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Educator Effectiveness

Subject Matter Knowledge Frequently Asked Questions — April 2019

The Subject Matter Knowledge (SMK) Guidelines released in August 2018 reflect a significant shift in the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's (DESE's) approach to outlining content expectations for teachers, emphasizing the importance of aligning standards for students with expectations for educators. Below are some of the questions we have received from the field about implementing updates in alignment with the SMK Guidelines. If you have additional questions, please reach out to EducatorPreparation@mass.gov .


  • Are there going to be specific SMK for teachers, beyond having the content knowledge defined by the Curriculum Frameworks for students?

    Rather than provide a separate, additional set of content expectations, the SMK Guidelines directly reference the Curriculum Frameworks (where possible) to establish that educators need to demonstrate a certain level of depth and fluency in the content knowledge needed to teach the Frameworks. This approach creates flexibility and autonomy for preparation providers in designing a set of coherent experiences for novice educators rooted in the needs of Massachusetts' Pre-K–12 students. Sponsoring Organizations will need to engage in an intentional planning effort within each program to unpack the Curriculum Frameworks and identify the necessary depth and breadth of content knowledge candidates will need to support all students in mastering the academic standards.

    • Last Updated: August 16, 2023

 
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