December Board of Ed: Educator Licensure

memo is here
Chester: update of an ongoing discussion
"getting close to bringing you recommendations to update" regulations
all updates "fit within existing statutory authority"
"revise where revisions are warranted"
"again no action being asked of the Board at this time"
Heather Peske
Brian Devine
Liz Losee
who get high points for putting their names on their PowerPoint
anticipate bringing changes to Board in January

• "streamline licensure regulations" in line with Baker's executive order
• strengthen requirements
• reduce unnecessary burden on those applying
• clarify as necessary
• create efficencies for DESE

discussion 2013 with grant from Council of Chief State Schools:survey asking for feedback from field in Fall 2016, internal analysis, working group, spring 2016
current: Temporary  OR Preliminary then Initial then Professional
Temporary: valid license from another state
Preliminary: Bachelor, passing score on MTEL, some need to demonstrate particular competency
Initial: five years, passing scores on MTEL: completion of prep program OR valid license and 3 years employment under that license; need for Sheltered English Immersion Endorsement

Ed Prep: standards approved by Board back in 2012
annual data from programs (publicly reported)
Coursework (both professional standards and subject matter knowledge)
Field based experience (pre-practicum and practicum)
Assessments: candidate performance, SMKs

Professional Licensure: three years employment; completion of an induction program and 50 hours of mentoring; completion of one of six options
needs to be renewed every five years
150 PDPs for renewal

PROPOSED:
Temporary: good for one year of employment (not one calendar) ; three year of experience under out of state license (not comparable)
Preliminary (which is what the MGL says): valid for five years of employment in total (no matter how many you have)
Initial: no longer can be renewed: now "extended"
clarify can complete an approved program
Renewal: reduce in content/pedagogy: greater flexibility of focus
stregthen/clarify option to sue educator plan in lieu of individual professional development plan
subject matter changes moved from regs into guidelines (so Board doesn't have to update whenever changes occur)
Guidance Counselor>School Counselor
Political Science>Social Science
IT to "digital literacy/computer science" and grade level 5-12
change in some grade levels: some 5-8 and 8-12 merged to 5-12, some 8-12 no longer offered, principal condense to preK-8 and 5-12

Stewart: concern about instructional technology license?
McKenna: at Lesley had to inspire DESE to create instructional technology
"this is not a rename"
one is computer science, which is 5-12 and a subject
"I think that's the right thing to do"
"instructional technology is totally different"
"I don't think there's a campus where there's not a person who doesn't help everyone else figure out technology"
"this isn't a rename: it's eliminating instructional technology and having this"
A: intent is to have a digital literacy/computer science
question is if instructional technology:
McKenna: "It's not an IT person"
question is if there are differences between
Sagan: we're not licensing IT professionals
McKenna: instructional technology people do work with kids
Stewart: would also advocate for a preK to 5; "the special education component is huge"
"pre-K to 12 instructional technology specialist" is crucial
Peyser: why we license teachers in the first place
to establish a baseline of knowledge and skills among our teaching staff
ongoing professional development and continuous improvement in their practice
doesn't guarantee competency
"trying to minimize cost and burden"
want to expand pathways for teachers  "of their knowledge and their skills not just degrees or seattime in classrooms"