Yes. The SEI Endorsement requirements remain in place.
An Act Relative to Language Opportunity for Our Kids (LOOK) was signed into law by Gov. Charlie Baker on November 22, 2017. The LOOK Act is an overhaul of the long-standing state law that governs educational options for students who do not speak English proficiently.
The most pressing questions we have received from educators are related to the Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Endorsement and Rethinking Equity and Teaching for English Language Learners (RETELL) initiative.
The LOOK Act will not remove the SEI Endorsement requirements.
Core academic teachers of English learners and administrators who supervise and/or evaluate core academic teachers of English learners will continue to be required to hold the appropriate SEI Endorsement. The SEI Endorsement is also required for a first administrator license or first Initial license as a core academic teacher.
While there are many details that need to be worked out in regulation, guidance and at the local level, the new statutory language is fairly direct on licensing issues for both public school educators and charter school educators. Below is the relevant language and our first take on the statute:
