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World Language, Heritage Language, Bilingual/Bicultural, & English as a Second Language Teacher Educator and Licensure Rulemaking

The Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) is creating a working group to review Minnesota licensure regarding language and culture education. Minnesota schools provide several types of multilingual education that share goals of language development, high academic achievement and intercultural competence. The Board has called for exploring whether existing rule is sufficient to address the unique needs of heritage language learners. The Board has also adopted a guiding philosophy on streamlining licensure. This working group will review the existing licensure structure, discuss the overlapping knowledge and skill base required to teach these learners, and recommend licensure structure changes as necessary.

Seeking Writing Group Applicants

PELSB is seeking applicants for this new working groups who fit at least one of the following categories:

  • an administrator from a Minnesota school district with expertise in World Language, English as a Second Language, or Bilingual/Bicultural programming;
  • a Human resources administrator from a Minnesota school district;
  • a World Language, English as a Second Language, Bilingual/Bicultural unit director/program director/methods teacher educator from a Minnesota Teacher Preparation Provider;
  • teachers with World Language licensure from Minnesota school districts, including elementary, secondary, ASL, Modern, and Classical languages and cultures;
  • a teacher who is teaching a heritage language assignment in a Minnesota school district;
  • a teacher with a Bilingual/Bicultural endorsement and/or who is teaching in a bilingual or dual language immersion program in a Minnesota school district;
  • a teacher with English as a Second Language licensure from a Minnesota school district;
  • a representative from a Minnesota charter school with relevant language programs; and,
  • a Minnesota community member.

To be considered for an appointment to the working group, please complete the application online: Advisory Group Application . The application should take about 20 minutes to complete. This form will close on Friday, October 23, 2026. If you have questions, contact PELSB Rulemaking Attorney Steven Rollin.

Meeting Dates

Applicants must attend all meetings of the working group, either virtually or in-person. Meetings are viewable by the public. The working group will meet on the following dates:

  • Tuesday, November 17, 2026, 4-5pm
  • Tuesday, December 8, 2026, 4-5pm
  • Tuesday, January 12, 2027, 4-5pm
  • Tuesday, February 16, 2027, 4-5pm
  • Tuesday, March 9, 2027, 4-5pm