| 1 | 1 | | 1.1 A bill for an act |
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| 2 | 2 | | 1.2 relating to education; modifying teacher licensure requirements; addressing teacher |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1.3 shortages; requiring rulemaking; amending Minnesota Statutes 2024, sections |
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| 4 | 4 | | 1.4 122A.06, subdivision 6; 122A.09, subdivision 9; 122A.091, subdivision 5; |
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| 5 | 5 | | 1.5 122A.181, subdivisions 1, 1a, 3, 4, 5; 122A.182, subdivisions 1, 2b, 3, 4. |
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| 6 | 6 | | 1.6BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1.7 Section 1. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.06, subdivision 6, is amended to read: |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1.8 Subd. 6.Shortage area."Shortage area" means: |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1.9 (1) licensure fields and economic development regions reported by the Professional |
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| 10 | 10 | | 1.10Educator Licensing and Standards Board as experiencing a teacher shortage, including the |
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| 11 | 11 | | 1.11number of assignments a school district is unable to fill with a licensed teacher by November |
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| 12 | 12 | | 1.121 of every even-numbered year; and |
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| 13 | 13 | | 1.13 (2) economic development regions where the aggregate percentage of Indigenous teachers |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1.14and teachers of color in the region is lower than the aggregate percentage of kindergarten |
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| 15 | 15 | | 1.15through grade 12 Indigenous students and students of color in that region. Only individuals |
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| 16 | 16 | | 1.16who close the gap between these percentages qualify as filling a shortage by this definition. |
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| 17 | 17 | | 1.17 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2025. |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1.18 Sec. 2. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.09, subdivision 9, is amended to read: |
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| 19 | 19 | | 1.19 Subd. 9.Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must adopt rules.(a) |
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| 20 | 20 | | 1.20The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must adopt rules subject to the |
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| 21 | 21 | | 1.21provisions of chapter 14 to implement sections 120B.363, 122A.05 to 122A.09, 122A.092, |
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| 22 | 22 | | 1.22122A.16, 122A.17, 122A.18, 122A.181, 122A.182, 122A.183, 122A.184, 122A.185, |
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| 23 | 23 | | 1Sec. 2. |
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| 24 | 24 | | 25-04817 as introduced03/12/25 REVISOR CR/CH |
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| 25 | 25 | | SENATE |
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| 26 | 26 | | STATE OF MINNESOTA |
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| 27 | 27 | | S.F. No. 3168NINETY-FOURTH SESSION |
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| 28 | 28 | | (SENATE AUTHORS: DUCKWORTH) |
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| 29 | 29 | | OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE |
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| 30 | 30 | | Introduction and first reading04/01/2025 |
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| 31 | 31 | | Referred to Education Policy 2.1122A.187, 122A.188, 122A.19, 122A.20, 122A.21, 122A.23, 122A.26, 122A.28, 122A.29, |
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| 32 | 32 | | 2.2and 124D.72. |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2.3 (b) The board must adopt rules relating to fields of licensure and grade levels that a |
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| 34 | 34 | | 2.4licensed teacher may teach, including a process for granting permission to a licensed teacher |
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| 35 | 35 | | 2.5to teach in a field that is different from the teacher's field of licensure without change to the |
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| 36 | 36 | | 2.6teacher's license tier level. A permission granted under this paragraph is valid for five years, |
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| 37 | 37 | | 2.7except for a permission to teach special education. A permission in the field of special |
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| 38 | 38 | | 2.8education is valid for three years. |
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| 39 | 39 | | 2.9 (c) If a rule adopted by the board is in conflict with a session law or statute, the law or |
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| 40 | 40 | | 2.10statute prevails. Terms adopted in rule must be clearly defined and must not be construed |
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| 41 | 41 | | 2.11to conflict with terms adopted in statute or session law. |
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| 42 | 42 | | 2.12 (d) The board must include a description of a proposed rule's probable effect on teacher |
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| 43 | 43 | | 2.13supply and demand in the board's statement of need and reasonableness under section 14.131. |
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| 44 | 44 | | 2.14 (e) The board must adopt rules only under the specific statutory authority. |
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| 45 | 45 | | 2.15 (f) The board must adopt rules to provide a short-term provisional teaching license to |
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| 46 | 46 | | 2.16an applicant who meets at least one of the following criteria during the 30 days that their |
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| 47 | 47 | | 2.17application is reviewed by the board: |
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| 48 | 48 | | 2.18 (1) the applicant is a recent graduate from a state-approved teacher preparation program; |
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| 49 | 49 | | 2.19 (2) the applicant holds a valid out-of-state teaching license; |
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| 50 | 50 | | 2.20 (3) the applicant holds a lifetime substitute license; or |
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| 51 | 51 | | 2.21 (4) the applicant previously held a Minnesota teaching license in good standing. |
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| 52 | 52 | | 2.22 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2025, except paragraph (f) is |
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| 53 | 53 | | 2.23effective the day following final enactment. |
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| 54 | 54 | | 2.24 Sec. 3. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.091, subdivision 5, is amended to read: |
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| 55 | 55 | | 2.25 Subd. 5.Supply and demand report.The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards |
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| 56 | 56 | | 2.26Board must submit a report to the education committees of the legislature by November 1, |
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| 57 | 57 | | 2.272025, and November 1 of each even-numbered year thereafter, on the supply and demand |
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| 58 | 58 | | 2.28of teachers. The report must be made available on the board's website. The report must |
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| 59 | 59 | | 2.29include data regarding: |
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| 60 | 60 | | 2.30 (1) retirement patterns; |
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| 61 | 61 | | 2.31 (2) teacher licensure; |
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| 62 | 62 | | 2Sec. 3. |
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| 63 | 63 | | 25-04817 as introduced03/12/25 REVISOR CR/CH 3.1 (3) teacher diversity, including whether the state's teacher workforce reflects the diversity |
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| 64 | 64 | | 3.2of the state's student population; |
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| 65 | 65 | | 3.3 (4) the teacher shortage, and the substitute teacher shortage, including patterns and |
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| 66 | 66 | | 3.4shortages in licensure field areas and the economic development regions of the state the |
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| 67 | 67 | | 3.5number of teachers hired in the preceding two years, the number of teachers hired at each |
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| 68 | 68 | | 3.6licensure tier level, the number of assignments each school district was unable to fill with |
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| 69 | 69 | | 3.7a licensed teacher, and the licenses and permissions for license fields without a |
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| 70 | 70 | | 3.8board-approved preparation program by economic development region; |
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| 71 | 71 | | 3.9 (5) survey data from school districts and teacher preparation programs; and |
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| 72 | 72 | | 3.10 (6) whether districts are making progress in hiring teachers and substitute teachers in |
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| 73 | 73 | | 3.11the areas of shortage. |
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| 74 | 74 | | 3.12 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2025. |
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| 75 | 75 | | 3.13 Sec. 4. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.181, subdivision 1, is amended to read: |
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| 76 | 76 | | 3.14 Subdivision 1.Application requirements.The Professional Educator Licensing and |
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| 77 | 77 | | 3.15Standards Board must approve an application for a Tier 1 license in a specified content area |
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| 78 | 78 | | 3.16if: |
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| 79 | 79 | | 3.17 (1) the application has been submitted jointly by the applicant and the district; |
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| 80 | 80 | | 3.18 (2) (1) the application has been paid for by the district or the applicant; |
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| 81 | 81 | | 3.19 (3) (2) the applicant meets the professional requirement in subdivision 2; and |
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| 82 | 82 | | 3.20 (4) the district or charter school affirms that the applicant has the necessary skills and |
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| 83 | 83 | | 3.21knowledge to teach in the specified content area; |
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| 84 | 84 | | 3.22 (5) (3) the district or charter school applicant demonstrates that a criminal background |
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| 85 | 85 | | 3.23check under section 122A.18, subdivision 8, has been completed on the applicant; and. |
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| 86 | 86 | | 3.24 (6) the district or charter school has posted the teacher position but was unable to hire |
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| 87 | 87 | | 3.25an acceptable teacher with a Tier 2, 3, or 4 license for the position. |
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| 88 | 88 | | 3.26 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2025. |
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| 89 | 89 | | 3.27 Sec. 5. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.181, subdivision 1a, is amended to read: |
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| 90 | 90 | | 3.28 Subd. 1a.Special education requirements.(a) The Professional Educator Licensing |
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| 91 | 91 | | 3.29and Standards Board must approve an application for a Tier 1 license in a special education |
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| 92 | 92 | | 3.30field if: |
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| 93 | 93 | | 3Sec. 5. |
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| 94 | 94 | | 25-04817 as introduced03/12/25 REVISOR CR/CH 4.1 (1) the application meets all the requirements under subdivision 1;. |
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| 95 | 95 | | 4.2 (2) the (b) A district or charter school affirms that hiring a Tier 1 licensed special |
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| 96 | 96 | | 4.3education teacher must provide the applicant will receive with high-quality professional |
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| 97 | 97 | | 4.4development that is sustained, intensive, and classroom focused in order to have a positive |
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| 98 | 98 | | 4.5and lasting impact on classroom instruction, before and while teaching;. |
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| 99 | 99 | | 4.6 (3) the (c) A district or charter school affirms that hiring a Tier 1 licensed special |
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| 100 | 100 | | 4.7education teacher must allow the applicant will to participate in a program of intensive |
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| 101 | 101 | | 4.8supervision that consists of structured guidance and regular ongoing support for teachers |
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| 102 | 102 | | 4.9or a teacher mentoring program; and. |
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| 103 | 103 | | 4.10 (4) (d) The applicant demonstrates satisfactory must demonstrate progress toward |
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| 104 | 104 | | 4.11professional licensure during the term of their Tier 1 license. |
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| 105 | 105 | | 4.12 (b) (e) A teacher with a Tier 1 license in a special education field may assume the |
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| 106 | 106 | | 4.13functions as a teacher for a period of time not to exceed three years. |
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| 107 | 107 | | 4.14 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2025. |
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| 108 | 108 | | 4.15 Sec. 6. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.181, subdivision 3, is amended to read: |
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| 109 | 109 | | 4.16 Subd. 3.Term of license and renewal.(a) The Professional Educator Licensing and |
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| 110 | 110 | | 4.17Standards Board must issue an initial Tier 1 license for a term of one year three years. A |
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| 111 | 111 | | 4.18Tier 1 license may be renewed subject to paragraphs (b) and (c). |
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| 112 | 112 | | 4.19 (b) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must renew a Tier 1 |
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| 113 | 113 | | 4.20license if: |
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| 114 | 114 | | 4.21 (1) the district or charter school requesting the renewal demonstrates that it has posted |
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| 115 | 115 | | 4.22the teacher position but was unable to hire an acceptable teacher with a Tier 2, 3, or 4 license |
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| 116 | 116 | | 4.23for the position; |
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| 117 | 117 | | 4.24 (2) (1) the teacher holding the Tier 1 license took a content examination in accordance |
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| 118 | 118 | | 4.25with section 122A.185 and submitted the examination results to the teacher's employing |
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| 119 | 119 | | 4.26district or charter school within one year of the board approving the request for the initial |
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| 120 | 120 | | 4.27Tier 1 license; |
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| 121 | 121 | | 4.28 (3) (2) the teacher holding the Tier 1 license participated in cultural competency training |
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| 122 | 122 | | 4.29consistent with section 120B.30, subdivision 8, within one year of the board approving the |
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| 123 | 123 | | 4.30request for the initial Tier 1 license; and |
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| 124 | 124 | | 4.31 (4) (3) the teacher holding the Tier 1 license met the mental illness training renewal |
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| 125 | 125 | | 4.32requirement under section 122A.187, subdivision 6. |
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| 126 | 126 | | 4Sec. 6. |
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| 127 | 127 | | 25-04817 as introduced03/12/25 REVISOR CR/CH 5.1The requirement in clause (2) (1) does not apply to a teacher that teaches a class in a career |
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| 128 | 128 | | 5.2and technical education or career pathways course of study. |
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| 129 | 129 | | 5.3 (c) A Tier 1 license must not be renewed more than three times, unless the requesting |
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| 130 | 130 | | 5.4district or charter school applicant can show good cause for additional renewals. A Tier 1 |
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| 131 | 131 | | 5.5license issued to teach (1) a class or course in a career and technical education or career |
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| 132 | 132 | | 5.6pathway course of study, or (2) in a shortage area, as defined in section 122A.06, subdivision |
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| 133 | 133 | | 5.76, may be renewed without limitation. |
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| 134 | 134 | | 5.8 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2025. |
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| 135 | 135 | | 5.9 Sec. 7. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.181, subdivision 4, is amended to read: |
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| 136 | 136 | | 5.10 Subd. 4.Application.The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must |
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| 137 | 137 | | 5.11accept and review applications for a Tier 1 teaching license beginning July June 1 of the |
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| 138 | 138 | | 5.12school year for which the license is requested; at the board's discretion, the board may begin |
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| 139 | 139 | | 5.13to accept and review applications before July June 1. |
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| 140 | 140 | | 5.14 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment. |
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| 141 | 141 | | 5.15 Sec. 8. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.181, subdivision 5, is amended to read: |
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| 142 | 142 | | 5.16 Subd. 5.Limitations on license.(a) A Tier 1 license is limited to the content matter |
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| 143 | 143 | | 5.17indicated on the application for the initial Tier 1 license under subdivision 1, clause (4), and |
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| 144 | 144 | | 5.18limited to the district or charter school that requested the initial Tier 1 license. |
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| 145 | 145 | | 5.19 (b) A Tier 1 license does not bring an individual within the definition of a teacher for |
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| 146 | 146 | | 5.20purposes of section 122A.40, subdivision 1, or 122A.41, subdivision 1, clause (a). |
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| 147 | 147 | | 5.21 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2025. |
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| 148 | 148 | | 5.22 Sec. 9. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.182, subdivision 1, is amended to read: |
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| 149 | 149 | | 5.23 Subdivision 1.Requirements.The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards |
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| 150 | 150 | | 5.24Board must approve an application for a Tier 2 license in a specified content area if: |
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| 151 | 151 | | 5.25 (1) the application has been submitted jointly by the applicant and the district; |
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| 152 | 152 | | 5.26 (2) the application has been paid for by the district or the applicant; |
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| 153 | 153 | | 5.27 (3) the applicant holds a bachelor's degree, unless specifically exempt by statute or rule; |
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| 154 | 154 | | 5.28 (4) the district demonstrates that a criminal background check under section 122A.18, |
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| 155 | 155 | | 5.29subdivision 8, has been completed for the applicant; and |
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| 156 | 156 | | 5Sec. 9. |
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| 157 | 157 | | 25-04817 as introduced03/12/25 REVISOR CR/CH 6.1 (5) the applicant: |
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| 158 | 158 | | 6.2 (i) has completed a state-approved teacher preparation program; |
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| 159 | 159 | | 6.3 (ii) is enrolled in a Minnesota-approved state-approved teacher preparation program; or |
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| 160 | 160 | | 6.4 (iii) has a master's degree in the specified content area; or |
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| 161 | 161 | | 6.5 (iv) has at least two years of prior teaching experience in any state with positive |
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| 162 | 162 | | 6.6evaluations. |
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| 163 | 163 | | 6.7 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2025. |
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| 164 | 164 | | 6.8 Sec. 10. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.182, subdivision 2b, is amended to read: |
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| 165 | 165 | | 6.9 Subd. 2b.Temporary eligibility for renewal.(a) From July 1, 2023, until June 30, |
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| 166 | 166 | | 6.102024, the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must approve an application |
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| 167 | 167 | | 6.11for a Tier 2 license that meets the coursework requirement under subdivision 2, and other |
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| 168 | 168 | | 6.12requirements under subdivision 1, clauses (1), (2), (3), and (4). |
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| 169 | 169 | | 6.13 (b) For the 2023-2024, 2024-2025, and 2025-2026 school years only, the Professional |
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| 170 | 170 | | 6.14Educator Licensing and Standards Board must approve an application to renew a Tier 2 |
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| 171 | 171 | | 6.15license for an applicant that met the Tier 2 requirements in effect at the time the first Tier |
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| 172 | 172 | | 6.162 license was issued. Nothing in this subdivision modifies the renewal requirements in |
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| 173 | 173 | | 6.17subdivision 3. |
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| 174 | 174 | | 6.18 Sec. 11. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.182, subdivision 3, is amended to read: |
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| 175 | 175 | | 6.19 Subd. 3.Term of license and renewal.The Professional Educator Licensing and |
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| 176 | 176 | | 6.20Standards Board must issue an initial Tier 2 license for a term of two three years. A Tier 2 |
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| 177 | 177 | | 6.21license may be renewed three times. Before a Tier 2 license is renewed for the first time, a |
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| 178 | 178 | | 6.22teacher holding a Tier 2 license must participate in cultural competency training consistent |
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| 179 | 179 | | 6.23with section 120B.30, subdivision 8, and mental illness training under section 122A.187, |
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| 180 | 180 | | 6.24subdivision 6. The board must issue rules setting forth the conditions for additional renewals |
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| 181 | 181 | | 6.25after the initial license has been renewed three times. |
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| 182 | 182 | | 6.26 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective July 1, 2025. |
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| 183 | 183 | | 6.27 Sec. 12. Minnesota Statutes 2024, section 122A.182, subdivision 4, is amended to read: |
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| 184 | 184 | | 6.28 Subd. 4.Application.The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must |
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| 185 | 185 | | 6.29accept applications for a Tier 2 teaching license beginning July June 1 of the school year |
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| 186 | 186 | | 6Sec. 12. |
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| 187 | 187 | | 25-04817 as introduced03/12/25 REVISOR CR/CH 7.1for which the license is requested. At the board's discretion, the board may begin to accept |
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| 188 | 188 | | 7.2and review applications before July June 1. |
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| 189 | 189 | | 7.3 EFFECTIVE DATE.This section is effective the day following final enactment. |
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| 190 | 190 | | 7Sec. 12. |
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| 191 | 191 | | 25-04817 as introduced03/12/25 REVISOR CR/CH |
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