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Recertification

Guidelines for Massachusetts Educators

Appendix D
Recertification Options

Previous Regulations New Regulations (Effective December 1, 1999)
Minimum 4 hours per topic Minimum 10 hours per topic
Course for credit

1 semester hour = 15 PDPs

  • Upper-level (except where otherwise noted) or approved equivalent or lower-level undergraduate course

1 semester hour = 15 PDPs

  • Upper-level undergraduate course or approved equivalent (only when substantially new to the educator)

1 semester hour = 22.5 PDPs

  • Graduate-level course or approved equivalent

1 semester hour = 22.5 PDPs

  • Audit Courses

1 semester hour = 7.5 PDPs

Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Conference, Institute, Seminar, Workshop, Educational Improvement Activity

1 PDP per clock hour

The Department will offer 1.5 PDPs per clock hour for professional development activities that:
  1. total at least 10 hours;
  2. include a product or pre- and post-content assessment; and
  3. include a follow-up component.

For those Department-sponsored activities that do not have a pre- and post- content assessment, only 30 PDPs can be counted toward recertification in a five-year cycle.

The Department will not offer PDPs for one-day workshops or conferences, informational sessions or meetings.

Professional Development Provider

Conference, Institute, Seminar, Study Group, Educational Improvement Activity, Visiting Team, Distance Learning, Workshop/Series

1 PDP per clock hour

Attendance at a professional conference

1 PDP per clock hour

PDPs may be awarded by registered providers to educators who complete a professional development activity and demonstrate proficiency in the relevant subject area or skill through an appropriate end-of-course assessment that satisfies Department guidelines. All end-of-course assessments must assess at least 10 hours of professional development on a given topic.

1 PDP per clock hour

1.5 PDPs per clock hour for approved Advanced Academic Study

No PDPs for attendance at a professional conference.

30 PDPs for the presenter, for first time a presentation is given at a professional conference in a five-year renewal cycle.

School/District Activity

School Improvement Activity, Workshop, Seminar, Institute, Study Group, Educational Project, Distance Learning, Mentoring, Cooperating Teacher, Peer Coaching

1 PDP per clock hour

Educators who participate in school- and district-based inservice programs that focus on strengthening professional knowledge and skills in content may receive PDPs after the successful completion of a professional development program (minimum of 10 hours on a topic) with an observable demonstration of learning that could include a written product or other documentable product.

1 PDP per clock hour

Educators who participate in the following professional development programs within a five-year renewal cycle are eligible to receive 1 PDP per contact hour, but may not apply more than the identified maximum number of points per year toward recertification. Educators may apply the earned PDPs toward either the content-based pedagogy/professional skill area or the elective points or both depending upon whether or not the pedagogical activities are content-based.

Mentoring - 15 PDPs per year from districts that have submitted a mentoring plan to the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Peer Coaching, Cooperating Teacher and Peer Assistance and Review – 15 PDPs per year
National Board of Professional Teaching Standards – 120 PDPs for successful completion (30 PDPs in content, 60 PDPs in pedagogy and 30 PDPs in elective)

Self-Directed Education Professional Product/Project

Book, Journal Article, Software, Research, Innovative Curriculum Unit

90 PDPs maximum
and variable,
depending on product

Related Work Experience

1 PDP per clock hour
60 PDPs maximum

Community/Business Educational Improvement Activity

1 PDP per clock hour
60 PDPs maximum

Educators may earn PDPs through an educator designed professional development activity that results in a professional product.
Published Written Materials
Doctoral dissertation 90 PDPs in five years
Master's or CAGS thesis 45 PDPs in five years
Book(s) 90 PDPs per book
Chapters or professional journal articles in a professional book or journal 30 PDPs per chapter or article
Published results of action
Research
30 PDPs in five years
Curriculum Development

Educators who author a new curriculum unit that is published in a school or district guide or formally shared in other ways, including software, student text book or professional resource can earn 15 PDPs per curriculum unit and may accrue up to 60 PDPs in five years.

School-Based Activity

Educators may earn PDPs for developing and implementing an activity for students, parents or teachers that incorporates the learning standards of the state Curriculum Frameworks. Educators may earn 1 PDP per clock hour with a maximum of 30 points in a five-year cycle when the school-based activity is distributed or implemented by a local school, district or university. Educators may count PDPs from school-based activities toward the recertification content requirement when the activity is directly related to the content area of the certificate.

Continuing Education Units

1 CEU = 10 PDPs

Courses provided by professional development providers that meet specific standards are often measured in Continuing Education Units (CEUs) as defined by the International Association for Continuing Education. For more information call 202-463-2905 or visit the website at www.iacet.org.

1 CEU = 10 PDPs

Presenters

3 PDPs per clock hour for new presentations

Presenters are no longer eligible for 3 PDPs per clock hour for new presentations. However, an instructor for a graduate-level course or approved equivalent for educators is eligible to receive 45 PDPs per semester hour for the first time the course is taught in a five-year renewal cycle. Also, educators who develop and present a minimum of 3 separate sessions in a professional development series are eligible to receive twice the amount of PDPs given to participants, with the presenter receiving a minimum of 10 PDPs and a maximum of 24 PDPs.
Program Approval Team

60 PDPs maximum

Visiting team for accreditation or inspection

Team member or school faculty member preparing for visit

30 PDPs in five years

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last updated: January 1, 2000
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