Minnesota Teacher Licensure Guide for Online Master's Students

Who Licenses Teachers in Minnesota, and Which Exams Does It Use?

Minnesota licenses teachers through Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board, and the exams it requires are the MTLE, the Minnesota Teacher Licensure Examinations.

For the programs themselves, the online master's in education programs at universities in Minnesota are ranked at the in-state price, and the national and specialty lists cover schools in other states.

How Do I Get a Minnesota Teaching License With an Online Master's?

Getting a Minnesota teaching license with an online master's means qualifying for a Tier 3 license, and state law generally requires a bachelor's degree, passing exam scores and one of five kinds of coursework evidence. Two of them suit an online student: a state-approved teacher preparation program in another state with field-specific student teaching equal to Minnesota's, or a professional license from another state in good standing plus two years of field-specific teaching.

A Tier 3 license lasts three years and renews without limit. A Tier 4 license needs three years of field-specific teaching as teacher of record and lasts five years. Because neither tier asks for a master's, an online degree in secondary education or special education helps only if its program meets the coursework test.

Which Exams Does Minnesota Require for Teacher Licensure?

Minnesota requires the Minnesota Teacher Licensure Examinations for Tier 3 and Tier 4 teacher licensure, and the board's testing page describes content exams, usually two subtests, plus pedagogy exams for nearly every field. A Tier 1 license needs no exam at application.

State law sets four exemptions. An applicant skips the exams after finishing a board-approved program, a recommended portfolio, National Board certification, or a state-approved program in another state with that state's licensure exams passed. Where no relevant content exam exists, the content requirement falls away.

Can I Transfer a Teaching License to Minnesota From Another State?

A teaching license from another state does not transfer automatically to Minnesota, though a professional license in good standing with two years of field-specific teaching satisfies the Tier 3 coursework requirement. Exam scores are still required unless an exemption applies, and a program completer who never held a license can use the state-approved program route instead.

In its 2020 comparison of reciprocity, the Education Commission of the States recorded that Minnesota signed the NASDTEC agreement but offered no full reciprocity, required extra coursework and assessments of some out-of-state teachers, and tiered its licenses by experience. The statute shows the tier ladder is still the structure: experience in the field, not a master's, moves you up.

Does NC-SARA Membership Cover Teacher Licensure for Minnesota Online Master's Students?

Minnesota entered NC-SARA in January 2015, and the membership does not cover teacher licensure for its online master's students. NC-SARA says SARA does not address licensing board approval of programs in fields like teacher education, so PELSB makes that call alone.

SARA does ask participating schools to notify you whether a program meets licensure requirements in the state where you are located.

What Should I Ask an Online Program Before Enrolling From Minnesota?

Before you enroll from Minnesota, ask an online program to put in writing whether it has determined that its curriculum meets Minnesota licensure requirements. The federal rule at 34 CFR 668.43 has schools that promote licensure preparation disclose, state by state, where the program does and does not qualify, and notify prospective students first if it falls short or is undetermined.

Ask the Minnesota questions too. Is the program approved by the state where the school sits? Does it include field-specific student teaching? Is the licensing exam in that state one the board accepts as an exemption from the MTLE? Who verifies completion to PELSB?

Which License Do Minnesota Principals and School Counselors Need?

A Minnesota principal needs an administrator license, and the rule says anyone who serves as or performs the duties of a principal must hold one. The Board of School Administrators, separate from PELSB, licenses administrators and reviews preparation programs under state law.

A school counselor gets a Tier 3 license with a master's degree from a regionally accredited school and verified completion of a counselor program approved where it sits or by CACREP. Counselors take no content, pedagogy or basic skills exams, and Tier 4 adds three years as a Minnesota counselor. Check an online master's in school counseling or educational leadership against these.