March+10,+2017





Here is the link to the Public Comment on changes to licensure: @http://www.doe.mass.edu/boe/docs/fy2017/2017-02/item5.html

 Notes from David Lyons:

Good morning, here are my notes. Some of the licensure stuff was really hard to pin down.

Meeting began with a "Happy Share."

Kathy Duff is leaving Northeast Voke for a position in the Newton Public Schools

Ipswich is having a STEAM Showcase on April 11 from 5-7 in the high school gym. All are invited.

Ron Suskind is the upcoming keynote speaker at Reading's Blue Ribbon Institute (date is on their website). All are invited.

Not exactly a happy share, but we were informed that Grant Wiggins (Understanding by Design) and [|Rick DuFour (Professional Learning Communities)] have both passed away.

Amena Swinton, DESE License Renewal Coordinator, then spoke. Her slides will be posted on the NCSD Wiki. The presentation could have lasted hours because everyone had questions/situations.

Recertification is called renewal. Some people are still disgruntled that their "lifetime licenses" are no longer for a lifetime!

Renewal is for professional licenses that have reached their 5 year expiration date.

Preliminary and Initial licenses do not have dates because they are valid for 5 years from their use (extensions can also be given). You cannot get an extension with a professional license.

IPDP's must be signed off by a supervisor every 2 years. Professional licenses cannot be renewed without a supervisor's endorsement. There is no specific determinant as to who can be a supervisor. Renewal is on the honor system. Are you employed under the license? Was your plan signed off? Did you fulfill the requirements?

Educator Plans and IPDP's are separate because of union concerns. One is for evaluation and the other is for licensure. It is the educator's responsibility to keep up to date and come to the administrators for sign-off.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">There are changes coming soon relative to PDP's. One thing that has already happened is relative to science licensure. Previously, only credits from science schools (not education programs) were accepted. This made is onerous on science teachers looking at renewal because these graduate courses were basically for researchers and medical professionals, not educators. Now, courses from education programs are accepted.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Much of the presentation involved Q & A.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">If you have multiple preliminary licenses and advance one to the initial it does not automatically advance the others, but makes it easier.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">If you are audited, which is determined by ELAR, they go back 5 years. They generally audit between 200-300 per year.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Much talk about PDP's, providers etc. This can best be understood by referring to www.doe.mass.edu/pdp

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">A license not renewed is inactive. After 5 years it becomes invalid. If someone gets hired with an inactive license they have 2 years to get the pdp's to make it valid. If a teacher's license becomes invalid they are no longer employable by their district. There was a little confusion, however, as it was suggested that they could go to another district and get the pdp's within 2 years. I am still not clear on what the answer is.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">SEI endorsements are for life, but teachers still must keep up with the pdp's.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Vocational teachers may soon be required to get the SEI endorsement as well. <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Lots of questions/concerns relative to teachers assigned to a cohort with ELL students achieving endorsements. Very problematic when the situation changes and the teacher does not want to get endorsed or take the SEI MTEL. More questions than answers.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">NCSD News:

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Erin DeWolf explained their licensure programs. We will even come into districts (like Malden) to host the program for Initial licensure. This is generally for teachers who have a degree, have passed their subject MTEL, but need the education credits to move to initial licensure.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Thanks for reading!

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #222222; display: block; font-family: arial,sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">Dave L