Subdivision 1. Tests. (a) The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must adopt rules requiring a candidate to demonstrate a passing score on a board-adopted examination of skills in reading, writing, and mathematics before being granted a Tier 4 teaching license under section 122A.184 to provide direct instruction to pupils in elementary, secondary, or special education programs. Candidates may obtain a Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 license to provide direct instruction to pupils in elementary, secondary, or special education programs if candidates meet the other requirements in section 122A.181, 122A.182, or 122A.183, respectively.

(b) The board must adopt rules requiring candidates for Tier 3 and Tier 4 licenses to pass an examination of general pedagogical knowledge and examinations of licensure field specific content. The content examination requirement does not apply if no relevant content exam exists.

(c) Candidates for initial Tier 3 and Tier 4 licenses to teach elementary students must pass test items assessing the candidates' knowledge, skill, and ability in comprehensive, scientifically based reading instruction under section 122A.06, subdivision 4, knowledge and understanding of the foundations of reading development, development of reading comprehension and reading assessment and instruction, and the ability to integrate that knowledge and understanding into instruction strategies under section 122A.06, subdivision 4.

(d) The requirement to pass a board-adopted reading, writing, and mathematics skills examination does not apply to nonnative English speakers, as verified by qualified Minnesota school district personnel or Minnesota higher education faculty, who, after meeting the content and pedagogy requirements under this subdivision, apply for a teaching license to provide direct instruction in their native language or world language instruction under section 120B.022, subdivision 1.

Subd. 2. Passing scores. The board must establish passing scores in all examinations required for licensure.

Subd. 3. Testing accommodations. The board and the entity administering the content, pedagogy, and skills examinations must allow any individual who produces documentation of a disability in the form of an evaluation, 504 plan, or individual education program (IEP) to receive the same testing accommodations on the content, pedagogy, and skills examinations that the applicant received during the applicant's secondary or postsecondary education.

Subd. 4. Remedial assistance. (a) A board-approved teacher preparation program must make available upon request remedial assistance that includes a formal diagnostic component to persons enrolled in their institution who did not achieve a qualifying score on a board-adopted skills examination, including those for whom English is a second language. The teacher preparation programs must make available assistance in the specific academic areas of candidates' deficiency.

(b) School districts may make available upon request similar, appropriate, and timely remedial assistance that includes a formal diagnostic component to those persons employed by the district who completed their teacher education program, who did not achieve a qualifying score on a board-adopted skills examination, and who received a Tier 1, Tier 2, or Tier 3 license under section 122A.181, 122A.182, or 122A.183, respectively, to teach in Minnesota.

History: 1Sp2017 c 5 art 3 s 14