New State Law: More Local Teachers?

Beginning with the 2011-2012 school year, want-to-be teachers, for the first time in state history, can to go outside the Minnesota college and university systems for a teaching license. 

The new routes include nonprofits and school districts, as long as the licensing program is approved by the state's Board of Teaching.

“Alternative licensure is a tool that we believe can attract well-educated, diverse and dedicated people who want to join the teaching ranks,” said Senate Education Chairwoman Gen Olson (R-Minnetrista), sponsor of the Senate measure, SF 40.

This new alternative pathway to teacher licensure, according to the nonpartisan House Public Information Services, is aimed at improving academic excellence, improve ethnic and cultural diversity in the classroom, and close the academic achievement gap.

, who worked on getting such an initiative passed for several years, was co-sponsored of this session's measure.

“It was such an honor to be part of this legislative process, joined by so many community leaders advocating for an initiative that we believe will serve the best interests of Minnesota children,” Bonoff said. (See sidebar for video of Bonoff's remarks). 

During the 2010-2011 session, debate over alternative licensure pathways turned nasty and ended up null, but because of language crafted in a House-Senate conference this time around, the legislation was approved on March 3 with bi-partisan support. SF 40 passed the Senate on a 46-19 vote. Hours later, HF 63 passed in the House, 80-51.

Rep. Connie Doepke (R-Lake Minnetonka) was a co-sponsor of House version, HF 63.  

Although, Rep. Benson (DFL-Minnetonka), a former teacher himself, had initially supported a different version of the legislation than the one which was passed, he ultimately voted in favor of the bill. Benson had advocated that implementation of an alternative teacher licensing pathway should also require performance-based assessments for teachers in the first year after they obtain a teaching license.

“Districts that are struggling to recruit and retain strong and qualified teachers could certainly benefit from having an alternative teacher licensure program in place, but it isn’t worth it if we don’t ensure that these new teachers are qualified to teach their subjects,” Benson wrote in a  on the subject. 

In total, Minnetonka's six state lawmakers voted unanimously in favor of creating an alternative teacher licensure pathway: Sens. Bonoff (DFL-43), Olson (R-33) and David Hann (R-42), along with Reps. Doepke (R-33B), Benson (DFL-43B), and Kirk Stensrud (R-42A). 

In a letter sent to the Senate and House sponsors of this legislation before its passage, Dayton pledged his intent to sign it into law despite some reservations.

“I do not agree with every provision in the legislation [but] accept those differences in order to accomplish our shared objective: to pass reforms that will close the achievement gap and raise the educational standard for all Minnesota school children,” the letter read.

Dayton did sign the bill, joined by Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius as well as Sens. Olson and Bonoff. Now that law goes into effect in just days on August 1. 

The legislation was opposed by Education Minnesota, the largest teachers’ union in the State.  In a statement, Education Minnesota said it was disappointed with the measure.

“Education Minnesota believes there is value in alternative pathways into teaching but not when it lowers the standards of the profession,” the statement read. "The key to better teaching does not lie in making it easier to become a teacher.”

But Olson couldn’t disagree more.

“People with provisional licenses after completing an alternative teaching preparation program are already teaching in some of our schools with the most challenging achievement gaps,” she said. “They have proven their worth.”

Specifics of the new law:

• Alternative licensure candidates who meet all criteria will be granted a two-year limited license that the board may renew for an additional year, and may prepare for a standard teaching license.
• Candidates must have a 3.0 or higher grade-point average or a waiver from the board; pass basic reading, writing and math skills exams; and obtain qualifying scores on board-approved content and pedagogy exams.
• The board is directed to streamline the path for teachers holding out-of-state licensure from accredited programs to Minnesota licensure. Candidates who have completed another state’s alternative teacher preparation program may apply for a standard Minnesota license.
• Rep. Pat Garofalo (R-Farmington) and Sen. Gen Olson (R-Minnetrista) sponsored the law.