Massachusetts Special Education Certification & Requirements

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Special Education in Massachusetts

Massachusetts has one of the highest percentage of students with disabilities in the country: 17.5 percent according to the National Center for Education Statistics. (The national average stands at 13 percent.) However, the state manages to have the highest rating possible for its ability to provide special education services, earning a ranking of “Meets Requirements” from the U.S. Board of Education. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education (MDESE) and its department of Special Education oversee the state’s 1,886 public and 62 charter schools, which are divided among 244 public school districts. The state employs over 8,170 special education teachers.

Licensure Requirements

The MDESE’s online Licensure Help tool allows would-be teachers to determine the exact requirements for the specific type of license they are seeking.

For Undergraduates

In most cases, students with a bachelor’s degree qualify for a preliminary license as long as their undergraduate study included the necessary pedagogical and subject matter coursework. Those who would like to be special educators need to complete the specific requirements for endorsement in the focus area of special education and the grade level in which they wish to teach. All prospective educators must also pass state-mandated exams.

For Graduates

A graduate-level general or special education program that concurrently awards state licensure and an endorsement in an area of special education has the added benefit of potentially qualifying teachers for a higher level of licensure after they gain teaching experience. Verify that your chosen course of study meets all MDESE criteria for certification and endorsement by consulting the MDESE’s Learn the Requirements webpage.

Types of Licenses

The MSESE issues several levels of certificates to educators. The five-year Preliminary License is for individuals holding bachelor’s degrees who have not completed a teacher preparation program. Additional requirements include passing the state exam and, for some endorsement areas, taking courses. Candidates who have completed MDESE-approved teacher preparation programs, either within their bachelor’s degree course of study or through a post-baccalaureate program, can apply for the five-year Initial License. After three years of classroom teaching under an initial license and meeting the requirements for one of the options for a Professional License (such as earning a master’s degree) teachers can apply for a five-year Professional License. Several types of endorsements are available for teachers who want to work with students with special needs. These include Deaf and Hard of Hearing, Early Childhood: Students With and Without Disabilities, Moderate Disabilities, Severe Disabilities and Visually Impaired.

Reciprocity

Experienced out-of-state educators who hold a valid, comparable certificate from an out-of-state institution may qualify for MDESE reciprocity. In most cases, the teacher receives a one-year Temporary License, though in some cases out-of-state teachers are granted Initial Licensure. In order to meet the criteria for reciprocity, the candidate and all degrees and certificates earned must meet the conditions of the Interstate Agreement.

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Special Education Teaching Programs in Massachusetts

Of the over two dozen college and alternative programs awarding special education degrees in Massachusetts, Simmons College’s special education programs are among the most prominent. The school offers a Master of Education with certification in moderate or severe disabilities, a non-certification master’s degree program that focuses on moderate and severe disabilities and an endorsement course of study in moderate special needs, as well as unique Master of Education or Educational Specialist programs that include an endorsement in Assistive Special Education Technology or in Language and Literacy. Students have the added benefit of being amid Boston’s lively Fenway neighborhood, near the renowned Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum. If you prefer to pursue an undergraduate degree that concurrently awards educator licensure and a special education endorsement, consider the program at Springfield College, through which students can follow a four-year track that qualifies them for dual licensure. General educators who seek a special education endorsement can pursue the graduate program in special education that leads to Initial Licensure in Teacher of Students With Moderate Disabilities.

For information on master’s in special education programs in Massachusetts, click here.

Alternatives to Certification

On its outline of the types of educator preparation programs, the MSDE lists several alternative/practice-based programs for potential educators. Passing the Massachusetts Test for Educator Licensure and having a bachelor’s degree in any subject are often enough to qualify a recent graduate for a five-year Preliminary License; the same criteria often applies for those changing careers. In select cases, the MDESE uses the Performance Review Program for Initial Licensure to award an Initial License to a candidate who has teaching experience and a relevant academic background, but has not met all of the state criteria for traditional licensure. Teach in Boston, a project of Boston Public Schools, keeps a list of resources and programs for people with and without bachelor’s degrees, endorsements or teaching licenses who want to work in urban classrooms in high-need subject areas or grade levels. One such program is the Boston Teacher Residency Partnership. Participants undergo a training program lasting between 13 and 18 months that focuses on urban teaching methods and covers special education and teaching English as a second language; they receive a living stipend while in the program and may be eligible for a scholarship to cover the cost of a master’s degree.

Special Education Jobs in Massachusetts

Public schools

The MDESE’s Massachusetts Educators Career Center allows users to submit their contact information and post resumes for consideration, as well as search for open positions. The MSESE website also contains links to state, contract and internship job opportunities.
Boston Public Schools’ Career Center features listings of available teaching positions in the Boston area.

Private schools

The MDESE keeps a list of approved special education private schools and programs.

Other programs

Perkins School for the Blind has residential and day programs for students with visual impairments.
The Horace Mann School for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, located in Allston, operates a day school, as well as offers support and outreach services.

Professional Development

The MDESE’s Professional Development guidelines list the 10 standards for professional development in Massachusetts and provides links to information regarding department-sponsored trainings.
Merrimack Education Center provides professional development courses and additional licensure programs that satisfy the MDESE’s professional development requirements.
Perkins uses video-based tutorials and short tests on special education topics to support teachers who need to earn professional development units.

Massachusetts Special Education Teacher Groups

The state teacher’s union, the Massachusetts Teachers Association, consists of public educators, as well as retired teachers, public school staff and students in Massachusetts teacher preparation programs. The MDESE has several advisory councils that meet regularly to interpret educational policy and advise how schools can best meet student needs. The advisory group that focuses on issues pertaining to student with disabilities is the Special Education Advisory Council.

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Massachusetts Special Education Blogs

Teaching Learners with Multiple Needs: Approaches to and resources for working with students who have multiple or significant special needs are the themes of special educator Kate Ahern’s blog.
Teaching Every Student: Karen Janowski, an Assistive and Educational Technology Consultant with EdTech Solutions, covers tricks and tools for accommodating different learning styles.
Lisa Jo Rudy on Authentic Inclusion: The author and consultant shares insights and tips on how to work with students with special needs in general education classrooms.