Applying For Your Initial License
FAQ's - Applying for Licensure
What is a Recommendation for Licensure Statement?
This
statement appears at the end of your transcript after final grades
and degree statements have been posted by the Registrar's Office. A sample: “This
individual has completed a State, ICC, & NASDTEC approved program
in Elementary Education, Grades 1-6, at the University
of Massachusetts Amherst and is institutionally recommended
for Initial Licensure in this field. The University of Massachusetts Amherst
is accredited by the National Council for the Accreditation of Teacher
Education (NCATE).”
Click here for transript request information.
- Applicants for Initial licensure must submit a $100.00 license fee. This
is payable by VISA or MasterCard during the online application process.
(The option of mail-in payments is still available for candidates who do
not possess a credit card. The mail-in payment must be a certified bank
check payable to The Commonwealth of Massachusetts .)
- Applicants for Teaching Licenses are responsible for
ensuring that their Preservice Performance Assessment Form(s) (PPA) have
been submitted to Room 130 Furcolo. Applicants for School Guidance,
School Psychology, Speech-Hearing-Language, and Administrative licenses
are responsible for ensuring that their Practicum/Internship Report
has been submitted to 130 Furcolo Hall.
- Along with your licensure paperwork, please attach a copy of your score
report for the MTEL (a) Communication & Literacy Skills Test, and (b)
Subject Matter Test(s), if one is offered in your area.
- Employment Verification (for specific licenses):
- Applicants for administrative licenses must submit
an experience letter verifying that they have been employed under a valid
Massachusetts teaching license for at least three years.
- Applicants for the Reading Specialist License must
submit a letter verifying that they have been employed under a valid
MA teaching license for at least one year.
(Letters typically come from a building principal or a Human Resources official
in your school.)
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I received my Bachelor's degree outside of the United States. Will
my transcript be acceptable for licensure purposes?
No, for licensure
purposes, the MA Department of Elementary and Secondary Education will not accept a degree from outside
of the U.S. if it has not been reviewed by an approved agency.
Transcripts from colleges/universities outside of the United
States must be evaluated by an approved agency in order to determine
their U.S. equivalency. A list of approved transcript evaluation agencies can be viewed here [PDF].
(This evaluation will serve as the official verification of your Bachelor's
degree. Please have an official copy of the evaluation sent to Room 130 Furcolo
Hall.)
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I'd like to add another classroom teaching license. How can I do
this?
Please visit https://www4.doemass.org/elar/licensurehelp/IntroductionPageControl.ser
(Choose from the menu on the left side of this page.)
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I am currently completing my Master's degree here at UMass Amherst.
I also completed my Bachelor's degree here. Do I need to request two separate
transcripts?
No, one transcript printed by the Graduate Records
Office will indicate that you completed your Bachelor's degree, Master's
degree, and licensure requirements.
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Now that I will have my Initial license, what are the benefits of
earning my Professional license?
Your Initial license is valid
for five years of employment. During this five-year period, you will need
to advance your license from Initial to Professional. There are a number
of ways to do this. Please see https://www4.doemass.org/elar/licensurehelp/IntroductionPageControl.ser
(Choose from the menu on the left side of this page.) Please note that PDP's
(or Professional Development Points) play no role in the process of advancing
your license from the Initial to Professional stage.
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How can the Educator Licensure Office help me with the licensing
process?
The Educator Licensure Office (Room 130 Furcolo Hall) provides the service
of collecting and mailing all licensure documents to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. These documents include transcripts, copies of test scores, Practicum
reports, etc. Office staff carefully reviews all files before they are mailed
to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
In order to help you receive your license in as timely a fashion as possible,
please take note of the following:
- TRANSCRIPTS: All individuals applying for their first (Initial) license
in Massachusetts MUST submit an official copy of their Bachelor's Degree
transcript (request that the transcript be sent to Room 130 Furcolo Hall).
- TRANSCRIPTS: All applicants must, in their final semester, request from
the appropriate licensure transcript office, that an official transcript
showing your degree be sent to the Licensure Office (Room 130 Furcolo)
as soon as the Recommendation for Licensure Statement is recorded on the
transcript. Please note that statements do not appear on transcripts until
after the close of final grades and degrees have been conferred. (Note:
You can check SPIRE to see when this is complete.)
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