Current through Register Vol. 48, No. 39, March 25, 2024
Subpart 1.
Application required.
An application for continuing approval of a program must be
submitted in accordance with the timelines and procedures established and
published by the Board of Teaching.
Subp.
2.
Program effectiveness report for continuing approval
(PERCA).
A. A unit must seek
continuing approval of a program every three years by submitting a program
effectiveness report for continuing approval (PERCA) that includes the
following:
(1) the number of candidates
enrolled and the number of program completers in each of the last three
years;
(2) aggregate candidate
scores and pass rates in state-required examinations in the last three years;
and
(3) aggregate candidate scores
and pass rates in board-adopted performance assessments in the last three
years.
B. The unit must
report when the primary placement of one or more standards has been changed by
revising the learning opportunities and assessments described in the online
educator preparation provider application system (EPPAS) at the time of the
PERCA submission.
C. PERCAs must be
reviewed according to the initial program review procedure in part
8705.2100, subpart 3, when:
(1) significant program changes have been
made such that the primary placement of at least 25 percent of standards
resulted;
(2) significant changes
have been made to one or more methods courses such that the primary placement
of at least 25 percent of standards resulted; or
(3) learning opportunities and assessments
specific to unit Standard 2, subitems (4) to (8), are modified.
Subp. 3.
Program effectiveness reports for continuing approval (PERCA) review
procedures.
A. PERCAs must be
initially reviewed by board staff. PERCAs must be submitted to the program
review panel for review when:
(1) program
changes to learning opportunities or assessments have been made and standards
are found to be "Met with Concern" or "Not Met";
(2) the program is out of compliance with one
or more of the requirements in this chapter, chapter 8710, or Minnesota
Statutes, chapter 122A;
(3) the
program has an existing status of "approval with a continuous focus area" and
has failed to address its continuous focus area;
(4) the program has an existing status of
"probationary"; or
(5) the program
has failed to meet the requirements set forth by a required interim
report.
B. The PRP or
board staff must make a recommendation to the board regarding whether to
approve the program.
Subp.
3a.
Board determinations.
Based on the findings of the PERCA submission and
recommendations of the PRP or board staff, the board must make one of the
program approval decisions in items A to D.
A.
The board must grant continuing approval for three years when
the program report provides evidence that the program meets adopted performance
standards, statutory and rule requirements, and evidences that candidates have
attained competency of licensure standards. For federal Title II reporting, the
board must identify the program as "effective" in the state report card.
B. The board must grant continuing
approval with focus areas for three years when the program report revealed that
one or more standards, rules, or candidate performance measures were not in
compliance with board criteria, including when less than 70 percent of
candidates meet board-adopted thresholds on state-required examinations and
board-adopted performance assessments. Continuing program approval status is
granted with board-identified areas of focus for continuous improvement. The
continuous improvement portion of the PERCA report must include evidence of
progress in the identified focus areas in the subsequent reporting cycle. The
board must make the status of approval with continuous improvement focus and
the identified focus areas publicly available on the board's website. Based on
evidence of progress specific to the focus areas, the board may grant an
additional two years of continuing approval with continuous improvement
focus.
C. The board must place a
program on probation for up to two years when the program does not demonstrate
acceptable progress on focused continuous improvement plans. Probationary
status authorizes the program to continue with one year to demonstrate progress
on identified unmet standards, rules, or candidate performance measures. During
the first year a program is on probation, the board must identify the program
as "at risk of low performing" in the state Title II report card. After one
year, and based on a written progress report, the board may grant a second
one-year extension of the probationary status prior to discontinuing the
identified program. Candidates enrolled in a formerly approved program that is
placed on probationary status must be notified of the program's status.
Probationary status may result in federal reporting or financial aid
implications or may impact other accreditations. During the second year a
program is on probation, the board must identify the program as "low
performing" in the state Title II report card.
D. The board must discontinue a program when
the failure of the program to meet the requirements and standards in this
chapter, chapter 8710, or Minnesota Statutes, chapter 122A, results in an
inability to prepare candidates for licensure. No new candidates may be
admitted into a discontinued program after the date the board acts to
discontinue the program. The provider must submit to the board a list of
candidates enrolled in the program , their expected completion dates, and a
plan for those candidates to complete the program by a specified date. The
provider must individually notify those candidates in writing of the program's
discontinuation and their program completion options. The unit may not apply
for program approval for a program that has been discontinued until at least
three years have passed since the board action.