The persistent shortage of licensed teachers - particularly bilingual educators and those prepared to support emerging bilingual students - demands urgent and innovative responses. Traditional teacher preparation pathways often pose significant barriers to entry and completion, disproportionately affecting prospective teachers from underserved communities. At the same time, the growing diversity of the U.S. student population, with an increasing number of multilingual learners, underscores the need for a more representative and linguistically responsive educator workforce. This session presents exemplars of flexible teacher certification pathways in Minnesota, including alternative licensure providers, licensure via portfolio, and apprenticeship models. State statute allows school districts, service cooperatives and eligible non-profits to become approved licensure providers. This creates opportunities for innovative program models that would not be feasible in traditional higher education settings. In addition, Minnesota has established a portfolio pathway that enables experienced educators to earn a license by demonstrating competency in teacher preparation standards.  More recently, Minnesota has launched several apprenticeship models, which offer job-embedded experiences that address both recruitment and retention challenges.  Drawing from emerging research and recent policy developments across each of these licensure options, presenters will highlight how these approaches promote access, equity, and quality in teacher preparation. Attendees will explore current implementation of flexible licensure pathways, specific policy considerations for each pathway, and strategies for scaling and sustaining these pathways with attention to bilingual education. The session elevates flexible certification as not only a practical solution to workforce shortages but as an opportunity to diversify and strengthen the educator pipeline.