Minnesota Agencies

The 2013 Minnesota Legislature established a 20-member Teacher Licensure Advisory Task Force to make recommendations to the Board of Teaching, the commissioner of education, and the education committees of the Legislature on requirements for teacher applicants to:
1.Demonstrate mastery of reading, writing and mathematics skills through nationally normed assessments, a professional skills portfolio, or accredited college coursework, among other methods of demonstrating skills mastery.
2.An alternative licensure pathway for non-native English speakers seeking licensure to teach in a language immersion program.

By February 1, 2014, task force members must submit their written recommendations.

The Task Force was established to make recommendations on requirements for teacher licensure applicants to demonstrate mastery of reading, writing, and mathematics skills through nationally normed assessments, a professional skills portfolio, or accredited college coursework, among other methods of demonstrating skills mastery; and an alternative licensure pathway for nonnative English speakers seeking licensure to teach in a language immersion program. These recommendations are to be forwarded to the Board of Teaching, the education commissioner, and the education committees of the legislature.

The task force shall sunset the day after submitting the report under subdivision 6, or February 2, 2014, whichever is earlier.

The Board of Teaching must consider the recommendations of the advisory task force and adopt revised rules by January 1, 2015,
governing the skills portion of the teacher licensure exam.

The Task Force held eight meetings beginning on August 1, 2013, and completed its work on January 16, 2014.
 

The Teacher Licensure Advisory Task Force shall be composed of the following 20 members appointed by July 15, 2013:

(1) two members of the Board of Teaching appointed by the board's chair;
(2) two representatives from the Department of Education appointed by the commissioner of education;
(3) two members of the house of representatives, one appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, and one appointed by the minority leader;
(4) two senators, one appointed by the Subcommittee on Committees of the Committee on Rules and Administration, and one appointed by the minority leader;
(5) one elementary school principal from rural Minnesota appointed by the Minnesota Elementary School Principals Association and one secondary school principal from the seven-county metropolitan area appointed by the Minnesota Secondary School
Principals Association;
(6) one licensed and practicing public elementary school teacher and one licensed and practicing secondary school teacher appointed by Education Minnesota;
(7) one teacher preparation faculty member each from the University of Minnesota system appointed by the system president, the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system appointed by the system chancellor, and the Minnesota Private Colleges and
Universities system appointed by the Minnesota Private Colleges Council;
(8) one member of the nonpublic education council appointed by the council;
(9) one representative of Minnesota charter schools appointed by the Minnesota Charter Schools Association;
(10) two representatives from the business community, appointed by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce; and
(11) one representative from the Minnesota School Boards Association.