Credit Courses for Massachusetts Teacher License Renewal

Additional Information for MA Renewal

Here is What Massachusetts Requires to Renew a Professional Teaching License:

• Renewal cycle: 5 calendar years from the date your Professional license was issued or last renewed. (Source: DESE, Advancing, Extending, or Renewing a License, doe.mass.edu)
• Total PDPs needed: 150 PDPs for your primary license area. Each additional license area requires 30 PDPs in that license’s content area. (Source: 603 CMR 44.00; DESE Renewal Guidelines, April 2017)
• PDP distribution for the primary license: At least 15 PDPs in content (subject matter knowledge), at least 15 in pedagogy, at least 15 in SEI or ESL, and at least 15 in strategies for students with disabilities and diverse learning styles. The remaining 90 PDPs can come from elective activities, additional content, or pedagogy. (Source: DESE, doe.mass.edu/licensure/advance-extend-renew-license.html)
• Minimum topic threshold: You need at least 10 PDPs in a single topic for those points to count. If you attend shorter workshops that don’t individually hit 10 hours, you can bundle related ones together to reach the minimum. (Source: DESE License Renewal Guidelines, 2017)
• Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP): Required. If you work in a Massachusetts public school, your supervisor must review and approve the plan. If you’re not employed in a public school, you can submit plans directly to DESE. (Source: DESE, doe.mass.edu/licensure/advance-extend-renew-license.html)
• Renewal fees: $100 for the primary license, $25 for each additional license, paid through ELAR when you renew. (Source: DESE, doe.mass.edu/licensure/advance-extend-renew-license.html)
• How to renew: Log into the Educator Licensure and Renewal (ELAR) system at gateway.edu.state.ma.us, select “Apply to renew your professional level license,” and follow the prompts. Don’t submit PDP documentation unless you’re selected for audit. (Source: DESE)

Acceptable Credits and Professional Development Activities

Massachusetts accepts a range of professional development activities toward the 150 PDP requirement. The number of PDPs you earn depends on the type of activity.

School/district in-service PD: 1 PDP per clock hour.  Must focus on content knowledge or professional skills with a documentable product.

Graduate-level course: 22.5 PDPs per semester hour. Graduate-level course with official transcript (What we recommend).

Upper-level undergraduate course: 22.5 PDPs per semester hour. Must be new material, not a repeat of prior coursework.

Standard undergraduate course: 15 PDPs per semester hour. Must be new material, not a repeat of prior coursework.

Audited graduate or undergraduate course: 7.5 PDPs per semester hour.

DESE-sponsored PD: 1.5 PDPs per clock hour.

National Board Certification: 30 PDPs, 15 PDPs for renewal.  One-time award upon initial NBPTS certification.

Record keeping: DESE does not keep records of your PDPs. You’re responsible for all PDP documentation for at least 5 years after you apply to renew. Renewals are subject to random audit. (Source: DESE Professional License Renewal Audit FAQs)

SEI Endorsement: Core academic teachers who were assigned to an SEI cohort between 2012 and 2016 must have the SEI Teacher Endorsement. If you were required to earn it but didn’t, your license has a restricted status that blocks renewal until the endorsement is completed. (Source: DESE RETELL initiative, doe.mass.edu/retell/)

Activities that count toward renewal

• Graduate-level or upper-level undergraduate coursework from regionally accredited colleges or universities
• School-based and district-based in-service programs focused on content knowledge or professional skills
• DESE-sponsored professional development programs and courses
• Mentoring other educators (with documented hours and activities)
• Serving as a cooperating teacher for a student teacher placement
• Curriculum development projects directly related to your license area
• Published written materials related to education (articles, curriculum guides, research)
• Creating a school-based activity that follows attendance at a professional conference
• Approved online professional development courses from recognized providers

What does not count

• Conference attendance alone – you need a follow-up school-based activity to earn PDPs
• Self-directed study groups (this was removed as an eligible activity in 2016)
• One-day workshops or informational sessions offered by DESE (these don’t receive DESE PDPs, though other providers may award clock hours)
• Any activity earning fewer than 10 PDPs in a topic, unless bundled with related activities to reach the 10 PDP minimum

SEI Endorsement and license renewal

Not every educator renewing a Professional license needs the SEI Endorsement. It depends on whether your license is in a core academic area and whether you’ve had English Language Learners in your classroom. Most core academic teachers who were assigned to a DESE-approved SEI cohort between 2012 and 2016 were required to earn it. If you were supposed to but didn’t, your license carries a “restricted” status that blocks renewal, advancement, or extension of any core academic license until the endorsement is completed. Getting the endorsement lifts the restriction. (Source: DESE, doe.mass.edu/licensure/endorsements/sei.html)

Bundling PDP activities under 10 hours

Massachusetts requires a minimum of 10 PDPs in a single topic for those points to count. A 5-hour workshop on its own won’t qualify. But you can bundle two or more related workshops together — say, two 5-hour workshops on closely related topics — to reach the 10 PDP minimum. Document the bundled hours on your PD Activity Log (Form B) and clearly note which activities you’re grouping. (Source: DESE License Renewal Audit FAQs)

Carrying over SEI PDPs between renewal cycles

If you completed a DESE-approved SEI Endorsement course and earned more PDPs than you needed for your current cycle, the excess can carry over to your next renewal. For example, the full SEI course awards 67.5 PDPs. If you only needed 15 of those for your current cycle, the remaining 52.5 roll forward. You’ll need to maintain documentation for both cycles. (Source: DESE License Renewal Guidelines, Appendix C)

Special education license holders

If your primary license is in a special education area (Moderate Disabilities, Severe Disabilities, Visually Impaired, Speech/Language/Hearing Disorders, Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing), the 15 PDPs you earn in the “students with disabilities” category can satisfy both the disability-related requirement and part of the content requirement for your license area. (Source: DESE Renewal Guidelines)

Reference: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)

*Please refer to the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) website at doe.mass.edu for the most current information on Massachusetts teacher license renewal requirements. The content on this page is for informational purposes and does not replace official guidance from DESE.