District/School Administration Administration
Education Laws and Regulations

Proposed Amendment to 603 CMR 7.00
Educator Licensure and Preparation Program Approval Regulations

Voted as an emergency regulation by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education: May 19, 2009. Emergency regulation effective for three months. Released for public comment by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education for permanent adoption: May 19, 2009
Period of public comment: through July 10, 2009
Final action by the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education: August 2009

The emergency regulation establishes a transition phase for implementing the Mathematics subtest of the General Curriculum test for educator licensure. For a limited period (until June 30, 2012), candidates who earn a scaled score of at least 227-239 will be deemed to have passed the subtest for the purpose of their first stage of licensure. These teachers, however, will have to retake the Mathematics subtest and earn a scaled score of 240 or above in order to be eligible for the next stage of licensure or to renew their initial license. As of July 1, 2012, all candidates for the listed licenses will have to earn a score of 240 or above on the Mathematics subtest.

In accordance with the Administrative Procedure Act, G.L. c. 30A, § 3, the Board finds that the immediate adoption of this regulation is necessary for the preservation of the public welfare, to implement standards that affect educators, preparing institutions, and school districts immediately, and that observance of the requirements of prior notice and public comment would be contrary to the public interest. Written comment on the adoption of the emergency regulation as a permanent amendment may be submitted through July 10, 2009. The Board is expected to vote on the proposed permanent amendment in August 2009.

The emergency regulation and proposed permanent amendment is as follows:

New section 603 CMR 7.14(14)(g):
Between March 7, 2009 and June 30, 2012, candidates for the following preliminary or initial licenses who earn a scaled score of at least 227-239 on the Mathematics portion of the General Curriculum test: Elementary, Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities, Teacher of Students with Severe Disabilities, Teacher of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing and Teacher of the Visually Impaired, will be deemed to have passed the Mathematics portion of the General Curriculum test. All candidates who are licensed under this provision must earn a scaled score of 240 or above on the Mathematics portion of the General Curriculum test in order to be eligible for the next stage of licensure or to renew their initial license.