Panel Considers Repeal Of Teacher Skills Test

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) -- Several members of a House education committee favor repeal of a law that requires a basic skills test for teachers.

The K-12 education committee met to consider a task force's report on the test.

Rep. Jason Isaacson, a DFLer from Shoreview, said it was "mind-boggling" that he and his colleagues were still talking about the issue after task force members testified there was no evidence that the test predicts teacher effectiveness.

Rep. Barb Yarusso, a DFLer also from Shoreview, questioned the test's relevance.

But Rep. Sondra Erickson, a Princeton Republican who served on the task force and is a former English teacher, said dropping the test is a bad idea.

Erickson said dropping the basic skills requirement would put Minnesota farther behind a national trend for more teacher accountability.