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On April 28, 2026, the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (Board) approved a set of changes to the regulations for Educator Licensure and Preparation Program Approval (603 CMR 7.00). The regulatory changes created an alternative licensure pathway that allows an aspiring educator and/or existing educator, the ability to waive the Communication and Literacy Skills test required for licensure should they meet one of the four eligibility criteria.
To meet the Communication and Literacy Skills test requirement, applicants for licensure will have the option to pass Communication and Literacy Skills MTEL or an approved alternative assessment, or they can utilize this new pathway. The new pathway is applicable only for the Communication and Literacy Skills (C&L) test.
For information about approved alternative assessments to the MTEL, please see Alternative Assessments to the MTEL - Massachusetts Tests for Educator Licensure (MTEL).
Implementation: The Licensure Office anticipates being able to accept applications by May 14, 2026. Please see the following link to the licensure page for an FAQ on the new alternative pathway.