Licensure

Concordia College-Moorhead
Department of Education
When an individual requests information about Minnesota licensure through Concordia College, the Department of Education requests that the individual provide the following information:

a. Full name, including all former names used in college or as an employee and Concordia identification number, (if currently or formerly enrolled at Concordia.);
b. Permanent address, telephone number(s), fax and email;
c. The teaching license sought, for instance, elementary K – 6 and 5 – 8, or secondary 5 – 12;
d. Specify interest in receiving a Concordia College BA degree, just completing requirements to be licensed in Minnesota, (may be used by those who already have a baccalaureate degree), or completing partial requirements, i.e. student teaching;
e. Official transcripts of all college courses taken at Concordia College and all other institutions;
f. Descriptions of clinical experiences in school settings, including the name of the school and supervising teacher (or the name of the college course in which these experiences were completed and the name of the professor), and the kinds of activities that were performed;
g. Copy of other current teaching licenses, either in Minnesota or another state;
h. Other information that reflects on the individual’s knowledge and experience in teaching, i.e. paraprofessional experience, teaching in a private school without a state license, documentation of in-service programs.

Susan P. Ellingson, Chair                       (218) 299-3910 office phone
Department of Education                        email: ellingso@cord.edu
901 – 8th Street South
Moorhead, MN 56562

a. Check with the Registrar’s Office to assure that all transcripts are evaluated for equivalency with Concordia College courses.
b. Contact the chair of the student’s proposed teaching major to ensure that the student meets the department’s requirements for student teaching and to assure that required major courses are acceptable as transferred.
c. Send a copy of the plan to the individual indicating the courses and clinical experiences that will be necessary to receive Concordia’s recommendation for a Minnesota teaching license.

Appeal Process

Subd. 4. License and rules. (a) The board must adopt rules to license public school teachers and interns subject to chapter 14. … (c) The board must adopt rules to approve teacher preparation programs. The board, upon the request of a postsecondary student preparing for teacher licensure or a licensed graduate of a teacher preparation program, shall assist in resolving a dispute between the person and a postsecondary institution providing a teacher preparation program when the dispute involves an institution's recommendation for licensure affecting the person or the person's credentials. At the board's discretion, assistance may include the application of chapter 14

Student Appeal Process under MN Rule 8700.7600: Dispute Resolution
Concordia College, Moorhead, MN

If the applicant feels that all the information was not considered in the decision making process, or if new information is available, or feels the chair and others acted arbitrarily, the applicant may appeal the recommendation for licensure.

Requests for appeals are first to come to the chair of the Department of Education. (Typically the registrar and chair of the department of the student’s major content area have been consulted for the transcript review so they would not be involved in the appeal process.) The appeal would be sent to the division chair for the Division of Social Sciences and Professional Disciplines, who oversees the Department of Education. The division chair would review the decision making process used by the others and report his or her recommendation to the dean of the college. The dean would confirm the division chair’s recommendation (or confer with the division chair if in opposition to the recommendation, and together come to consensus on a recommendation) and then inform the applicant of the results of the appeal.

If a student disagrees with Concordia College’s recommendation, we’d notify the individual of the appeal process. The appeal process is also posted on the departmental website.

If student feels that the institution’s decision is not resolved satisfactorily, she or he will be directed to the Board of Teaching.