teacher license

Legislation creating alternative licensing for teachers gets Gov. Mark Dayton's signature Monday, creating a new path into the profession for nontraditional teachers and midcareer professionals.

The Minnesota Legislature has passed a bill that creates a new method of obtaining teacher licenses. The alternative licensing plan is aimed at meeting projected teacher shortages in the future. It's designed to give Minnesota schools an infusion of new, mostly young teachers who don't attend traditional teaching colleges, and help close an achievement gap between white and minority students that's one of the worst in the country.