Subdivision 1. Requirements for American sign language/English interpreters. (a) In addition to any other requirements that a school district establishes, any person employed to provide American sign language/English interpreting or sign transliterating services on a full-time or part-time basis for a school district after July 1, 2000, must:
(1) hold current interpreter and transliterator certificates awarded by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID), or the general level interpreter proficiency certificate awarded by the National Association of the Deaf (NAD), or a comparable state certification from the commissioner of education; and
(2) satisfactorily complete an interpreter/transliterator training program affiliated with an accredited educational institution.
(b) New graduates of an interpreter/transliterator program affiliated with an accredited education institution shall be granted a two-year provisional certificate by the commissioner. During the two-year provisional period, the interpreter/transliterator must develop and implement an education plan in collaboration with a mentor under paragraph (c).
(c) A mentor of a provisionally certified interpreter/transliterator must be an interpreter/transliterator who has either NAD level IV or V certification or RID certified interpreter and certified transliterator certification and have at least three years interpreting/transliterating experience in any educational setting. The mentor, in collaboration with the provisionally certified interpreter/transliterator, shall develop and implement an education plan designed to meet the requirements of paragraph (a), clause (1), and include a weekly on-site mentoring process.
(d) Consistent with the requirements of this paragraph, a person holding a provisional certificate may apply to the commissioner for one time-limited extension. The commissioner, in consultation with the Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing, must grant the person a time-limited extension of the provisional certificate based on the following documentation:
(1) letters of support from the person's mentor, a parent of a pupil the person serves, the special education director of the district in which the person is employed, and a representative from the regional service center of the deaf and hard-of-hearing;
(2) records of the person's formal education, training, experience, and progress on the person's education plan; and
(3) an explanation of why the extension is needed.
As a condition of receiving the extension, the person must comply with a plan and the accompanying time line for meeting the requirements of this subdivision. A committee composed of the deaf and hard-of-hearing state specialist, a representative of the Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens, a representative of the Minnesota Registry of Interpreters of the Deaf, and other appropriate persons selected by the commissioner must develop the plan and time line for the person receiving the extension.
(e) A school district may employ only an interpreter/transliterator who has been certified under paragraph (a) or (b), or for whom a time-limited extension has been granted under paragraph (d).
Subd. 2. Oral or cued speech transliterators. (a) In addition to any other requirements that a school district establishes, any person employed to provide oral transliterating or cued speech transliterating services on a full-time or part-time basis for a school district after July 1, 2000, must hold a current applicable transliterator certificate awarded by the national certifying association or comparable state certification from the commissioner of education.
(b) To provide oral or cued speech transliterator services on a full-time or part-time basis, a person employed in a school district must comply with paragraph (a). The commissioner shall grant a nonrenewable, two-year certificate to a school district on behalf of a person who has not yet attained a current applicable transliterator certificate under paragraph (a). A person for whom a nonrenewable, two-year certificate is issued must work under the direction of a licensed teacher who is skilled in language development of individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. A person for whom a nonrenewable, two-year certificate is issued also must enroll in a state-approved training program and demonstrate progress towards the certification required under paragraph (a) sufficient for the person to be certified at the end of the two-year period.
(c) Consistent with the requirements of this paragraph, a person holding a provisional certificate may apply to the commissioner for one time-limited extension. The commissioner, in consultation with the Commission of the Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing, must grant the person a time-limited extension of the provisional certificate based on the following documentation:
(1) letters of support from the person's mentor, a parent of a pupil the person serves, the special education director of the district in which the person is employed, and a representative from the regional service center of the deaf and hard-of-hearing;
(2) records of the person's formal education, training, experience, and progress on the person's education plan; and
(3) an explanation of why the extension is needed.
As a condition of receiving the extension, the person must comply with a plan and the accompanying time line for meeting the requirements of this subdivision. A committee composed of the deaf and hard-of-hearing state specialist, a representative of the Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens, a representative of the Minnesota Registry of Interpreters of the Deaf, and other appropriate persons selected by the commissioner must develop the plan and time line for the person receiving the extension.
Subd. 3. Qualified interpreters. The Department of Education state specialist for deaf and hard-of-hearing shall work with existing interpreter/transliterator training programs, other training/educational institutions, and the regional service centers to ensure that ongoing staff development training for educational interpreters/transliterators is provided throughout the state.
Subd. 4. Reimbursement. (a) For purposes of revenue under section 125A.76, the Department of Education must only reimburse school districts for the services of those interpreters/transliterators who satisfy the standards of competency under this section.
(b) Notwithstanding paragraph (a), a district shall be reimbursed for the services of interpreters with a nonrenewable provisional certificate, interpreters/transliterators employed to mentor the provisional certified interpreters, and persons for whom a time-limited extension has been granted under subdivision 1, paragraph (d), or subdivision 2, paragraph (c).
1994 c 647 art 3 s 17; 1Sp1995 c 3 art 16 s 13; 1998 c 397 art 8 s 72,101; art 11 s 3; 1998 c 398 art 5 s 55; 2000 c 489 art 3 s 1,2; 1Sp2001 c 6 art 3 s 2; 2003 c 130 s 12; 2009 c 86 art 1 s 14; 2009 c 96 art 3 s 4; 1Sp2015 c 3 art 5 s 1,2; 2016 c 189 art 29 s 2; 2018 c 121 s 7; 2019 c 50 art 1 s 31
Structure Minnesota Statutes
Chapters 120 - 129C — Education Code: Prekindergarten - Grade 12
Chapter 122A — Teachers And Other Educators
Section 122A.01 — Definitions.
Section 122A.05 — Professional Practices; Intent.
Section 122A.06 — Definitions.
Section 122A.07 — Professional Educator Licensing And Standards Board Membership.
Section 122A.092 — Teacher Preparation Programs.
Section 122A.093 — Fraud; Gross Misdemeanor.
Section 122A.11 — Definitions.
Section 122A.12 — Board Of School Administrators.
Section 122A.14 — Duties Of Board Of School Administrators.
Section 122A.15 — Teachers, Supervisory And Support Personnel, Definitions, Licensure.
Section 122A.16 — Qualified Teacher Defined.
Section 122A.17 — Validity Of Certificates Or Licenses.
Section 122A.18 — Board To Issue Licenses.
Section 122A.181 — Tier 1 License.
Section 122A.182 — Tier 2 License.
Section 122A.183 — Tier 3 License.
Section 122A.184 — Tier 4 License.
Section 122A.185 — Teacher Licensure Assessment.
Section 122A.187 — Expiration And Renewal.
Section 122A.188 — Licensure Denial; Appeal.
Section 122A.19 — Bilingual And English As A Second Language Teachers; Licenses.
Section 122A.20 — Suspension Or Revocation Of Licenses.
Section 122A.21 — Teachers' And Administrators' Licenses; Fees.
Section 122A.22 — District Verification Of Teacher Licenses.
Section 122A.23 — Applicants Trained In Other States.
Section 122A.2451 — Alternative Teacher Preparation Providers And Programs.
Section 122A.26 — Community Education Teachers; Licensure Requirements.
Section 122A.27 — Alternative Preparation Licensing For Administrators.
Section 122A.28 — Teachers Of Deaf And Hard-of-hearing Students; Licensure Requirements.
Section 122A.29 — Teachers Of Blind And Visually Impaired Students; Licensure Requirements.
Section 122A.31 — American Sign Language/english Interpreters.
Section 122A.33 — License And Degree Exemption For Head Coach.
Section 122A.40 — Employment; Contracts; Termination.
Section 122A.41 — Teacher Tenure Act; Cities Of The First Class; Definitions.
Section 122A.414 — Alternative Teacher Pay.
Section 122A.4144 — Supplemental Agreements; Alternative Teacher Pay.
Section 122A.415 — Alternative Compensation Revenue.
Section 122A.4155 — Alternative Compensation Rural District Application Assistance.
Section 122A.417 — Alternative Teacher Compensation Revenue For St. Croix River Education District.
Section 122A.42 — General Control Of Schools.
Section 122A.43 — Short-term, Limited Contracts.
Section 122A.44 — Contracting With Teachers; Substitute Teachers.
Section 122A.45 — Teacher Contracts For Summer School.
Section 122A.46 — Extended Leaves Of Absence.
Section 122A.47 — Return To Full-time Work.
Section 122A.48 — Teacher Early Retirement Incentive Program.
Section 122A.49 — Sabbatical Leave For Teachers.
Section 122A.50 — Preparation Time.
Section 122A.51 — Teacher Lunch Period.
Section 122A.54 — Exchange Teachers.
Section 122A.55 — Staff Exchange Program.
Section 122A.56 — Faculty Exchange And Temporary Assignment Program.
Section 122A.57 — Exchanges Between Education Faculty.
Section 122A.58 — Coaches, Termination Of Duties.
Section 122A.59 — Come Teach In Minnesota Hiring Bonuses.
Section 122A.60 — Staff Development Program.
Section 122A.61 — Reserved Revenue For Staff Development.
Section 122A.624 — Educational Effectiveness Program.
Section 122A.625 — Educational Effectiveness Plan.
Section 122A.627 — Positive Behavioral Interventions And Supports.
Section 122A.63 — Grants To Prepare Indian Teachers.
Section 122A.635 — Collaborative Urban And Greater Minnesota Educators Of Color Grant Program.
Section 122A.66 — Teacher Training; Effects Of Drugs And Alcohol.
Section 122A.68 — Teaching Residency Program.
Section 122A.69 — Practice Or Student Teachers.
Section 122A.695 — Best Practices.
Section 122A.70 — Teacher Mentorship And Retention Of Effective Teachers.
Section 122A.71 — Research On Program Effectiveness.
Section 122A.72 — Teacher Centers.
Section 122A.73 — Grants For Grow Your Own Programs.
Section 122A.74 — Principals' Leadership Institute.
Section 122A.76 — Statewide Concurrent Enrollment Teacher Training Program.
Section 122A.90 — Interstate Agreement On Qualifications Of Educational Personnel.