News Article - Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

For Immediate Release
Monday, December 8, 2003
Contact:	Heidi B. Perlman 781-338-3106 or Kim Beck 781-338-3105

DOE Urges Educators To Use Online System To Re-license Early

MALDEN - Seven months before the licenses for about 80,000 educators will expire, the Department of Education is encouraging the educators to utilize a new online system to renew their licenses months in advance. The Education Reform Act of 1993 stipulates that all educators who hold a professional level license must renew the license every five years. The first major round of renewals was accomplished by June 17, 1999, leaving these educators until June 17, 2004 to renew their professional license. License renewals granted prior to the deadline will take effect the day the old ones expire, and will remain in effect through June 17, 2009. Professional license renewals will cost $100 for each designated primary area license, and $25 for each additional area. Over the past year the DOE has upgraded ELAR, the online Educator Licensure and Recruitment system. This system is streamlined and easy to follow, allowing those with all of their paperwork in order and who complete their application on-line to get their new license mailed out by the end of the next business day. To get their license renewed, teachers must have completed their professional development plan, and earned the requisite number of Professional Development Points (PDPs). PDPs should be organized into three categories: content, pedagogy, and other. Educators will need to indicate PDPs earned in each category so they can confirm they have met the minimum requirements to renew their licenses when they go on-line to apply. The Department provides a

downloadable form that many educators will find helpful in organizing their PDPs. The Department will accept their “electronic signature” on an affidavit included with the on-line application that constitutes the educator’s assurance that they have the required documentation. For most educators the online process will take just 10 minutes. Some of the on-line and paper applications will be randomly selected for an audit to confirm that they do meet all the requirements. Prior audits have confirmed that 99.7% of educators can provide the documentation have met all requirements. Although the Department will accept the paper application, educators are strongly urged to renew their professional licenses on-line. Due to a 50 percent reduction in staff since the last major renewal period in 1999, applicants could experience a significant delay if they submit their applications on paper. The DOE is working with the education associations across the state now to bring technical assistance sessions to teachers with limited Internet access. For more information, teachers should call the Licensure Call Center at 781-338-6600 or visit www.doe.mass.edu/educators.

Last Updated: December 8, 2003