DESE has proposed changes to testing requirements for some Ch 74 teacher licenses. Public comments are due June 3, 2022.
At the April 2022 Board of Elementary and Secondary Education meeting, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education proposed a change to the testing requirements for some vocational technical teacher licenses issued under 603 CMR 4.00. This proposal will not impact academic teacher licenses issued under 603 CMR 7.00.
The proposed change, as underlined below, does not list specific licenses or tests. Rather, this will allow DESE staff to review the individual license requirements and related professional exams.
603 CMR 4.07(2)(d) Achieving passing scores on the written and performance tests in the vocational technical subject matter and skills the candidate will teach or achieve a passing score on a test accepted by the Department that was required to obtain the license or certification required in 603 CMR 4.07(2)(c).
proposed change to CVTE license requirements
The proposal will allow DESE to accept approved professional license exams as the content area license test. This will include fields where a professional license or certificate is a prerequisite for a teaching license a professional exam is already in place.
Each Ch 74 teaching license has a industry-specific set of requirements for licensure. All vocational technical teaching licenses applications require a passing score on either a Communications and Literacy MTEL or the Vocational Technical Literacy Skills MTEL test. A two-part exam in the content area is the second required test. The Massachusetts Vocational Technical Teacher program is administered through Greater Lowell Technical High School. The tests require paper registration, payment by money order or bank check and travel to the Greater Lowell Tech campus in Tyngsboro, MA.
Will this proposed change make it easier for skilled tradespeople to enter into vocational technical education? The requirements for the SEI Endorsement and coursework will still remain in place.
You can share your support, proposed changes and/or opposition to this proposal in writing
by mail to:
College, Career, and Technical Education
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
75 Pleasant Street
Malden, MA 02148
by fax to: 781-338- 3950
by e-mail to: ccte@doe.mass.edu .
Take a look at the full proposal and memo here:
p.s. The vocational technical teacher testing program has it’s own Twitter page with updates! @MATeacherTest