2014 Minnesota Statutes

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 adopt rules requiring a person to pass a skills examination in reading, writing, and mathematics or attain either a composite score composed of the average of the scores in English and writing, reading, and mathematics on the ACT Plus Writing recommended by the board, or an equivalent composite score composed of the average of the scores in critical reading, mathematics, and writing on the SAT recommended by the board, as a requirement for initial teacher licensure, except that the board may issue up to two temporary, one-year teaching licenses to an otherwise qualified candidate who has not yet passed the skills exam or attained the requisite composite score on the ACT Plus Writing or SAT. Such rules must require college and universities offering a board-approved teacher preparation program to provide remedial assistance to persons who did not achieve a qualifying score on the skills examination or attain the requisite composite score on the ACT Plus Writing or SAT, including those for whom English is a second language. The requirement to pass a reading, writing, and mathematics skills examination or attain the requisite composite score on the ACT Plus Writing or SAT 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. A teacher candidate's official ACT Plus Writing or SAT composite score report to the board must not be more than ten years old at the time of licensure.

(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. 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.

[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.

History:

Ex1967 c 25 s 5; 1973 c 749 s 11; 1975 c 136 s 4; 1975 c 271 s 6; 1976 c 222 s 25,27,208; 1976 c 271 s 65; 1977 c 444 s 8; 1978 c 706 s 41; 1978 c 764 s 77,78; 1980 c 345 s 11-14; 1982 c 424 s 130; 1984 c 463 art 7 s 16; 1Sp1985 c 12 art 8 s 21; 1986 c 444; 1987 c 398 art 8 s 11; 1990 c 375 s 3; 1990 c 562 art 8 s 30; 1991 c 265 art 7 s 17,18; 1992 c 499 art 8 s 15,16; 1993 c 224 art 8 s 8; art 13 s 44; 1993 c 374 s 28; 1994 c 647 art 8 s 17; 1996 c 412 art 13 s 22; 1998 c 397 art 8 s 61-65,101; art 11 s 3; 1999 c 241 art 9 s 7; 1999 c 245 art 4 s 2; 1Sp2001 c 13 s 3; 1Sp2003 c 9 art 2 s 7; art 10 s 1; 2004 c 294 art 2 s 9; 2005 c 154 s 1; 2009 c 96 art 2 s 17,18; 2011 c 5 s 1; 1Sp2011 c 11 art 2 s 10; 2012 c 122 s 1; 2013 c 116 art 3 s 10; 2014 c 272 art 1 s 12; art 3 s 10; art 9 s 3

NOTE: The amendment to subdivision 4 by Laws 2014, chapter 272, article 1, section 12, is effective August 1, 2015, and applies to individuals entering a teacher preparation program or renewing a continuing teacher license after that date. Laws 2014, chapter 272, article 1, section 12, the effective date.