Rulemaking Completed

The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) recently adopted a number of rule changes as part of its R-4615 rulemaking project. While some new rules went into effect on April 15, 2023, others had a July 1, 2023 effective date.

This newsletter highlights the rules that went into effect July 1, including changes to:

• CTE short-call substitute teaching licenses,
• The use of out-of-field permissions by teachers holding a Tier 2 license,
• Cross-Curricular Delivery Permission (CCDP) (formerly referred to as Innovative Program Permissions),
• Renewal requirements for teachers moving from a Tier 3 to a Tier 4 license after three years of teaching, and
• Out-of-state teaching experience for teachers seeking a Tier 3 license.

To review the rule changes that started April 15,  please see this update. 

CTE Short Call Substitute Licenses

Starting July 1, individuals who qualify using the Career and Technical Education (CTE) or Career Pathways route for a short call substitute license will be issued a CTE specific short call substitute license. To be eligible for a CTE short call substitute license, the individual must:

• Hold an associate's degree in a CTE related field, or
• Hold a professional certification aligned to a CTE related field, or
• Have five years of work experience aligned to a CTE related field

The CTE substitute license allows individuals to substitute teach in CTE or Career Pathways classrooms only. Substitute teachers who have previously received a short call substitute license based on CTE qualifications will have their license updated in the coming months to reflect the CTE designation. Moving forward, districts should only place CTE substitute teachers in CTE or Career Pathways substitute assignments. 

Please note: The 2023 state legislature created a short call substitute pilot program that goes into effect on August 1.  For more information about this pilot program, please review this update.

Out-of-Field Permissions for Tier 2 Teachers 

Teachers who currently hold a Tier 2 license are eligible to teach up to 50% of their daily assignment using an out-of-field permission. The remainder of the Tier 2 teacher's assignment must be within the content area of their Tier 2 license. Individuals teaching more than 50% of their assignment outside of the Tier 2 licensure area will need to seek a Tier 1 or Tier 2 license aligned to their assignment. 

This change does not impact teachers who hold a Tier 3 or Tier 4 license. 

Cross-Curricular Delivery Permission (CCDP)

PELSB has renamed the Innovative Program Permission (IPP) to Cross-Curricular Delivery Permission (CCDP). CCDPs can be used in a middle or non-traditional high school setting. A teacher can receive a CCDP for the following assignments: 

• If content credit will be granted as required by Minn. Stat. 120B.024, or
• If academic standards will be used as required by Minn. Stat. 120B.02 and 120B.021. 

PELSB's website includes more information about the Cross-Curricular Delivery Permission and the CCDP application. 

Moving from Tier 3 to Tier 4 

In order to move from a Tier 3 license to a Tier 4 license after three years of teaching experience in Minnesota, a teacher must complete 75 clock hours and the mandatory renewal conditions. This went into effect for all teachers granted a Tier 3 license on or after July 1, 2023. Teachers should submit their clock hours to their local continuing education committee for approval prior to applying for a Tier 4 license with PELSB. Additionally, teachers must verify three years of teaching experience to qualify to move to a Tier 4 license.