Office of Educator Licensure

Share your feedback! Public Comment for Regulatory Updates to Licensure Pathways

In November 2024 Governor Healey signed the Mass Leads Act, Chapter 238 of the Acts of 2024. It included new language for the development of an alternative licensure pathway that would allow an aspiring educator to waive one MTEL, pending specific eligibility criteria. The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) convened an internal working group and an external advisory group to advise on the pathway. The Department engaged other stakeholder groups and individuals in the spring, with over 200 stakeholders providing feedback on the proposal. On November 18, 2025, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education voted to send the proposed regulations out for public comment.

Key provisions of the proposed amendments include the following:

• New and amended Definitions in 603 CMR 7.02 in alignment with the proposed alternative licensure pathway
• New language in 603 CMR 7.04 outlining the new alternative licensure pathway that would allow an educator candidate to waive the communication and literacy skills test or a subject matter knowledge test
• Revisions to the add license options in 603 CMR 7.15 to include alternative assessments and the proposed alternative licensure pathway
• New implementation language in 603 CMR 7.15 to include timelines for implementing revised subject matter knowledge requirements
• Revisions to non-substantive language to update references in various sections of the regulations.

Details on how to submit public comment will be posted on DESE's public comment page. DESE is accepting public comment on the proposal through Tuesday, January 20, 2026.