Purpose

• Create and fund a new pathway program within Minnesota’s special education framework to develop trained Level Tier 3 or Tier 4 special education teachers and related services providers (e.g., school counselors, nurses, psychologists, social workers, and speech-language pathologists) through grants to eligible school districts, charter schools, Tribal contract schools, or cooperative units.

Key Provisions

• Scope of the grant program

  • The commissioner of education must administer a grant program to develop pathways for trained licensed Tier 3 or Tier 4 special education teachers and related services providers.
  • Eligible applicants include school districts, charter schools, Tribal contract schools, or cooperative units.

• Partnerships and eligible preparation programs

  • An applicant seeking funding for a special education teacher pathway must partner with:
  • A Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) approved teacher preparation program, or
  • A Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) accredited teacher preparation program from a private nonprofit college/university, or
  • An institution that has an articulated transfer pathway with a board-approved teacher preparation program.
  • An applicant seeking funding for a related services provider pathway must partner with a regionally accredited college or university or an appropriate preparation program that leads to licensure for Tier 3 as related services providers.

• Defined terms

  • Related services providers include: school counselors, school nurses, school psychologists, school social workers, and school speech-language pathologists.

• Use of grant funds

  • Funds must support participants who are employed by the grant recipient and who intend to become a special education teacher or related services provider after completing the program.
  • Eligible uses include: tuition assistance or stipends; mentoring; licensure test preparation; technology support; and participant recruitment.

• Grant procedures and priorities

  • Applicants apply in the form specified by the commissioner.
  • The commissioner must prioritize training to help participants holding a Tier 1 or Tier 2 special education license obtain a Tier 3 license.
  • If there are enough applications, grants should be distributed to an approximately equal number of recipients in greater Minnesota and the metropolitan area, to the extent practicable.

• Accountability and reporting

  • Grant recipients must report within one year of receiving funds, and annually while receiving funds, the number of participants and how funds were used.
  • The commissioner must publish an annual report summarizing grant recipients and fund use.

• Funding, accounts, and duration

  • Establishes the Special Education Teacher and Related Services Provider Pathway Program Account in the special revenue fund.
  • Funds are transferred into this account and are annually appropriated to the commissioner for the program; any returned funds may be regranted.
  • Grant recipients may use funds for up to 60 months.
  • Up to $175,000 annually is appropriated for administrative costs of administering and monitoring the program.

• Eligible applicants and settings

  • The program applies to school districts, charter schools, Tribal contract schools, and cooperative units under Minnesota law.

Significant Changes from Current Law

• Expands the existing special education teacher pathway program to explicitly include related services providers (five specified roles).
• Creates a dedicated grant program and funding mechanism (special account) to develop pathways for Tier 3/Tier 4 licensure.
• Establishes formal partnership requirements with approved teacher preparation programs and accreditation bodies (PELSB, CAEP).
• Introduces a defined set of uses, reporting requirements, and a funding cap for program administration.
• Sets geographic distribution considerations (greater Minnesota vs. metropolitan area) and a multi-year grant term (up to 60 months).

Relevant Terms - Special education teacher pathway program - Related services provider pathway - Tier 3 and Tier 4 licensure - School counselors - School nurses - School psychologists - School social workers - School speech-language pathologists - Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) - Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP) - Transfer pathway - Board-approved teacher preparation program - CAEP-accredited program - Regionally accredited college or university - Special education teacher and related services provider pathway program account - Special revenue fund - Greater Minnesota - Metropolitan area - Tuition assistance - Stipends - Mentoring - Licensure test preparation - Technology support - Participant recruitment - 60 months (grant duration) - $175,000 annual administration funding