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The Department has moved to 135 Santilli Highway in Everett. The Department's office and Licensure Welcome Center are open. The new location has free parking and is a short walk from the Wellington station on the MBTA's Orange Line.
Educator Effectiveness

Performance Review Program for Initial Licensure (PRPIL)

All teacher candidates for Initial licenses must complete a preparation program approved by the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Currently, the only approved vendor to operate a Performance Review Program for Initial Licensure (PRPIL) for eligible candidates is Class Measures. The Department may in the future pursue additional vendors.

Applicable Teaching Fields — Teacher Licenses and Levels

1.Biology8–12
2.Business5–12
3.Chemistry8–12
4.DanceAll
5.Digital Literacy/Computer Science5–12
6.Early ChildhoodPreK–2
7.Earth and Space Science8–12
8.Elementary1–6
9.English5–12
10.English as a Second Language (ESL)PreK–6; 5–12
11.Foreign LanguagePreK–6; 5–12
12.General Science1–6; 5–8
13.Health/Family and Consumer SciencesAll
14.History1–6; 5–12
15.Latin and Classical Humanities5–12
16.LibraryAll
17.Mathematics1–6; 5–8; 8–12
18.Middle School: Humanities5–8
19.Middle School: Mathematics/Science5–8
20.Music: Vocal/Instrumental/GeneralAll
21.Physical EducationPreK–8; 5–12
22.Physics8–12
23.Social Science5–12
24.SpeechAll
25.Teacher of Students with Moderate DisabilitiesPreK–8; 5–12
26.Teacher of Students with Severe DisabilitiesAll
27.Teacher of the Deaf and Hard-of-HearingAll
28.Teacher of the Visually ImpairedAll
29.Technology/Engineering5–12
30.TheaterAll
31.Visual ArtPreK–8; 5–12

Experienced teacher candidates who have documented educational coursework/training, may also be eligible for this program.

Who Is Eligible?

Only those teachers who fulfill the following requirements are eligible to enroll in PRPIL.

  1. Hold a Massachusetts Provisional (formerly known as Preliminary) non-vocational teaching license.
  2. Have completed three years of teaching under an MA Provisional license.
  3. Have completed 120 hours of educational coursework or training related to the pedagogy of teaching. Please note, for the purposes of this program:
    • A combination of undergraduate/graduate course credits and PDPs can be used to reach the 120-hour requirement.
    • DESE has determined that all 3 and 4 credit undergraduate/graduate education courses equal 45 hours, regardless of the institution's course hours. Each PDP equals 1 hour.
    • For course credits, please provide a transcript. For PDPs, please provide copies of your PDP certificates or an official list of PDPs from a district administrator.
    • All training hours must be in pedagogy. This includes differentiated instruction, classroom management, skillful teaching, incorporating technology in the classroom, SEI endorsement credits and other pedagogical topics. The training does not need to be subject area specific.
    • [A copy of your undergraduate/graduate transcript does not need to be provided, if you did not take an educational course(s).]
  4. Be currently teaching in the subject and grade level of the Provisional license being advanced.
  5. Find a mentor from your school or district who holds an Initial or Professional License in Massachusetts.
  6. Be recommended by your current principal.
  7. Hold an SEI Endorsement from DESE (Core Academic Subject teachers only)
  8. Be able to present evidence verifying all subject matter topics listed in the Subject Matter Knowledge for Music document (Music teachers only)

If you are unsure whether or not you meet the state eligibility requirements, please contact Class Measures.

Program Overview

PRPIL consists of a five-stage review, including onsite or virtual classroom observations and a preservice performance assessment using Department guidelines, in which the candidate works with an Instructional Consultant supplied by Class Measures and a district coach/mentor chosen by themselves, to compile an ePortfolio. Each stage will evaluate the candidate's ability to:

  1. Demonstrate application of the Massachusetts Professional Standards for Teachers in the context of their subject area of the license and classroom;

  2. Incorporate the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks into their practice.


Please note that licenses earned through this alternative process may not be reciprocal in states with which Massachusetts has signed the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement.

Candidates are required to pay an program application fee of $75. The full cost of the program is $2,400 and a number of payment options are available. Payment arrangements are between the candidate and Class Measures. For more information about the program, application requirements, payment options, and information events, please visit the PRPIL website.

Last Updated: June 23, 2021

 
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Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
135 Santilli Highway, Everett, MA 02149

Voice: (781) 338-3000
TTY: (800) 439-2370

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