Subdivision 1. Requirements. (a) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must issue a Tier 3 license to a candidate who provides information sufficient to demonstrate all of the following:

(1) the candidate meets the educational or professional requirements in paragraphs (b) and (c);

(2) the candidate has obtained a passing score on the required licensure exams under section 122A.185; and

(3) the candidate has completed the coursework required under subdivision 2.

(b) A candidate for a Tier 3 license must have a bachelor's degree to teach a class or course outside a career and technical education or career pathways course of study.

(c) A candidate for a Tier 3 license must have one of the following credentials in a relevant content area to teach a class or course in a career and technical education or career pathways course of study:

(1) an associate's degree;

(2) a professional certification; or

(3) five years of relevant work experience.

In consultation with the governor's Workforce Development Board established under section 116L.665, the board must establish a list of qualifying certifications, and may add additional professional certifications in consultation with school administrators, teachers, and other stakeholders.

Subd. 2. Coursework. A candidate for a Tier 3 license must meet the coursework requirement by demonstrating one of the following:

(1) completion of a Minnesota-approved teacher preparation program;

(2) completion of a state-approved teacher preparation program that includes field-specific student teaching equivalent to field-specific student teaching in Minnesota-approved teacher preparation programs. The field-specific student teaching requirement does not apply to a candidate that has two years of teaching experience;

(3) submission of a content-specific licensure portfolio;

(4) a professional teaching license from another state, evidence that the candidate's license is in good standing, and two years of teaching experience; or

(5) three years of teaching experience under a Tier 2 license and evidence of summative teacher evaluations that did not result in placing or otherwise keeping the teacher on an improvement process pursuant to section 122A.40, subdivision 8, or section 122A.41, subdivision 5.

Subd. 3. Term of license and renewal. The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must issue an initial Tier 3 license for a term of three years. A Tier 3 license may be renewed every three years without limitation.

Subd. 4. Mentorship and evaluation. A teacher holding a Tier 3 license must participate in the employing district or charter school's mentorship and evaluation program, including an individual growth and development plan.

History: 1Sp2017 c 5 art 3 s 12; 2018 c 182 art 1 s 108