Licensure Reciprocity: Minnesota

Analysis of Minnesota's policies

Minnesota does not support licensure reciprocity for certified teachers from other states.

Commendably, Minnesota does not grant any waivers of its testing requirements. All out-of-state teachers, no matter how many years of experience they have, must meet Minnesota's passing scores on licensing tests.

However, other aspects of the state's policy create obstacles for teachers from other states seeking licensure in Minnesota. Teachers with valid, out-of-state certificates may be eligible for Minnesota's professional certificate. The state routinely reviews the college transcripts of licensed out-of-state teachers, an exercise that often leads the state to require additional coursework before it will offer an equivalent license. States that reach a determination about an applicant's licensure status on the basis of the course titles listed on the applicant's transcript may end up mistakenly equating the amount of required coursework with the teacher's qualifications.

Minnesota is also a participant in the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement; however, the latest iteration of this agreement no longer purports to be a reciprocity agreement among states and thus is no longer included in this analysis.

Citation

Minnesota Administrative Rules, 8710.0400

Recommendations for Minnesota

Offer a standard license to certified out-of-state teachers, absent unnecessary requirements.
Minnesota should consider discontinuing its requirement for the submission of transcripts. Transcript analysis is likely to result in additional coursework requirements, even for traditionally prepared teachers; alternate route teachers, on the other hand, may have to virtually begin anew, repeating some, most or all of a teacher preparation program in Minnesota. Regardless of whether a teacher was prepared through a traditional or alternate route, all certified out-of-state teachers should receive equal treatment.

State response to our analysis

Minnesota recognized the factual accuracy of this analysis. The state added that legislation was enacted in the 2011 legislative session that requires the Board of Teaching to develop streamlined procedures for recognizing the experience and the professional performance of out-of-state teachers. Minnesota is currently developing plans and processes to implement the law.