The Minnesota Licensing Standards
of Governor Tim Walz and his appointed PELSB
With resignation after resignation by SoWashCo teachers over the last two years … are Mold-a-Teacher License Standards really what the voters of Minnesota want? Puppet teachers and a new social dialect? Do you want perpetual pessimism, Minnesota? Do you want your children to grow up hateful and victimized?
I’ve lived here since I was one years old, and the Minnesotans I know are hopeful, cooperative, and resilient. We listen, we help, we give and we serve. This new language developed by Walz and PELSB does not represent us. For this reason I do not believe Walz will be in office after the November election. The problem is, by then it will be too late. His proposed revisions to OUR teachers and their licensing standards will go into effect immediately after adoption. That is why it is so important that we all have read and understood the consequence of remaining silent. The deadline to voice your opinion is NOW. The virtual Public Hearing is set for Wednesday, August 24th and rebuttal will happen for an unknown period of time after that.
Read what Walz has planned for your children, and then
TAKE ACTION !!!
Tell PELSB that their Mold-a-Teacher Licensing is not what Minnesotans want.
I have written letters to my local Christian Private Schools, to my Pastor, to my Parent Friends, to my Teacher Friends, and to my Political Friends across the State of MN who are actively involved in their local politics. Now I am writing to you: my District Friends.
Dear Friends,
I am concerned over PELSB Teacher Licensing Standards and the negative worldview this perpetuates. In the public school system, I am concerned this licensing standard will water down the ability for a school board to even be effective. It will render their job of providing quality education useless, and will degrade their functionality strictly to that of facility planning: Joy. In Christian private schools, I am concerned this licensing standard will force a contradictory non-biblical worldview upon licensed teachers.
If this final draft is adopted after the virtual public hearing on August 24th, these anti-Christian standards will be forced on all MN licensed teachers, effective immediately. Public or private, teachers union or not, preschool or k-12 … it won’t matter.
I have gone to great effort protecting my children from the harmful political and spiritual tug-of-war in public schools. I ran for school board in order to BE the change and VOTE in the best interests of kids and families. I joined the Vote No campaign in order to demand the school district prioritize needs over wants, people over buildings, and truth over lies. At times I have failed while at other times I have succeeded beyond my wildest imagination! If this teachers license is adopted though, running for school board won’t make the same impact. Without local control over what my children learn, elected officials only run on the hamster wheel of endless work for little gain. The only safe place left for Christians to go will be homeschooling and non-accredited private schools with non-licensed teachers.
Thank you for considering the harm that PELSB has in store,
Jaime Kokaisel
Proposed revisions to Teacher Licensing Standards
established and enforced by PELSB
This is a sampling of the 10 Standards, as they were written in 2010, compared to the proposed revisions Governor Walz and his Board (PELSB) created to replace the Teacher Standards now in 2022. The section I have summarized here begins with page 22 of Draft 4 and ends with page 44. The drafts are organized in such a way as to make it very difficult for comparison between old and new content, therefore I reorganized a side-by side snap shot. The official Draft can be viewed at the Minnesota PELSB website HERE.
Before we get into the revisions, maybe we should consider what PELSB means, who created it, and when? I attending a presentation about “Why The New Teacher Certification Standards Spell Bad News For Our Children” this past Monday. The following information I obtained from the Power Point presentation of Alfrieda Baldwin, Founder and Head of School at Laurel Community School.
Who is PELSB ?
Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board
In case you have not heard of PELSB, “They were created by state legislature in 2017. PELSB combines the work of the Board Of Teaching (BOT) with the Minnesota Deparment of Education (MDE) Licensing Division. It is made up of an 11-member board who is tasked with licensing teachers, establishing and maintaining teacher licensure standards/requirements, establishing and enforcing the Teacher Code of Ethics, and approving/overseeing teacher preparation providers/programs to prepare candidates for licensure. PELSB has rulemaking authority.” (Baldwin)
Do you know any of these people?
Probably not because you did not vote for them. They were appointed by Governor Walz.
Do any of these people know your child?
Probably not because they do not live in your community.
Timeline
The Rulemaking Process of the Revised Standards
- FIRST DRAFT created August 2019 (Link to all four drafts HERE)
- Current and FINAL DRAFT created December 2021
- Virtual Public Hearing is set for Wednesday, August 24th, 2022
- Post Hearing Comment Period and Rebuttal is TBD
- Administrative Law Judge Order will happen 30 days following closure of the rebuttal period
- Changes will be EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY following it’s adoption (Baldwin)
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Draft 4 : Standards of Effective Practice for Teachers
As you read through the changes, notice the significant shift in language from just 12 year ago. It is a variation on English which doesn’t necessarily follow the typical pattern of dialect associated with a region, a people or a time. It is more like a constructed new social dialect, unnaturally forced onto a culture that, for the most part, does not speak in this way yet, but is being unknowingly transformed and “molded”.
Standard 1 : Student Learning
“The teacher understands multiple theories of identity formation and knows how to help students develop positive social identities based on their membership in multiple groups in society.”
“The teacher understands that each student’s cognitive, linguistic, social, emotional, and physical development influences learning and makes instructional decisions that build on learners’ strengths, needs, and cultural ways of knowing.”
“The teacher understands the diverse impacts of individual and systemic trauma, such as experiencing homelessness, foster care, incarceration, migration, medical fragility, racism, and micro and macro aggressions, on learning and development and knows how to support students using culturally responsive strategies and resources to address these impacts.”
The current standard, listed here, will be deleted …
“…support a student’s intellectual, social, and personal development. “
“The teacher must understand how students internalize knowledge, acquire skills, and develop thinking behaviors, and know how to use instructional strategies that promote student learning. “
“T“he teacher must understand that a student’s physical, social, emotional, moral, and cognitive development influence learning and know how to address these factors when making instructional decisions.
“T.”he teacher must use a student’s strengths as a basis for growth, and a student’s errors as opportunities for learning
Standard 2 : Learning Environments
“The teacher fosters an environment that ensures student identities such as race/ethnicity, national origin, language, sex and gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical/developmental/emotional ability, socioeconomic class, and religious beliefs are historically and socially contextualized, affirmed, and incorporated into a learning environment where students are empowered to learn and contribute as their whole selves.”
“The teacher understands and supports students as they recognize and process dehumanizing biases, discrimination, prejudices, and structural inequities.”
The current standard, listed here, will be deleted …
“A teacher must … create learning environments that encourage positive social interaction, active engagement in learning, and self-motivation.”
“The teacher must understand human motivation and behavior and draw from the foundational sciences of psychology, anthropology, and sociology to develop strategies for organizing and supporting individual and group work.”
“The teacher must know how to create learning environments that contribute to the self-esteem of all persons and to positive interpersonal relations.”
“The teacher must establish a positive climate in the classroom and participate in maintaining a positive climate in the school as a whole.“
Of Note:
Reading the two languages side by side is to recognize what this new social dialect neglects. The words I have highlighted in the deleted quotations include “intellect, development, morality, growth, strength, humility, stability, foundations, questioning, learning, achievement, principals, relations, goals, encouragement, context, problem solving, critical thinking, advancement, reflection, spirituality, history, philosophy, ideas, sharing, giving, collaborating, talent, parents, family, and community.”
Standard 3 : Assessment
“The teacher understands bias in assessment, evaluates standardized and teacher-created assessments for bias, and designs and modifies assessments that minimize sources of bias.”
“The teacher, independently and in collaboration with colleagues, uses a variety of data, including data disaggregated by student race, ethnicity, and home language, to evaluate the outcomes of teaching and learning and to adapt planning and practice.”
“The teacher uses assessment strategies and devices that are nondiscriminatory, and takes into consideration the impact of disabilities, methods of communication, cultural background, and primary language on measuring knowledge and performance of students.”
The current standard, listed here, will be deleted …
“A teacher must understand and be able to use formal and informal assessment strategies to evaluate and ensure the continuous intellectual, social, and physical development of the student.”
“The teacher must be able to assess student performance toward achievement of the Minnesota graduation standards under chapter 3501.”
“The teacher must use assessment to identify student strengths and promote student growth and to maximize student access to learning opportunities.“
“The teacher must use varied and appropriate formal and informal assessment techniques including observation, portfolios of student work, teacher-made tests, performance tasks, projects, student self-assessments, peer assessment, and standardized tests.”
“The teacher must implement students’ self-assessment activities to help them identify their own strengths and needs and to encourage them to set personal goals for learning.”
“A teacher must monitor teaching strategies and behaviors in relation to student success to modify plans and instructional approaches to achieve student goals.“
Standard 4 : Planning for Instruction
“The teacher understands Minnesota’s English Language Development Standards Framework and uses the framework components to develop learning experiences that support the development of language in content instruction.”
“The teacher understands cross-disciplinary instruction, with particular attention to historically marginalized disciplines to engage learners purposefully in applying content knowledge.”
“The teacher plans how to achieve each student’s learning goals by choosing anti-racist, culturally relevant, and responsive instructional strategies, accommodations, and resources to differentiate instruction for individuals and groups of learners.”
“The teacher features, highlights, and uses resources written and developed by traditionally marginalized voices that offer diverse perspectives on race, culture, language, gender, sexual identity, ability, religion, nationality, migrant/refugee status, socioeconomic status, housing status, and other identities traditionally silenced or omitted from curriculum.”
“The teacher creates opportunities for students to learn about power, privilege, intersectionality, and systemic oppression in the context of various communities and empowers learners to be agents of social change to promote equity.”
The current standard, listed here, will be deleted …
“The teacher must understand learning theory, subject matter, curriculum development, and student development and know how to use this knowledge in planning instruction to meet curriculum goals.”
“The teacher must plan instruction using contextual considerations that bridge curriculum and student experiences.”
“The teacher must design lessons and activities that operate at multiple levels to meet the developmental and individual needs of students and to help all progress.“
Standard 5 : Instructional Strategies
This is about culturally relevant learning experiences. “The teacher asks questions to stimulate discussion that serves different purposes, such as probing for learner understanding, helping students articulate their ideas and thinking processes, stimulating curiosity, and helping students to question.”
“The teacher engages all students in developing higher-order questioning skills and metacognitive processes.”
“The teacher encourages critical thinking about culture and race and includes missing narratives to dominant culture in the curriculum.”
“The teacher employs a variety of strategies to assist students to develop social and emotional competencies, including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making.”
The current standard, listed here, will be deleted …
“A teacher must understand and use a variety of instructional strategies to encourage student development of critical thinking, problem solving, and performance skills.“
“The teacher must nurture the development of student critical thinking, independent problem solving, and performance capabilities.“
“The teacher must demonstrate flexibility and reciprocity in the teaching process as necessary for adapting instruction to student responses, ideas, and needs.“
“The teacher must use educational technology to broaden student knowledge about technology, to deliver instruction to students at different levels and paces, and to stimulate advanced levels of learning.“
Standard 6 : Professional Responsibilities
“The teacher understands the historical foundations of education in Minnesota, including laws, policies, and practices, that have and continue to create inequitable opportunities, experiences, and outcomes for learners, especially for Indigenous students and students historically denied access, underserved, or underrepresented on the basis of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, language, socioeconomic status, or country of origin.”
“The teacher understands how prejudice, discrimination, and racism operates at the interpersonal, intergroup, and institutional levels.”
“The teacher explores their own intersecting social identities and how they impact daily experience as an educator.”
“The teacher assesses how their biases, perceptions, and academic training may affect their teaching practice and perpetuate oppressive systems and utilizes tools to mitigate their own behavior to disrupt oppressive systems.”
“The teacher uses a variety of self-assessment and problem-solving strategies to analyze and reflect on their practice and to make adaptations and adjustments toward more equitable outcomes.”
The current standard, listed here, will be deleted …
This replaces the current standard: Reflection and Professional Development
“A teacher must be a reflective practitioner who continually evaluates the effects of choices and actions on others, including students, parents, and other professionals in the learning community, and who actively seeks out opportunities for professional growth.“
“The teacher must understand the historical and philosophical foundations of education.“
“The teacher must use professional literature, colleagues, and other resources to support development as both a student and a teacher.“
“The teacher must collaboratively use professional colleagues within the school and other professional arenas as supports for reflection, problem-solving, and new ideas, actively sharing experiences, and seeking and giving feedback.“
“The teacher must understand the role of continuous development in technology knowledge and skills representative of technology applications for education.“
Standard 7 : Collaboration and Leadership
“The teacher understands the importance of engaging in culturally affirming, reciprocal communication with families about student development, learning, and performance.”
“The teacher identifies gaps where the current curriculum does not address multiple perspectives, cultures, and backgrounds, and incorporates curriculum to fill these gaps.”
“The teacher recognizes the responsibility to question normative school knowledge, conventional teaching and other professional practices, and beliefs and assumptions about diverse students, their families, and communities that adversely impact learning.”
The current standard, listed here, will be deleted …
This replaces the current standard: Collaboration, Ethics and Relationships
“A teacher must be able to communicate and interact with parents or guardians, families, school colleagues, and the community to support student learning and well-being.“
“The teacher must understand schools as organizations within the larger community context and understand the operations of the relevant aspects of the systems within which the teacher works.“
“The teacher must understand how factors in a student’s environment outside of school, including family circumstances, community environments, health and economic conditions, may influence student life and learning.“
“The teacher must collaborate in activities designed to make the entire school a productive learning environment.“
Standard 8 : Racial Consciousness and Reflection
“The teacher understands multiple theories of race and ethnicity, including but not limited to racial formation, processes of racialization, and intersectionality.”
“The teacher understands how ethnocentrism, eurocentrism, deficit-based teaching, and white supremacy undermine pedagogical equity.”
“The teacher understands the impact of the intersection of race and ethnicity with other forms of difference, including class, gender, sexuality, religion, national origin, immigration status, language, ability, and age.”
The current standard, listed here, will be deleted …
This replaces the current standard: Diverse Learners
“The teacher must know how to design instruction that uses a student’s strengths as the basis for continued learning.“
“The teacher must understand how to recognize and deal with dehumanizing biases, discrimination, prejudices, and institutional and personal racism and sexism.“
“The teacher must understand how a student’s learning is influenced by individual experiences, talents, and prior learning, as well as language, culture, family, and community values.“
“The teacher must understand the contributions and lifestyles of the various racial, cultural, and economic groups in our society.“
“The teacher must understand that all students can and should learn at the highest possible levels and persist in helping all students achieve success.“
Of Note:
School Choice
The topic of School Choice has fascinated me for many years now, and this is now the driving force for my support of candidates this Political Season. Kendall Qualls is the President of Take Charge MN, and he actively promotes School Choice in Minnesota. I reached out to him about revisions to the Teaching Standards, and he sent me this chart.
He told me the teachers’ union and our public school are no longer focused on academic excellence and critical thinking skills. I would explain this geographic phenomena further, but I think the graphic at Take Charge MN gives the best example.
Standard 9 :
The current standard, listed here, will be deleted …
This Standard was moved by deleting Subject Matter
“A teacher must understand the central concepts, tools of inquiry, and structures of the disciplines taught and be able to create learning experiences that make these aspects of subject matter meaningful for students.
“The teacher must understand major concepts, assumptions, debates, processes of inquiry, and ways of knowing that are central to the disciplines taught.“
“The teacher must understand how students’ conceptual frameworks and misconceptions for an area of knowledge can influence the students’ learning.“
“The teacher must use varied viewpoints, theories, ways of knowing, and methods of inquiry in teaching subject matter concepts.“
“The teacher must evaluate teaching resources and curriculum materials for comprehensiveness, accuracy, and usefulness for presenting particular ideas and concepts.“
“The teacher must engage students in generating knowledge and testing hypotheses according to the methods of inquiry and standards of evidence used in the discipline.“
Standard 10 :
The current standard, listed here, will be deleted …
This Standard was moved by deleting Communication
“A teacher must be able to use knowledge of effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques to foster active inquiry, collaboration, and supportive interaction in the classroom.“
“The teacher must understand communication theory, language development, and the role of language in learning.“
“The teacher must know effective verbal, nonverbal, and media communication techniques.“
“The teacher must know how to ask questions and stimulate discussion in different ways for particular purposes, including probing for learner understanding, helping students articulate their ideas and thinking processes, promoting productive risk-taking and problem-solving, facilitating factual recall, encouraging convergent and divergent thinking, stimulating curiosity, and helping students to question.“
Take Action !!!
1.
If you are a Christian, PLEASE PRAY for our children that these revisions are not approved!
2.
Submit COMMENT to the PELSB Licensing Board at 651-539-4200 or pelsb@state.mn.us
3.
CONTACT Governor Walz by filling out the form HERE. Other options include mailing a letter or making a phone call.
4.
WRITE a letter to your legislative candidates requesting they commit to reining in the radical PELSB board, as well as the Minnesota Department of Education.
5.
CONTACT the GOP candidate for Governor, Doctor Scott Jensen HERE.
His email address is Info@DrScottJensen.com
6.
JOIN the hearing and submit COMMENT on Wednesday, August 24th beginning at 9AM. The Minnesota PELSB hearing details can be found HERE by clicking on “hearing details”.
7.
SHARE this article and spread awareness. QUICK. Send the MN PELSB link to veveryone you know. Share with the people you know who will be the most impacted if this revision is adopted. Please include: Private Schools, Christian Schools, Principals, Teachers, Parents, Pastors, Priests, Preschool Programs, Extended Adult Learnng Programs, Neighbors, Family, Grandparents, Taxpayers and ALL Minnesotan’s.
8.
READ more articles. Don’t just take my word for it. Below are some helpful articles.
Continued Reading : Article by Child Protection League
“Teachers must demonstrate a Marxist worldview to obtain their teaching license”
written by Allen and Julie Quist from Child Protection League. Link the the full article HERE, and print off their informational sheets.
CPL also provides advice and resources to TAKE ACTION !
Continued Reading : Article by Take Charge MN
Learn more about the benefits of School Choice at Take Charge MN
Excellent post – thank you.
Hi Brian!