Section 122A.24 Alternative Preparation Licensing for Teachers

MINNESOTA STATUTES AND CODES

Section 122A.24 Alternative Preparation Licensing for Teachers

122A.24 ALTERNATIVE PREPARATION LICENSING FOR TEACHERS.

Subdivision 1.Requirements.

(a) A preparation program that is an alternative to the postsecondary teacher preparation program as a means to acquire an entrance license is established. The program may be offered in any instructional field.

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

(1) have a bachelor's degree;

(2) pass an examination of skills in reading, writing, and mathematics as required by section 122A.18;

(3) have been offered a job to teach in a school district, group of districts, or an education district approved by the Board of Teaching to offer an alternative preparation licensure program;

(4)(i) have a college major in the subject area to be taught; or

(ii) have five years of experience in a field related to the subject to be taught; and

(5) document successful experiences working with children.

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

(d) The Board of Teaching must ensure that one of the purposes of this program is to enhance the school desegregation/integration policies adopted by the state.

Subd. 2.Characteristics.

The alternative preparation program has the following characteristics:

(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 a classroom;

(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 teachers 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.Program approval.

(a) The Board of Teaching must approve alternative preparation programs based on criteria adopted by the board.

(b) The board shall permit demonstration of licensure competencies in school-based and other nontraditional pathways to teacher licensure.

Subd. 4.Approval for standard entrance license.

The resident mentorship team must prepare for the Board of Teaching 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 Board of Teaching 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.