ST PAUL, Minn. — In 2017, Minnesota lawmakers streamlined the requirements needed to obtain a license to teach in the state. Now, some lawmakers want to amend those changes.
The House Education Policy Committee heard testimony Monday on a bill that would change the state’s licensure law.
Rep. Mary Kunesh-Podein (DFL), an educator who supports the bill, said Minnesota has a high value standard for many professions and the same should be true for our teachers.
“We don't need to lower the standards to make teaching licensing systems easier to navigate. That is the bottom line and that is why I am introducing House Bill 1329 to fix the tiered licensing system and restore our high standard for teaching,” she said. “It would close the loophole that allows a candidate to obtain Tier 3 license without having completed any teacher preparation which is absolutely critical for students to succeed. It limits Tier 2 eligibility to individuals who are actively working toward a Tier 3 license. This change yet again recognizes the rigorous importance of teacher preparation.”
In 2017, the Legislature created four tiers of teaching licenses making it easier to diversify teaching staff across the state. According to 2018 state records, there are 106,337 thousand licensed teachers in the state of Minnesota. Combined, 2,928 make up Tier 1 and Tier 2.
Educators testified in favor of amending that law. But opponents say this change would significantly damage the progress Minnesota has made to improve the teacher diversity rate. Josh Crossen, who represents Ed Allies, said the change has the potential to push out career and tech teachers and close schools.
“We have pathways for teachers to get into the classroom. Predominantly teachers of color, technical education teachers and special education teachers," he said. “13 percent of our educators of color are under a Tier 1 license.”
Crossen said in part, anyone not in a Tier 1 or Tier 2 will have a tougher time staying in a Minnesota classroom or they would no longer be able to teach in the state of Minnesota if they don't complete these new requirements for teacher licensure.
The bill, proposes some of the following changes:
- Closing the loophole that allows a candidate to attain a Tier 3 license with no more than a single class in teaching, but no requirement for classes in child psychology, classroom management or content.
- Limiting Tier 2 eligibility to individuals who are actively working toward a Tier 3 license, such as educators in “grow your own” programs.
- Eliminating the link between a teacher’s summative evaluation to their licensure status because no single supervisor should have that much power over an employee.
- Requiring districts and charter schools to make a public report to the state about the number of teachers at each tier in each building.
- Permitting Tier 1 teachers to join the teacher bargaining unit so that they may negotiate together for the time and resources they need to move up the tiers.
Dennis Draughn, an African-American high school social studies teacher in the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan school testified in support of the bill.
“Some say the new licensure law will attract much needed teachers of color to the profession by not requiring them to go through teacher preparation training but using that as an excuse to lower the standards is unacceptable and insulting,” he said. “Lowering the standard sends a message that teachers of color are not capable of meeting the standards to being with and that is just not true.”