HF3638

Purpose

This bill aims to update Minnesota education policy by changing how educators and paraprofessionals are licensed and supported, expanding rulemaking authority, boosting data sharing among education agencies, and adding new training requirements focused on reading, mental health, and safety.

Main Provisions

• Paraprofessional credential

  • Creates a statewide credential for education paraprofessionals who assist licensed teachers.
  • Paraprofessionals with this credential (or working in a local district after passing a state-approved local assessment) are considered highly qualified under federal law.
  • The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB), with the commissioner, must adopt qualitative criteria for local assessments. These criteria evaluate reading, writing, and math knowledge and the ability to assist in instructional reading, writing, and math.
  • The commissioner approves or disapproves local assessments based on these criteria and must publish the criteria for public access.

• Training and professional development

  • When adopting rules for paraprofessional credentialing, the board should consider including training in student characteristics, teaching and learning environments, academic instruction skills, student behavior, and ethics.

• Rulemaking and licensure scope

  • PELSB must adopt rules to implement a broad set of licensure provisions, including how teachers may teach in fields outside their licensure without changing their license tier, and how rules should align with existing statutes.
  • Rules must clearly define terms, avoid conflicts with statutes, and explain the proposed rules’ likely effect on teacher supply and demand.

• Data sharing and program improvement

  • The bill requires data-sharing agreements among PELSB, the Board of School Administrators, and the Department of Education to sharing educational data at the E12 level.
  • Data sharing supports program approval and improvement for teacher education programs and education administration programs.
  • The agreements may include private data (with protections) but may also use summary data. Data sharing is limited to purposes defined in the agreements and must respect privacy rules.

• Background checks

  • All first-time educator and administrator license applicants must undergo criminal history background studies, including fingerprints.
  • Payments for background checks go to the professional licensing board, with funds set aside in a special revenue account and some unspent funds potentially transferable to the general fund.

• Licensure tiers and renewals

  • Introduces Tier 1, Tier 2, Tier 3, and Tier 4 licenses with defined timeframes.
  • Tier 1: Initial one-year license; can be renewed if districts cannot hire a Tier 2–4 candidate, after the teacher completes a content exam, completes cultural competency training, and meets a mental illness/health training renewal requirement (except for certain CTE or shortage areas). Tier 1 renewal is limited to three renewals unless there is a good cause for more.
  • Tier 2: Initial two-year license; renewals allowed up to three times. First renewal requires cultural competency and mental health training. Beginning July 1, 2027, certain classroom roles (reading instruction, ESL, literacy leadership, etc.) must show progress toward required literacy training for the first renewal.
  • Tier 3 and Tier 4: Longer-term licenses with ongoing renewal and additional requirements (not all details are specified in the excerpt).
  • Starting July 1, 2027, specific teaching roles (e.g., early childhood, elementary reading instruction, ELL, literacy materials selection, etc.) must demonstrate progress toward evidence-based literacy training for the first renewal of their initial Tier license.

• Literacy and reading requirements

  • The bill expands literacy-related requirements for certain licenses and renewals. By the second renewal cycle, teachers in targeted roles must show progress toward evidence-based literacy training requirements.

• Mental health and suicide prevention training

  • All licensed teachers renewing a license must complete at least one hour of suicide prevention best practices and at least five hours of professional development on student mental health and wellness per renewal period.
  • Initial training emphasizes recognizing early signs of mental illness; subsequent renewals cover more in-depth topics such as trauma, accommodations, and related issues. Teachers are not required to diagnose or treat mental illness.

• Information technology costs

  • A one-time appropriation is provided to cover information technology costs related to the licensing boards and administration.

Significant Changes to Law

• Paraprofessionals

  • Establishment of a statewide paraprofessional credential with a formal local assessment framework—aimed at aligning paraprofessional roles with federal “highly qualified” status.

• Licensure system

  • Introduction of a multi-tier (Tier 1–Tier 4) licensure structure for teachers, with explicit renewal conditions, literacy requirements, and conditional renewals tied to district hiring realities and targeted training.

• Data sharing and accountability

  • New data-sharing agreements among licensing and school administration bodies to improve teacher preparation programs and school leadership programs, while balancing privacy.

• Background checks and vetting

  • Expanded use of criminal history checks and fingerprints for all first-time educator licenses, with funding and data handling provisions.

• Training priorities

  • Strong new emphasis on literacy, cultural competency, and mental health training for teachers and administrators, integrated into licensure renewals and program approvals.

• Funding and implementation

  • A one-time IT funding provision to support the implementation of these licensing and data systems.

Implementation Considerations

• Transition timelines

  • Several provisions reference requirements beginning July 1, 2027, particularly around literacy progress for certain roles and the renewal processes for Tier licenses.

• School impact

  • The changes could affect how districts hire paraprofessionals and licensed teachers, potentially increasing the use of paraprofessionals with a state credential, and influencing recruitment and retention through the new licensure tiers and required professional development.

• Data privacy

  • The bill creates data-sharing arrangements that involve sensitive staff data; the agreements will specify what data can be shared and how it can be used, with privacy safeguards.

• Oversight and compliance

  • Rules will be developed by PELSB and partner boards to implement these provisions, including how to handle conflicts with existing laws and how to assess the impact on teacher supply and demand.

Potential Impacts

• Paraprofessionals may gain clearer pathways to formal credentials and recognized qualifications, improving instructional support for students.
• Teachers face expanded professional development requirements, especially in literacy and mental health, along with potential changes to licensure renewal processes.
• Districts may experience changes in hiring practices due to the tiered license system and the requirements tied to different renewal tracks.
• Data sharing could lead to better program design for teacher preparation and school leadership programs, but will hinge on privacy protections and effective data governance.

Relevant Terms - Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) - Board of School Administrators - Department of Education - paraprofessional credential - local assessments - reading, writing, math - highly qualified under federal law - rulemaking - E12 data - program approval and improvement - teacher education programs - education administration programs - data sharing agreement - private data (privacy protections) - Section 13.02, 13.87 (definitions and background checks) - Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) - Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) - criminal history background studies - fingerprints - Tier 1 license - Tier 2 license - Tier 3 license - Tier 4 license - cultural competency training - mental illness health training - suicide prevention training - evidence-based literacy training (section 120B.123) - information technology costs (IT funding)