FAQ on superintendents in Massachusetts: round two

 It's probably "round too many to count" but it's round two recently. 

UPDATE: MassLive notes that Worcester could have a next superintendent by the end of the day.

Do superintendents have to already have their superintendent’s licensure to be appointed superintendent?

No. They should be eligible for licensure, but they don’t have to already have the license. Depending on what licensure they already have, it can be a fairly straightforward process to get the superintendent’s license, particularly if they already have an administrator level license (passing the MTEL* if they haven’t; attesting the experience already completed, or completing the experience).

Massachusetts educator licensure, by the way, is a publicly accessible system found online here. 

So there is an experience requirement for a superintendent’s license?

Yes. Many of us are familiar with student teaching, which is the equivalent experience for teaching. For an administrative license, the state requires either (this is straight from DESE):

• equivalent or internship of 300 hours in the role of Superintendent/Assistant Superintendent

  
  

  
  

  
  

   -or-

  
  

  
  

  
  

   
• Completion of three full years of employment under a valid Massachusetts administrator license

  
  

You may note that this doesn’t require teaching experience. The reflexive requirement of teaching experience is how we have ended up with these former Teach for America “I did my two years in the Bronx” types being put forward for administrative posts when they have no significant experience in public education nor any particular value for or of it. Beware of check box requirements like these. 

Can the Committee wait to appoint a superintendent?

Ideally, no, as transition time is very much a best practice (as I’ve already noted, that is why you see searches wrapping up now). Additionally, if past practice holds, the School Committee will be getting the FY26 budget next week, and one would hope that the Committee would ensure they’re ready to move on to that.

Regardless, there must be a superintendent in place July 1.

I will update if I see more to answer.

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*The MTEL is the test (or set of tests, really) that are taking by all those pursuing any educator licensure in Massachusetts; it has been required since 1998. Any of us with licenses earned before 1998 did not take the MTEL to get them; if we pursue additional licenses, we then have to take the MTEL as part of it.
There isn't a different test for a superintendent; it is the Communication MTEL, which is required of all educators, that those pursuing any new administrator license must take.