MN SF1795

Amends teacher licensure requirements to allow nonnative English speakers to become licensed teachers without passing standardized skills exams if they meet content and pedagogy requirements and teach in their native language or world language instruction.

Requires the Board of Teaching to create partnerships with postsecondary institutions and diversity councils to recruit, educate, and license underrepresented student populations as K-12 teachers and early childhood education providers.

Establishes a teacher training grant program for school districts to provide grants to underrepresented paraprofessionals and nonlicensed employees pursuing teacher licensure, with grants capped at actual program costs minus any federal Pell grants or state grants received.

Creates a refundable tax credit for individuals employed by Minnesota school districts seeking initial teacher licensure, covering tuition, textbooks, and up to $....... for personal computer hardware, with income-based limits.

Appropriates unspecified amounts for fiscal years 2016 and 2017 to fund the teacher training grant program, with unused funds carrying forward to subsequent fiscal years.