HF 1663 Summary

• Modifies alternative teacher preparation programs to allow candidates to demonstrate mastery through school-based settings and nontraditional means including portfolios and prior teaching experience.

• Reduces alternative teacher compensation revenue aid from $260 to $91 per pupil and establishes new teacher development and evaluation aid of $169 per pupil for all eligible schools.

• Creates a Teacher Shortage Task Force with representatives from education, business, and labor organizations to review teacher recruitment and retention data and report recommendations by January 15, 2018, and annually thereafter until January 16, 2020.

• Establishes an Alternative Teacher Preparation Grant Program providing annual grants to eligible programs working to fill Minnesota's teacher shortage areas, with priority given to Minnesota-based applicants.

• Appropriates approximately $19.6 million over fiscal years 2018-2019 for teacher recruitment marketing, principal leadership development, paraprofessional teacher pathways, student teacher grants, loan forgiveness programs, and educator diversity initiatives.