Due April 4! Teacher Licensure Changes 2025, Round 1

It is Public Comment Szn and teacher licensure regulations are part of the party. Public comment is now open for changes including a new name for the health education license, modification of the 12-credit requirement and the permanent adoption of the MTEL alternatives.

The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is proposing amendments to 603 CMR 4.00 Educator Licensure and Preparation Program Approval. The Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted to send out the proposed language for public comment following a Monday night special meeting presentation and Tuesday meeting vote.

For your binge watching pleasure, there are two BESE meetings with external research reports and presentations on the changes to licensure regulations. The Monday February 24, 2025 meeting included a presentation on a research report of the MTEL Alternatives Pilot and the Tuesday February 25, 2025 includes the presentation on the full set of proposed amendments and questions by BESE members.

Copies of the proposed changes to the regulations are posted below and available here. All the proposed regulations this season are also available the DESE’s 2025 Public Comment Submission Page.

The deadline for submitting your comment directly to DESE is April 4, 2025 at 5pm.

By survey: Use the link here.

By mail: Regulations Public Comment, c/o Commissioner’s Office, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, 135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149

By e-mail: educatorpreparation@mass.gov

Among the proposed amendments:

• The permanent adoption of the MTEL Alternatives option for meeting testing requirements for licensure applications
• New flexibility in the 12-credit option in applications for a Professional license. The proposed language will allow up to six credits related to the Professional Standards for Teachers and six credits in the content area of the license.
• A name and grade level change for the Health/Family Consumer Sciences/All Levels to Comprehensive Health for grades PreK-8 and 5-12.
• Creation of a Media Arts endorsement