Law Puts Teachers at Head of the Class

Minnesota teachers will soon get more of a say over who gets to teach with a new law that will put them at the head of the class nationally in terms of self-regulation.

A state law effective Aug. 1 gives teachers a majority of seats on the Board of Teaching, which operates independently of the Department of Education.

The board grants licenses, sets standards, approves college programs for teachers and monitors professional conduct.

“It’s not just rearranging the chairs on the Titanic,” said Bella Rosenberg, assistant to President Albert Shanker of the American Federation of Teachers in Washington. “This has gone further than any other legislation we’ve seen.”

She and other advocates of education reform say they hope the law will lead to better preparation of new teachers and greater accountability for the profession.

Number of Board Members Cut

A bill signed May 25 by Gov. Rudy Perpich reduces the board created in 1973 from 15 to 11 members by attrition over the next few years while keeping the six members who are teachers.

The rest of the board will be made up of a higher education faculty member, a school administrator, two current or former school board members and one person with no connection to education.

The governor appoints all board members. Bills that failed recently in other states gave teacher unions the right to appoint board members.

“You’ll be a lighthouse of a new generation,” said Ann McLaren, program manager of the National Education Assn.’s instruction and professional development division.

Teachers Gain Control

The 20,000-member Minnesota Federation of Teachers and some Board of Teaching members wonder why it took so long to give teachers the kind of control over their field that other professions enjoy.

“That’s been our argument, that all other professional boards--hairdressers and barbers--have a majority,” said Jean Carlstrom, vice chairman of the Board of Teaching and a special-education teacher. “Because everyone’s been to school they think they’re an authority on education.”

The Minnesota School Boards Assn. opposed the original bill but supported the final version because of an amendment giving the Legislature final say over the creation of any new licensing categories.

“We thought the public would be well served to keep control of that ability to remove licenses and grant licenses for teachers,” said Bob Meeks, the association’s associate director for legislative services.

Unlike doctors and lawyers who regulate their professions, teachers have a “captive audience,” he said.

Better Preparation

The Board of Teaching already is working on rules to require colleges to better prepare teachers to recognize which students need special attention, Carlstrom said. It also is considering increasing the student-teaching requirement to one year from one quarter, she said.