SF2434 - Teachers Trained in Other States Licensing Clarification

• Board of Teaching must establish criteria and streamlined policies by January 1, 2016, to recognize out-of-state teaching experience and credentials for Minnesota license applicants.

• Out-of-state trained teachers may demonstrate qualifications through recognition of out-of-state licenses, state-approved teacher preparation completion, teaching experience as teacher of record, content knowledge depth, pedagogy, professional development, or documented student growth.

• Board must issue professional five-year teaching licenses or up to four initial professional one-year teaching licenses to applicants with out-of-state teaching licenses in similar content fields requiring equivalent preparation or at least two years of classroom teaching experience.

• Board must enter into interstate reciprocity agreements with adjoining states through the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) after determining the other state's licensure requirements are commensurate with Minnesota's standards.

• Clarifies license terminology throughout statute, replacing "temporary," "continuing," and "one-year" designations with standardized "professional five-year teaching license" and "initial professional one-year teaching license" language.