2007 Minnesota Statutes

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 to perform the particular service for which the
teacher is employed in a public school or who meets the requirements of a highly objective
uniform state standard of evaluation (HOUSSE).
All Minnesota teachers teaching in a core academic subject area, as defined by the federal No
Child Left Behind Act, in which they are not fully licensed may complete the following HOUSSE
process in the core subject area for which the teacher is requesting highly qualified status by
completing an application, in the form and manner described by the commissioner, that includes:
(1) documentation of student achievement as evidenced by norm-referenced test results that
are objective and psychometrically valid and reliable;
(2) evidence of local, state, or national activities, recognition, or awards for professional
contribution to achievement;
(3) description of teaching experience in the teachers' core subject area in a public school
under a waiver, variance, limited license or other exception; nonpublic school; and postsecondary
institution;
(4) test results from the Praxis II content test;
(5) evidence of advanced certification from the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards;
(6) evidence of the successful completion of course work or pedagogy courses; and
(7) evidence of the successful completion of high quality professional development activities.
Districts must assign a school administrator to serve as a HOUSSE reviewer to meet with
teachers under this paragraph and, where appropriate, certify the teachers' applications. Teachers
satisfy the definition of highly qualified when the teachers receive at least 100 of the total number
of points used to measure the teachers' content expertise under clauses (1) to (7). Teachers may
acquire up to 50 points only in any one clause (1) to (7). Teachers may use the HOUSSE process
to satisfy the definition of highly qualified for more than one subject area.
(c) Achievement of the HOUSSE criteria is not equivalent to a license. A teacher must obtain
permission from the Board of Teaching in order to teach in a public school.
History: Ex1959 c 71 art 6 s 4; 1973 c 749 s 1; 1976 c 222 s 11,208; 1986 c 444; 1998 c 397
art 8 s 8,101; 2004 c 294 art 2 s 10