Permissions Requests FAQ / Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB)

Does a district need to advertise for Tier 1 Licensure Applications and/or Out-of-Field Permissions (OFPs) for the upcoming school year?

Yes, advertising for both Tier 1 licenses and OFPs is required if you plan on submitting applications for the upcoming school year. Initial Tier 1 and OFP applications require posting for a minimum of 15 days on the PELSB approved jobs board, EdPost. Renewing a Tier 1 or OFP requires posting the position on EdPost for a minimum of 60 days. Districts must post the position regardless if the candidate is an internal hire or not.

Please note: The Board has adopted a resolution that waives OFP posting requirements for Tier 3 and 4 science teachers who have been impacted by MDE’s proposed science rule changes. More information can be found here.
Does a district or charter school need to advertise for Tier 2 Licensure Applications?
I am looking to submit an Out-of-Field Permission (OFP) application and the permission candidate has not been a district employee for one full year. Is the candidate considered an internal hire?

To qualify as an internal hire, the permission candidate must have one full year (or at least 120 days) as an employee of the school district or charter school. If the candidate has not been employed in the district for at least one year, please mark “no” within section 3: field #1 of the OFP application and follow the prompts as listed.

Please note: An internal hire is anyone who serves the school district (e.g., paraprofessionals, short-call substitute teachers, etc.).
When can an Out-of-Field Permission, Innovative Program Permission, Tier 1, or Tier 2 application be submitted for the upcoming school year?
Can an Out-of-Field Permission (OFP) be backdated to the start of the assignment?
Can someone who holds a Tier 1 license be eligible for an Out-of-Field Permission (OFP)?
Can someone who holds a Tier 2 license be eligible for an Out-of-Field Permission (OFP)?
Can a Tier 1 or Tier 2 license holder be eligible for an Innovative Program Permission (IPP)?

Tier 1 and Tier 2 license holders are not eligible to hold an IPP. If the candidate holds a Tier 1 license, the school district or charter school should request another Tier 1 license in the content area(s) the Tier 1 license holder will be teaching. If the candidate holds a Tier 2 license, the school district or charter school should request an OFP in the content area(s) the Tier 2 license holder will be teaching.
How many Out-of-Field Permissions (OFPs) are allowed in an educator’s lifetime?
An educator can have up to five OFPs in their teaching career. This count is based on academic school year rather than the amount of OFPs within a given year. For example, if five OFPs were issued to an educator during the 19-20 school year, they would only count as one OFP.

PELSB does consider good cause exemptions for candidates who may need more than five OFPs in their lifetime. Good cause exemptions may include the following:
1. the applicant is unable to meet the requirements for a teaching license due to a lack of a board-approved teacher preparation program in the licensure area;
2. the position is a full-time equivalency of 0.1 or less; or
3. the applicant demonstrates to the board barriers to reaching a teaching license. Barriers may include but are not limited to financial burdens to obtaining a tiered license, inability to pass licensure exams, or lack of geographic proximity to teacher preparation.
Please be aware, OFPs approved for the 20-21 and 22-23 school years do not count towards the five allowable OFPs in an educator’s lifetime. Additionally, prior variances, community expert permissions, non-renewable, and limited licenses do not count towards the allowable OFP total.
Is a related services license holder (i.e., school nurse, school social worker, school counselor, school psychologist, speech language pathologist) eligible to hold an Out-of-Field Permission (OFP)?

In most cases, related service personnel are not eligible for an Out-of-Field Permission. There have been circumstances (e.g. a school nurse asked to teach a medical careers course) in which school districts have submitted a discretionary variance asking the board to waive these rules. Each request is considered on a case-by-case basis by the Board’s Licensure Committee.

If a school district asks to waive the rules through discretionary variance, the district must meet all Out-Of-Field Permission requirements, including posting the position. The district must submit the discretionary variance request and the OFP application at the same time. Please note, the request to waive the rule (subpart 2) can be found here.

If you have questions about the discretionary variance process for related services personnel, please contact PELSB at special.permission.pelsb@state.mn.us
Can a teacher receive an Out-of-Field Permission (OFP) to teach in a related service field?

In most cases, teachers are not eligible for an Out-of-Field Permission in a related service field. There have been circumstances (e.g., a teacher is enrolled in a school counseling program) in which school districts have submitted a discretionary variance asking the board to waive these rules. Each request is considered on a case-by-case basis by the Board’s Licensure Committee.

Please note: The Board is not able to grant discretionary variances/OFPs for a school nurse or school social worker. State law mandates that individuals working in a school nurse or school social work capacity hold the appropriate license through the respective state boards (MN Board of Nursing or MN Board of Social Work).

If a school district asks to waive the rules through a discretionary variance, the district must meet all Out-Of-Field requirements, including posting the position. The district must submit the discretionary variance request and the OFP application at the same time. Please note, the rule (subpart 6) being asked to be waived can be found here: https://www.revisor.mn.gov/rules/8710.0320/

If you have questions about the discretionary variance process for related service personnel, please contact PELSB at special.permission.pelsb@state.mn.us