Welcome!
We’re glad you’re here: you may be taking the first steps in the teaching journey or you may already have some experience in this field- regardless, we are here to help. Please take a moment to learn about the journey, let us know some information in our assessment and we will let you know what your path to certification will look like!
FAQs
This is a tool that will help guide you through the teacher licensure process in Minnesota. Through a series of simple questions, we’ll determine what tier you may qualify for and what requirements you may need to fulfill to move forward in your journey.
You will be selecting your educational level, telling us about your teacher training and professional experience as well as any licensure exams you may have taken. You will be able to save your progress by sharing your email or take the assessment as many times as you'd like to explore the different routes to licensure.
Tiers without Fear is open to everybody regardless of teaching experience or educational level. We encourage you to take a look and learn more about your unique path to becoming a teacher.
What are we hearing?
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"Many AmeriCorps members are interested in becoming teachers but do not know where to start. The tiered licensing system is complex and Tiers without Fear fills a critical need for our members in understanding and navigating the process to become a teacher in Minnesota"
-Sandy Pulles, Ph.D., ServeMinnesota
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"I think this tool will be very helpful for candidates considering the teaching process as they navigate the Tiered Licensure system. Well done overall!"
-Dr. Rhonda Bonnstetter, Past President, Minnesota Association of Colleges for Teacher Education
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"ImprintU’s Tiers without Fear is a game-changing tool for prospective teachers in Minnesota. Using a simple step-by-step interface, users answer a few questions about their background and experience, and are then able to find out which licensure tier (1-4) they may qualify for. This tool makes navigating the complicated licensure process easy and more accessible for those who are exploring the teaching profession.”
- Joe Munnich, Managing Director, Generation Next
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"We prepare our instructors in the Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center at the Science Museum of MN to lead STEM education experiences through our STEM Justice pedagogy in the hopes that they move forward on their pathway into teaching. We've been searching for an easy way to help them see how their experiences line up with future opportunities, and what they need to do to create more opportunities for themselves. This is it! Thank you to all of the contributors for creating this invaluable tool."
-Joseph Adamji, Director, Kitty Andersen Youth Science Center, Science Museum of Minnesota
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"I think Tiers without Fear is a brilliant and much needed equity tool. It has the potential to empower people to pursue a teaching career because it provides guidance on how to enter the profession given one's current qualifications and in such a user friendly manner! As a result of using this tool, many people will be pleasantly surprised at how close they are to becoming a teacher!"
-Regina Seabrook, Director of Research, Curriculum and Professional Development, Equity Alliance MN
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"I am so impressed with the Tiers without Fear tool. This tool takes a complex system and breaks it down to provide understanding of the tiered licensing system. The interactive tool allows the user to direct their potential educator pathway, attempt various routes, and really understand where they are, where they can go and how they can get there. What an amazing way to see yourself becoming a future educator and realizing your dreams!"
-Hanna Younce, Licensing Specialist, Minnesota Professional Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB)
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"We work with many high school students interested to explore the teaching profession. The Tiers without Fear tool will be very necessary in helping them navigate a complicated teacher licensing system in Minnesota. This tool and ImprintU in general will also help high school students with the language to talk about the profession and find the support and resources they need on their journey to becoming a teacher."
-J. Ayenna Davis, Multicultural Education Program Specialist Northwest Suburban Integration School District
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"Tiers without Fear is a tool that will guide teacher candidates through a personalized process to licensure. The material provides direction to students where they are at! It is an excellent tool that we plan to introduce to our students in their exploration."
-Linette Manier, Director of Teacher Education Normandale Community College
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“Tiers without Fear is a groundbreaking tool and resource for both aspiring educators and experienced teachers and leaders! Within a few quick questions someone can explore their pathway into the classroom and learn about the licensure process and requirements. This is also game changing for educators relocating to Minnesota. Teach For American Twin Cities will definitely be sharing Tiers without Fear with local prospects and our alumni across the country ready to leverage their expertise and partner with others to advance education equity in Minnesota."
-Mikisha Nation, Executive Director, Teach For America Twin Cities
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"The Tiers without Fear tool is an important part of our Introduction to Education course at Century College! Students interested in the teaching profession can easily access the language and requirements and create a personal pathway to becoming a teacher in Minnesota. When students understand how their life experiences and credentials earned can become part of their pathway, it provides motivation and efficiency in entering and completing the licensure process."
-Christina Davis, Education Faculty, Program Director, Century College
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"Current and future educators need a simple tool to show them the most direct path into the classroom. Tiers without Fear is a great step toward demystifying the complicated Minnesota licensing rules."
-Chris Hoehn, Founder, educatemn.org
We encourage you to use this exploratory tool as a starting point in your teaching journey. The results here are not binding but should provide you with a good picture of where you are.
IMPORTANT NOTE: There have been some recent changes to tiered licensure laws that are not yet reflected in this tool. For any detailed questions, to confirm what tier license you qualify for, or to begin the process of becoming a licensed teacher, please reach out directly to the Professional Education Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) at pelsb@state.mn.us.
Web browsers: this tool is not designed for Internet Explorer, to ensure the best possible experience please use Google Chrome or Safari
Learn more about who made this tool possible by visiting the acknowledgements page .
