Clock Hours & Renewal Requirements

"Clock hour" means an hour of actual instruction, supervised group activities, or planned individual professional development. Except for teaching experiences that are directly designed to experience teaching students of different socioeconomic, cultural, or other diversity factors - clock hours are not to be granted for teaching that requires a MN Dept. of Ed. License. One hour of participation = one clock hour unless an exception is provided in these guidelines. Allowable time excludes travel time, meals, breaks, faculty meetings, etc. 

Required of all Tier 3 and Tier 4 license renewals. 

Tier 2 renewals must meet the Cultural Competency requirements, Sucide Prevention requirement, and Mental Illness requirement. 

Tier 1 renewals do not need to meet these requirements. 

Mandated topics include professional growth and development in: 

• Positive Behavioral Intervention Strategies - 2 hours required 
• Accommodating, modifying and, adapting curricula, materials, and strategies - 2 hours required
• Further Reading Preparation - 2 hours required
• Key Warning Signs of Early-onset Mental Illness - 1 hour required
• Suicide Prevention - 1 hour required
• English Language Learner Instruction - 1 hour required
• Cultural Competency Training - 3 hours required (must cover all 8 areas): 
• racial, cultural, adn socioeconomic groups
• American Indian and Alaskan native students
• religious diversity
• gender identity, including transgender students
• sexual orientation
• language diversity
• individuals with disabilities and mental health concerns
• systemic racism

If the experience satisfies one of the mandated topic requirements, please note this on the certificate and/or the clock hour request form. 

Clock hour request forms and local guidelines are available on the school district website or from any continuing education committee member. 

Clock hour requests must be made within one year of completion of the experience and may be submitted to any continuing education committee member. 

The continuing education committee reserves the right to adjust or approve the number of clock hours awarded to reflect the actual time in training/learning information pertinent to teaching. Hours are not awarded for time spent in breaks or meals. 

Clock hour request forms must be completed and accompany documentation of each experience EXCEPT for training/learning experiences offered by: 

• District 531
• MN Department of Education
• MN Board of School Administrators
• Southeast Service Cooperative (SSC)
• Rochester Area Math Science Partnership
• Education Minnesota
• ZUmbro Education District (ZED)
• MN State High School League (MSHSL)
• Safe Schools
• College Now training at SMSU

For those experiences, submit only the certification of attendance/clock hour verification.

Below you will find the different categories and/or ways you can obtain clock hours to be used towards re-licensure: 

1. College courses - verified by an unofficial or official transcript (or grade report) from the college AND the class syllabus or detailed course description from the college catalog. 
1. Each quarter credit = 16 clock hours
2. Each semester credit = 24 clock hours
3. Audit/non-credit courses will earn clock hours as a workshop
2. Workshops, conferences, institutes, seminars, webinars, lectures in areas appropriate to licenses held as verified by certificate of attendance or written statement from workshop sponsor. 
3. Staff development activities, in-service meetings and courses as verified by certificate of attendance of an administrator of the educational unit responsible. 
4. Curriculum development for use with students, teachers, or in-service courses as verified by a written statement for an administrator of the educational unit responsible. 
1. Byron teachers may submit up to 5 clock hours per school year and up to a maximum of 25 clock hours per 5 year period for curriculum development within their Professional Learning Community (PLC) as verified by building principal or PLC Lead. 
5. Peer coaching or mentorship relationships with colleagues as verified by a certificate signed by building administrator
1. Maximum of 24 hours per five years
6. Professional Service
1. Supervision of clinical experiences of persons enrolled in teacher licensing programs
1. 16 clock hours granted per quarter or 24 clock hours per semester
2. Verified by a written statement of local administration or college supervisor
3. Maximum 30 clock hours per 5 years 
2. Membership on committees involved with licensure, teacher education, or professional standards as verified by written statement of chairperson or representative of agency responsible
3. Participation in national, regional, or state accreditation as verified by written statement of accrediting agency representative or local administrator
7. Leadership
   
   
1. Development of new or broader skills and sensitivities to the school, community, or profession. Maximum of 30 clock hours per 5 year period. Examples: volunteer leadership roles (4-H, scouting, church advisory boards, etc.) - verified by a written statement from a representative of the organization. 
2. Publication of professional articles in a professional journal (1 clock hour per hour of research & writing), verified by a copy of the article and summary of the experience. 
3. Volunteer work in professional organizations related to the areas of licensure held as verified by a written statement from a representative of the organization. 
4. Teacher training provided on teacher-supervised trips with students by companies such as EF (Educational First) Educational Tours - up to 1 clock hour per day as verified by a written statement from a representative of the tour company or school administrator. 
8. Opportunities to enhance knowledge and understanding of diverse education settings
1. Experiences with students of another age, ability, culture, or socioeconomic level as verified by a written statement from a representative of the agency for which the teaching was done. 
2. Systematic, purposeful observation during visits to schools and related business and an industry as verified by a written statement from an official representative of the school, business, or industry.
9. Pre approval of travel and work experiences
1. Travel related to licensure area as verified by a detailed itinerary, objectives for the trip, and a summary of the trip and how instructional capabilities were improved 
2. Work experience in business or industry related to areas of licensure as verified by a written statement from an employer. 
3. 10 clock hours per week of travel or work, with no more than 30 clock hours in five years
4. Clock hours receive final approval when completion documentation is submitted