or districts interested in getting started may participate. Fees may be charged for meals, materials, and the like.

122A.71 RESEARCH ON PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS.

Subdivision 1.Purpose.

The legislature recognizes a growing and substantial concern about the effectiveness and breadth of the existing undergraduate curriculum for teacher education students. It also recognizes the absence of definitive research about the most effective curricula to adequately prepare teachers for entrance into the teaching profession. The purpose of this section is to support research on the comparative effectiveness of different teacher education program structures, after new programs have been designed and implemented, and the first graduates are in service.

Subd. 2.Responsibility.

By July 1, 1989, the Board of Teaching must begin to evaluate the effectiveness of prebaccalaureate, postbaccalaureate, and other alternative program structures for preparing candidates for entrance into the teaching profession. The evaluation shall be conducted by independent research centers or evaluators who are not associated with a Minnesota teacher education institution and shall be longitudinal in nature.

122A.72 TEACHER CENTERS.

Subdivision 1.Teacher defined.

For the purposes of this section, "teacher" has the meaning given it in section 179A.03, subdivision 18.

Subd. 2.Establishment.

A teacher center may be established by one or more school boards and the exclusive representatives of the teachers. The teacher center shall serve at least ten districts or 3,000 teachers.

Subd. 3.Policy board membership.

Representatives of exclusive representatives and representatives of the school boards shall mutually determine the composition of the policy board according to the guidelines in this subdivision. A majority of the policy board must be teachers. The number of policy board members from each participating district must be in proportion to the number of teachers in each district. The board shall be composed of elementary teachers, secondary teachers, and other teachers, parents, and representatives of school boards, postsecondary education, business, and labor. At least one teacher from each participating district shall be a member of the board.

Subd. 4.Policy board powers and duties.

The policy board shall develop policy, designate a fiscal agent, adopt a budget, expend funds to accomplish the purposes of the center, contract for technical and other assistance, and perform other managerial or supervisory activities consistent with the rules of the commissioner of education. The policy board may employ staff or contract with consultants for services.

Subd. 5.Center functions.

(a) A teacher center shall perform functions according to this subdivision. The center shall assist teachers, diagnose learning needs, experiment with the use of multiple instructional approaches, assess pupil outcomes, assess staff development needs and plans, and teach school personnel about effective pedagogical approaches. The center shall develop and produce curricula and curricular materials designed to meet the educational needs of pupils being served, by applying educational research and new and improved methods, practices, and techniques. The center shall provide programs to improve the skills of teachers to meet the special educational needs of pupils. The center shall provide programs to familiarize teachers with developments in curriculum formulation and educational research, including how research can be used to improve teaching skills. The center shall facilitate sharing of resources, ideas, methods, and approaches directly related to classroom instruction and improve teachers' familiarity with current teaching materials and products for use in their classrooms. The center shall provide in-service programs.

(b) Each teacher center must provide a professional development program to train interested and highly qualified elementary, middle, and secondary teachers, selected by the employing school district, to assist other teachers in that district with mathematics and science curriculum, standards, and instruction so that all teachers have access to:

(1) high quality professional development programs in mathematics and science that address curriculum, instructional methods, alignment of standards, and performance measurements, enhance teacher and student learning, and support state mathematics and science standards; and

(2) research-based mathematics and science programs and instructional models premised on best practices that inspire teachers and students and have practical classroom application.

122A.74 PRINCIPALS' LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE.

Subdivision 1.Establishment.

(a) The commissioner of education may contract with the Minnesota State University Mankato or the regents of the University of Minnesota to establish a Principals' Leadership Institute to provide professional development to school principals by:

(1) creating a network of leaders in the educational and business communities to communicate current and future trends in leadership techniques;

(2) helping to create a vision for the school that is aligned with the community and district priorities;

(3) developing strategies to retain highly qualified teachers and ensure that diverse student populations, including at-risk students, children with disabilities, English learners, and gifted students, among others, have equal access to these highly qualified teachers; and

(4) providing training to analyze data using culturally competent tools.

(b) The University of Minnesota must cooperate with participating members of the business community to provide funding and content for the institute.

(c) Participants must agree to attend the Principals' Leadership Institute for four weeks during the academic summer.

(d) The Principals' Leadership Institute must incorporate program elements offered by leadership programs at the University of Minnesota and program elements used by the participating members of the business community to enhance leadership within their businesses.

Subd. 2.Method of selection and requirements.

(a) The board of each school district in the state may select a principal, upon the recommendation of the district's superintendent and based on the principal's leadership potential, to attend the institute.

(b) The school board annually shall forward its list of recommended participants to the commissioner by February 1. In addition, a principal may submit an application directly to the commissioner by February 1. The commissioner shall notify the school board, the principal candidates, and the University of Minnesota of the principals selected to participate in the Principals' Leadership Institute each year.

122A.75 [Repealed, 2009 c 96 art 2 s 68]

INTERSTATE AGREEMENT

122A.90 INTERSTATE AGREEMENT ON QUALIFICATIONS OF EDUCATIONAL PERSONNEL.

The Interstate Agreement on Qualifications of Educational Personnel is hereby enacted into law and entered into with all jurisdictions legally joining therein in the form substantially as follows:

INTERSTATE AGREEMENT ON QUALIFICATIONS OF

EDUCATIONAL PERSONNEL

ARTICLE I

PURPOSE, FINDINGS, AND POLICY

(1) The states party to this agreement, desiring by common action to improve their respective school systems by utilizing the teacher or other professional educational person wherever educated, declare that it is the policy of each of them, on the basis of cooperation with one another, to take advantage of the preparation and experience of such persons wherever gained, thereby serving the best interests of society, of education, and of the teaching profession. It is the purpose of this agreement to provide for the development and execution of such programs of cooperation as will facilitate the movement of teachers and other professional educational personnel among the states party to it, and to authorize specific interstate educational personnel contracts to achieve that end.

(2) The party states find that included in the large movement of population among all sections of the nation are many qualified educational personnel who move for family and other personal reasons but who are hindered in using their professional skill and experience in their new locations. Variations from state to state in requirements for qualifying educational personnel discourage such personnel from taking the steps necessary to qualify in other states. As a consequence, a significant number of professionally prepared and experienced educators is lost to our school systems. Facilitating the employment of qualified educational personnel, without reference to their states of origin, can increase the available educational resources. Participation in this compact can increase the availability of educational manpower.

ARTICLE II

DEFINITIONS

As used in this agreement and contracts made pursuant to it, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:

(1) Educational personnel means persons who must meet requirements pursuant to state law as a condition of employment in educational programs.

(2) Designated state official means the educational official of a state selected by that state to negotiate and enter into, on behalf of this state, contracts pursuant to this agreement.

(3) Accept, or any variant thereof, means to recognize and give effect to one or more determinations of another state relating to the qualifications of educational personnel in lieu of making or requiring a like determination that would otherwise be required by or pursuant to the laws of a receiving state.

(4) State means a state, territory, or possession of the United States; the District of Columbia; or the commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

(5) Originating state means a state (and the subdivision thereof, if any) whose determination that certain educational personnel are qualified to be employed for specific duties in schools is acceptable in accordance with the terms of a contract made pursuant to article III.

(6) Receiving state means a state (and the subdivisions thereof) which accepts educational personnel in accordance with the terms of a contract made pursuant to article III.

ARTICLE III

INTERSTATE EDUCATIONAL PERSONNEL CONTRACTS

(1) The designated state official of a party state may make one or more contracts on behalf of his state with one or more other party states providing for the acceptance of educational personnel. Any such contract for the period of its duration shall be applicable to and binding on the states whose designated state officials enter into it, and the subdivisions of those states, with the same force and effect as if incorporated in this agreement. A designated state official may enter into a contract pursuant to this article only with states in which he finds that there are programs of education, certification standards or other acceptable qualifications that assure preparation or qualification of educational personnel on a basis sufficiently comparable, even though not identical to that prevailing in his own state.

(2) Any such contract shall provide for:

(a) Its duration.

(b) The criteria to be applied by an originating state in qualifying educational personnel for acceptance by a receiving state.

(c) Such waivers, substitutions, and conditional acceptances as shall aid the practical effectuation of the contract without sacrifice of basic educational standards.

(d) Any other necessary matters.

(3) No contract made pursuant to this agreement shall be for a term longer than five years but any such contract may be renewed for like or lesser periods.

(4) Any contract dealing with acceptance of educational personnel on the basis of their having completed an educational program shall specify the earliest date or dates on which originating state approval of the program or programs involved can have occurred. No contract made pursuant to this agreement shall require acceptance by a receiving state of any persons qualified because of successful completion of a program prior to January 1, 1954.

(5) The certification or other acceptance of a person who has been accepted pursuant to the terms of a contract shall not be revoked or otherwise impaired because the contract has expired or been terminated. However, any certificate or other qualifying document may be revoked or suspended on any ground which would be sufficient for revocation or suspension of a certificate or other qualifying document initially granted or approved in the receiving state.

(6) A contract committee composed of the designated state officials of the contracting states or their representatives shall keep the contract under continuous review, study means of improving its administration, and report no less frequently than once a year to the heads of the appropriate education agencies of the contracting states.

ARTICLE IV

APPROVED AND ACCEPTED PROGRAMS

(1) Nothing in this agreement shall be construed to repeal or otherwise modify any law or regulation of a party state relating to the approval of programs of educational preparation having effect solely on the qualification of educational personnel within that state.

(2) To the extent that contracts made pursuant to this agreement deal with the educational requirements for the proper qualification of educational personnel, acceptance of a program of educational preparation shall be in accordance with such procedures and requirements as may be provided in the applicable contract.

ARTICLE V

INTERSTATE COOPERATION

The party states agree that:

(1) They will, so far as practicable, prefer the making of multilateral contracts pursuant to article III of this agreement.

(2) They will facilitate and strengthen cooperation in interstate certification and other elements of educational personnel qualification and for this purpose shall cooperate with agencies, organizations, and associations interested in certification and other elements of educational personnel qualification.

ARTICLE VI

AGREEMENT EVALUATION

The designated state officials of any party state may meet from time to time as a group to evaluate progress under the agreement, and to formulate recommendations for changes.

ARTICLE VII

OTHER ARRANGEMENTS

Nothing in this agreement shall be construed to prevent or inhibit other arrangements or practices of any party state or states to facilitate the interchange of educational personnel.

ARTICLE VIII

EFFECT AND WITHDRAWAL

(1) This agreement shall become effective when enacted into law by two states. Thereafter it shall become effective as to any state upon its enactment of this agreement.

(2) Any party state may withdraw from this agreement by enacting a statute repealing the same, but no such withdrawal shall take effect until one year after the governor of the withdrawing state has given notice in writing of the withdrawal to the governors of all other party states.

(3) No withdrawal shall relieve the withdrawing state of any obligation imposed upon it by a contract to which it is a party. The duration of contracts and the methods and conditions of withdrawal therefrom shall be those specified in their terms.

ARTICLE IX

CONSTRUCTION AND SEVERABILITY

This agreement shall be liberally construed so as to effectuate the purposes thereof. The provisions of this agreement shall be severable and if any phrase, clause, sentence, or provision of this agreement is declared to be contrary to the constitution of any state or of the United States, or the application thereof to any government, agency, person, or circumstance is held invalid, the validity of the remainder of this agreement and the applicability thereof to any government, agency, person, or circumstance shall not be affected thereby. If this agreement shall be held contrary to the constitution of any state participating therein, the agreement shall remain in full force and effect as to the state affected as to all severable matters.

122A.91 DESIGNATED STATE OFFICIAL.

For the purposes of the agreement set forth in section 122A.90, the designated state official for this state is the commissioner of education.

122A.92 RECORD OF CONTRACTS.

Two copies of all contracts made on behalf of this state pursuant to the agreement set forth in section 122A.90 must be kept on file in the office of the commissioner of education.

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes