Alternative Licensure Options

General Information

There are four types of licenses available in Massachusetts:

• Preliminary
• Initial
• Professional
• Temporary

A chart to help you understand how to obtain these licenses is available on the DOE's Licensure Help-Online website. Also, please see Section 7.04 of the Massachusetts Licensure Regulations for the specific requirements to obtain the Preliminary, Initial, Professional, or Temporary licenses.

Below is information on the requirements for the Preliminary license as well as how to obtain Initial Teacher, Administrator and Support Personnel licenses through Alternative Paths.

Preliminary Licensure for Teachers

If you are not a student in one of HGSE's state-approved educator licensure programs, you can obtain a Massachusetts Preliminary teacher license. This license is valid for five years of employment. To obtain the Preliminary teacher license, you need to meet the following requirements:

1. Possess a B.A. or B.S. degree from an accredited college or university.
2. Pass the 2-part Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL). The 2-part MTEL exam is composed of the Communication & Literacy Skills and Subject-Matter exams. Please see the NES MTEL website and the Licensure Unit MTEL website for more information.
3. Apply for the license on-line through the MA DOE website (click on the "Apply Online" link) and submit appropriate paperwork to the MA DOE.
4. Additional requirements apply for the following licenses:
   • Additional coursework and MTEL requirements apply for candidates seeking the following licenses: Early Childhood, Elementary, Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities, Teacher of the Visually Impaired, Teacher of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
   • Additional coursework requirements apply for candidates seeking the Teacher of Students with Severe Disabilities license.
   • A Competency Review is required for candidates seeking the following licenses: Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities, Teacher of Students with Severe Disabilities, Teacher of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing, Teacher of the Visually Impaired, and licenses in fields for which there is no subject-matter test currently available.
     

For additional information on the Massachusetts Preliminary License, please read Section 7.04 of the State's Regulations.

Alternative Paths to Initial Licensure for Teachers

Teacher licenses can be obtained through completing state-approved programs offered in institutions of higher education. (Please see Section 7.05 of the State's Regulations for Initial Teacher licensure requirements and the DOE's list of higher education institutions that offer state-approved programs.) However, the DOE also provides the following alternative paths for Teacher licensure.

1. Licensure through a District-Based program as an Apprentice or Hired Teacher: Please see Route Three in Section 7.05 of the State's Regulations for detailed information. Also, please see the DOE's Educator Preparation Programs Directory for a listing of state-approved District-Based programs, including contact information.
2. Licensure Through Reciprocity: Completion of a reciprocal Out-of-State Approved Educator Preparation Program (Note: Out-of-State District-Based Training Programs are not accepted); or Possession of a reciprocal Out-of-State License and 3 years of employment under the license within the previous 7 years. Please see Route Five in Section 7.05 of the State's Regulations for more information. An additional requirement is passing the MTEL exam. Please see the NES MTEL website and the Licensure Unit MTEL website for more information.
3. The DOE's Massachusetts Initiative for New Teachers (MINT) program.
4. The DOE's Performance Review Program for Initial Licensure (for candidates who hold a MA Preliminary license in certain subjects, have taught for three years in the role of the Preliminary license, and are employed by districts in which there is no approved district-based program): Please see Route Four in Section 7.05 of the State's Regulations and the above link for detailed information.

Alternative Paths to Initial Licensure for Administrators

Administrator licenses can be obtained through completing state-approved programs offered in institutions of higher education. (Please see Section 7.09 of the State's Regulations for Administrator licensure requirements and the DOE's list of higher education institutions that offer state-approved programs.) However, the DOE also provides the following alternative paths for Administrator licensure.

1. District-Based Programs: Please see the DOE's Educator Preparation Programs Directory for a listing of District-Based programs for Administrator licenses including contact information.
2. Administrative Apprenticeship/Internship of 300 Hours: This must be completed in the role of Principal/Assistant Principal, at the grade level of the license being sought, and with a trained mentor. Each candidate seeking licensure through this path must arrange their Apprenticeship/Internship with the school district using MA DOE Guidelines.
3. The DOE's Panel Review Process: The Panel Review is "the process used by the Department for reviewing and recommending candidates for Initial licensure who have substantial experience and formal education relevant to the license sought but have not met the specific license requirements" (MA Regulations - Definitions). Please see our Frequently Asked Questions for the process you can use to obtain licensure via the Panel Review.
4. Licensure Through Reciprocity: Completion of a reciprocal Out-of-State Approved Educator Preparation Program (Note: Out-of-State District-Based Training Programs are not accepted); or Possession of a reciprocal Out-of-State License and 3 years of employment under the license within the previous 7 years. Please see Route Five in Section 7.05 of the State's Regulations for more information. An additional requirement is passing the MTEL exam. Please see the NES MTEL website and the Licensure Unit MTEL website for more information.

Alternative Paths to Initial Licensure for Support Personnel

Support Personnel licenses can be obtained through completing state-approved programs offered in institutions of higher education. (Please see Section 7.11 of the State's Regulations for Support Personnel licensure requirements and the DOE's list of higher education institutions that offer state-approved programs.) However, the DOE also provides the following alternative paths for Support Personnel licensure.

1. The DOE's Panel Review Process: The Panel Review is "the process used by the Department for reviewing and recommending candidates for Initial licensure who have substantial experience and formal education relevant to the license sought but have not met the specific license requirements" (MA Regulations - Definitions). Please see our Frequently Asked Questions for the process you can use to obtain licensure via the Panel Review.
2. Licensure Through Reciprocity: Completion of a reciprocal Out-of-State Approved Educator Preparation Program (Note: Out-of-State District-Based Training Programs are not accepted); or Possession of a reciprocal Out-of-State License and 3 years of employment under the license within the previous 7 years. Please see Route Five in Section 7.05 of the State's Regulations for more information. An additional requirement is passing the MTEL exam. Please see the NES MTEL website and the Licensure Unit MTEL website for more information.

MTEL

You will need to pass the MTEL (Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure) for any educator license in Massachusetts. Please visit our MTEL page and the NES MTEL website for more information.

Application

To apply for licensure through the DOE's on-line system, please go to the DOE's licensure website and click on "Apply Online." To set up a user name and password, click on "Create ELAR Profile" on the DOE Security Portal web page.

Alternative Routes to Licensure in Other States

You may find information regarding alternative routes to licensure in other states via the National Center for Alternative Certification's Alternative Teacher Certification: A State-by-State Analysis and on each state's DOE website (accessible through our Reciprocity and Links to State Licensure Offices web page).

Additional Information Needed

Please e-mail the Licensure Staff Assistant at licensure@gse.harvard.edu with any inquiries you may have or to request a meeting with Denise Bowman, Associate Director for Licensure. You may also find the DOE's FAQ website to be helpful. We encourage you to use it as a resource.