Renewal of Professional License Springfield Public Schools Springfield, Massachusetts

Who needs to renew? Yes Professional/Standard licensed educators are required to renew their license every five years. No Provisional or Initial/ Provisional educators with Advanced Standing licenses should be moving to next level of licensure.

Reasons for Licensure Renewal It’s the law! Professional Development Knowledge in the Content Areas Decision-Making at the School & District Level Professional Development Plans Align with Districts “Highly Qualified Teachers”

Status of Professional License Active: Five years or less since DATE OF ISSUE or most recent RENEWAL Inactive: Five years or less since expiration date Invalid: Not renewed after five years Inactive [First license(s) to become invalid on June 17, 2004]

Inactive License A certificate that is not renewed is deemed inactive for five years. Educators must renew within two years if newly employed or assigned under an inactive license

Invalid License A certificate that is not renewed within the five year validity period and that is not renewed within the five year inactive period is invalid. An educator may not be assigned nor be be employed to work under an invalid certificate.

Restoring Inactive & Invalid Licenses Educators must fulfill all Professional Development requirements for recertification.

Primary & Additional Licenses Educators with more than one Active Professional License designate one as their primary license Usually educators will choose the license of their current assignment as their primary, but need not.

Individual Professional Development Plans All educators must design & implement a professional development plan. Educators issued a license between 10/1/94 – 6/17/99 & educators not employed in a public school are not required to have their plans approved. The educator’s supervisor/designee approves Criteria: PD Plan meets 80% of school & district goals

IPDP Approval Appropriate supervisor 80% of the PDPs (Primary License) are aligned with school & district goals - Individual chooses goals Approval may not be “unreasonably” withheld - Appeals Process

How many PDPs do I need? First time renewal - Group - 3 Primary Area: Content/pedagogy: 120 min. Content: hours in a topic Initial & Final Plan Approval Most educators - no real changes- Group 2 Primary Area: 120 Outside Content/pedagogy: 120 max Initial Plan Approval by 7/1/00 Content: % 4 hours in a topic/ 10 hours in a topic Date of Issue -Group 1 Primary Area: 120 Content/Pedagogy: 60 min. Content: 00 4 hours in a topic Plan Approval Recommended Date of Issue or Renewal -Group - 3 Primary Area: 150 total Content/Pedagogy: 120 min. Min. Content: hours in a topic Plan Approval

How does one allocate PDPs? I. Content Covers Competency I II. Professional Skills or Pedagogy Covers Standards II-VII Methods, evaluation, equity, professionalism, communication, instructional practice, etc. III. Electives Cover general education topics IV. Content-based Pedagogy Covers Standards II-VII, emphasizes specific content area

Professional Development Activities & Their Point Values (PDPs)

PDPs Required to Renew Primary License 120 PDPs – Date of issue/most recent renewal before December 1, PDPs – Date of issue/most recent renewal December 1, 1999 or later 150 PDPs - Inactive

Content Requirements for Renewal of Primary License General Rule (of PDPs in approved IPDP) At least 60% content At least 80% content and instructional skills directly related to the content These are minimums: There is no such thing as “too much content”

Required PDPs to Renew Additional License(s) 30 PDPs in the content and skills of each additonal license Must have an active Primary License in order to renew an additional license

What Professional Development Counts? Virtually all legitimate professional development activities can be credited toward recertification, provided that: - the activities are appropriately aggregated into topics; - there is a pre- and post-assessment; - there is an observable demonstration of learning; and - the content requirements are met.

PD Activities: Institutional Providers Colleges & Universities MA Department of Education School Districts/Collaboratives Registered Providers - Professional Associations - Museums - Anyone who wants to apply

Undergraduate & Graduate Courses, Seminars or Institutes Undergraduate Course 1 semester hour = 15 PDPs Graduate-Level Course 1 semester hour = 22.5 PDPs Audited Course 1 semester hour = 7.5 PDPs Teaching graduate-level course (1 st time in a 5-year cycle) = 45 PDPs

PD Activities: Educator-Designed PD Publication Presenter/Trainer Curriculum Development School-Based Activities Extension of learning from a professional conference

Topic “Topic is a single or tightly integrated area of study within an academic discipline or related to a particular method of teaching or administration.” In general, PDPs must be aggregated into topics of at least 10 PDPs - PDPs earned between 6/18/99 and IPDP approval (6/30/00, 10/13/00) may be 4 PDPs per topic.

DOE Sponsored Initiatives Professional Development = 1.5 PDPs that: a.) total at least 10 hours; b.) include a product or pre- and post-content assessment; and c.) include a follow-up component.

Department-Sponsored Initiatives 1.5 PDPs per clock hour for district- designed professional development that: a.) totals at least 10 hours; b.) includes a product/pre- and post-content assessment; and c.) includes a follow-up component.

District Initiatives: 1 hour = 1 PDP Mentoring 15 PDPs Peer Coaching 15 PDPsPeer Assistance & Review 15 PDPs Cooperating Teacher 15 PDPs National Board of Professional Teaching Standards 120 PDPs (30 content; 60 pedagogy; 30 elective) Accreditation/Inspection Teams 30 PDPs in a five-year cycle

Educator Designed Activities (Must Result in a Product) –No PDPs for Attendance at a Conference –Professional Conference Presenter 30PDPs for the first presentation in a 5 year cycle –Product derived from attendance at a conference: 1. School-based curriculum/activity, or 2. Publishing written material …

DOE Examples Mentor Training Institutes = 30 PDPs Summer Content Institutes = more than 30 PDPs up tp 67.5 PDPs for successful completion No PDPs for one-day workshops, conferences, informational sessions, or meetings

School-Based Activity Develop & implement an activity based on the MA Curriculum Frameworks’ standards with students, parents, or teachers as audience 1 PDP per clock hour in content if directly related to the content Examples …

Examples: Design & Coordinate Math Nights, extended learning activities for students, or a series of seminars for teachers and/or parents: Standards-Based Units Standards-Based Instructional Practices Supporting SPED/TAG in Standards- Based Classroom

Curriculum Development New published curriculum unit formally shared, i.e., student text, book, software, professional resource, etc. 15 PDPs with a maximum of 60 in a five- year cycle

Presenters/Trainers Three separate sessions in a professional development series = twice the PDPs given to the participants (minimum of 10 & maximum of 24 PDPs in one five-year cycle)

License Renewal Cost $100 for Renewal of Primary License $25 for Renewal of each Additional License

Visit the DOE Website On-line application Recertification application download Regulations, guidelines, & FAQS Sample Professional Development Plan Upcoming DOE-sponsored Content Institutes

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