HF140 Summary

• Establishes Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board to replace the Board of Teaching and assume all teacher and support personnel licensing authority previously held by the Minnesota Department of Education.

• Creates four-tiered teacher licensure system (Tier 1-4 licenses) with varying requirements, replacing previous one-year, two-year, and five-year licenses; allows alternative pathways including portfolio-based licensure.

• Transfers administrator licensing for school administrators from the Department of Education to the Board of School Administrators, while keeping athletic coach licensing with the new Professional Educator Board.

• Requires comprehensive data collection and reporting on teacher preparation programs, educator performance, teacher shortages, and the new tiered licensure system implementation, with reports due to legislature by specified dates.

• Implements alternative teacher preparation provider approval process allowing school districts, charter schools, and nonprofits to offer board-approved teacher preparation programs using nontraditional credentials and demonstrations of competency.