Minnesota Statutes 120B.117 – Increasing Percentage of Teachers of Color and American Indian Teachers in Minnesota
Subdivision 1.Purpose.
This section sets short-term and long-term attainment goals for increasing the percentage of teachers of color and who are American Indian teachers in Minnesota and for ensuring all students have equitable access to effective and racially and ethnically diverse teachers who reflect the diversity of students. The goals and report required under this section are important for meeting attainment goals for the world’s best workforce under section 120B.11, achievement and integration under section 124D.861, and higher education attainment under section 135A.012, all of which have been established to close persistent opportunity and achievement gaps that limit students’ success in school and life and impede the state‘s economic growth.
Subd. 2.Equitable access to racially and ethnically diverse teachers.
Terms Used In Minnesota Statutes 120B.117
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Minority: means with respect to an individual the period of time during which the individual is a minor. See Minnesota Statutes 645.451
- Person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
- state: extends to and includes the District of Columbia and the several territories. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
Terms Used In Minnesota Statutes 120B.117
- Equitable: Pertaining to civil suits in "equity" rather than in "law." In English legal history, the courts of "law" could order the payment of damages and could afford no other remedy. See damages. A separate court of "equity" could order someone to do something or to cease to do something. See, e.g., injunction. In American jurisprudence, the federal courts have both legal and equitable power, but the distinction is still an important one. For example, a trial by jury is normally available in "law" cases but not in "equity" cases. Source: U.S. Courts
- Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
- Minority: means with respect to an individual the period of time during which the individual is a minor. See Minnesota Statutes 645.451
- Person: may extend and be applied to bodies politic and corporate, and to partnerships and other unincorporated associations. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
- state: extends to and includes the District of Columbia and the several territories. See Minnesota Statutes 645.44
The percentage of teachers in Minnesota who are of color or who are American Indian should increase at least two percentage points per year to have a teaching workforce that more closely reflects the state’s increasingly diverse student population and to ensure all students have equitable access to effective and diverse teachers by 2040.
Subd. 3.Rights not created.
The attainment goal in this section is not to the exclusion of any other goals and does not confer a right or create a claim for any person.
Subd. 4.Reporting.
Beginning in 2024 and every even-numbered year thereafter, the Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board must collaborate with the Department of Education and the Office of Higher Education to publish a summary report of each of the programs they administer and any other programs receiving state appropriations that have or include an explicit purpose of increasing the racial and ethnic diversity of the state’s teacher workforce to more closely reflect the diversity of students. The report must include programs under sections 122A.59, 122A.63, 122A.635, 122A.70, 122A.73, 124D.09, 124D.861, 136A.1274, 136A.1276, and 136A.1791, along with any other programs or initiatives that receive state appropriations to address the shortage of teachers of color and American Indian teachers. The board must, in coordination with the Office of Higher Education and Department of Education, provide policy and funding recommendations related to state-funded programs to increase the recruitment, preparation, licensing, hiring, and retention of racially and ethnically diverse teachers and the state’s progress toward meeting or exceeding the goals of this section. The report must include recommendations for state policy and funding needed to achieve the goals of this section, plans for sharing the report and activities of grant recipients, and opportunities among grant recipients of various programs to share effective practices with each other. The 2024 report must include a recommendation of whether a state advisory council should be established to address the shortage of racially and ethnically diverse teachers and what the composition and charge of such an advisory council would be if established. The board must consult with the Indian Affairs Council and other ethnic councils along with other community partners, including students of color and American Indian students, in developing the report. By November 3 of each odd-numbered year, the board must submit the report to the chairs and ranking minority members of the legislative committees with jurisdiction over education and higher education policy and finance. The report must be available to the public on the board’s website.