Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board - St Paul, Minnesota

Introduction

The Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board (PELSB) is a critical state agency dedicated to ensuring the quality of education in Minnesota by licensing and regulating educators and school administrators. Located at 1021 Bandana Blvd E Suite 222, St Paul, MN 55108, PELSB plays a pivotal role in maintaining high educational standards across the state.

Main Services

• Educator Licensing: PELSB is responsible for issuing, renewing, and modifying educator licenses in Minnesota. They ensure that all educators meet the state's rigorous standards before granting licensure.
• Licensure Exams: The board administers and scores various licensure exams, such as the Minnesota Teacher Licensure Examinations (MTLE) and the School Administrator Licensure Examinations (SALE).
• Professional Development: PELSB provides resources and support for educators' professional growth, including workshops, webinars, and online courses.
• Complaint Investigation: The board investigates complaints against licensed educators and school administrators, ensuring that those who violate professional standards are held accountable.
• Policy and Regulation: PELSB develops, reviews, and updates policies and regulations related to educator and administrator licensure in Minnesota.

Location and Access

PELSB is situated in the Hamline-Midway neighborhood of St Paul, Minnesota. The office is easily accessible from several major roads, including Interstate 94 and Highway 36.

• Public Transportation: The office is serviced by several Metro Transit bus routes, including the #63, #84, and #94. The closest light rail station is the Snelling Avenue Station, approximately a 10-minute walk away.
• Parking: Complimentary parking is available in the lot adjacent to the building. Designated accessible parking spaces are also provided.

Featured Characteristics

• Wheelchair Accessibility: PELSB's facility is wheelchair-accessible, featuring an automatic entrance door, elevator access to all floors, and accessible restrooms.
• Multilingual Services: The board offers multilingual resources and support for educators and the public, with services available in Hmong, Spanish, Somali, and other languages upon request.
• Online Services: PELSB provides various online services, including license lookup, application submission, and exam registration, making it convenient for users to access services from anywhere at any time.

Practical Information

• Hours of Operation: The office is open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM. However, it is recommended to check their website for any updates or changes in hours.
• Contact Information:
  • Address: 1021 Bandana Blvd E Suite 222, St Paul, MN 55108, United States
  • Phone: 651-539-4200
  • Website: mn.gov/pelsb
• Security and Safety: Visitors to the PELSB office should be aware that all bags are subject to inspection and that firearms are prohibited on the premises. Additionally, face masks may be required during visits, depending on current health guidelines.

Positive Aspects from Reviews

PELSB has received a 2.9/5 star rating on Google My Business based on 14 reviews. Several positive aspects mentioned by reviewers include:

• Responsive and helpful customer service
• Efficient processing of license applications and renewals
• User-friendly online services and resources
• Professional and knowledgeable staff

While some negative feedback was mentioned, such as long wait times and occasional bureaucracy, the majority of reviewers praised PELSB's efforts in maintaining high educational standards and supporting Minnesota educators.

👍 Reviews of Minnesota Professional Educator Licensing and Standards Board

M B.

1/5

Very difficult to work with, but I imagine who your assigned representative is makes a huge difference. Mine seemed to relish the opportunity to drag out the process and be confrontational.

Nicole K.

1/5

Called a couple of times during their extremely limited times that their call line for licnese questions was open. Was on hold for over 10 minutes before a real person answered only to be immediately transfered to a voice mail box before I could even speak. Once again, this was during the limited hours I was told to call to get my questions about my application answered. My question is literally a yes or no question as well, not complicated at all but its like pulling teeth to get ahold of anyone. I have also emailed and received no responses. Maybe leaving a voice-mail is the magic solution but I highly doubt it. Extremely unhelpful organization.

Marcus E.

5/5

I recently went through the steps for obtaining a short-call substitute teaching license. The friendly and helpful staff made the process easy.

Ann M.

1/5

If I could give negative stars, I would. On-going issue for over a year. Received a rude note that I had used "an incredibly out of date form" that is still the first thing that comes up when I Google search to voluntarily remove one of my licenses.

Melissa B.

1/5

I thought I did a short call substitute teacher license back in 2005 and when I had them check, they said “no”. So I had to reach out and find my teacher that I worked with during student teaching (after 19 years)! and have her write a letter of recommendation, plus get my transcript and fingerprints done, and other paperwork that didn’t need to be done. I don’t remember, but I renewed my license in 2021 and the woman who put in my married name in the system spelled it wrong and that’s why no one could find me in the system!! I sent them all my paperwork to get my tier 3 license and a month later, they can’t find the paperwork!?

Basileus

1/5

Some of the least helpful people I've encountered. They seemed so put off to answer any questions which made the process more unpleasant.

Kelsie K.

1/5

Traveled all the way here to talk to someone through a doorbell (during business hours) just to be told to put all my paperwork in a drop box. Not sure why I wasn’t allowed to speak to anyone if they were open. Then a few weeks later was issued the wrong license, even though all required signed paperwork was included.

Kyle S.

4/5

Very helpful and kind on the phone. Their hours are a bit inconvenient though.