Frequently Asked Questions

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• Key Resources
• Communications and Collaborations
• Early Literacy in Educator Preparation
• Edwin
• ELAR and Security Portal
• Endorsements and Endorsement Import Spreadsheets
• Field-Based Experiences: Pre-Practicum
• Field-Based Experiences: Practicum Hours and Settings
• Field-Based Experiences: Practicum Supervision
• Field-Based Experiences: Candidate Assessment of Performance
• Field-Based Experiences: Other Performance Assessments
• Field-Based Experiences: Waivers for Field-Based Experiences
• Licensure
• MTEL
• Performance Assessment for Leaders (PAL)
• PK–2 Early Childhood Programs
• PK–12 School/District Partnership Resources
• Professional Standards for Teachers (PSTs) and Professional Standards & Indicators for Administrative Leadership (PSAL)
• Program Admission, Advising, Completion
• Program Approval: Formal Review
• Program Approval: Informal Review
• Program Approval: Early Literacy Reviews
• Program Approval: Other
• Program Changes and Updates
• Record Retention
• SEI Courses
• Stakeholder Surveys
• Subject Matter Knowledge Requirements
• Title II/State Annual Report
• Waivers
• Other DESE Resources
• View All

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Program Admission, Advising, Completion

• Degree Requirements
  • What major(s) do our candidates need to have for our approved program? How many credit hours are required?
    • See the Bachelor Degree Advisory.
  • What do we do if a candidate transfers into our program?
    • Sponsoring organizations have the authority to review an individual candidate's prior coursework and/or work experience and waive otherwise required coursework and/or field-based experiences, including up to half of the practicum or practicum equivalent.
    • Any changes from the approved program of study and/or program requirements must be documented as a waiver. Each decision to issue a waiver must be made on a case-by-case basis with individual documentation and rationale. See Appendix J: Implementation of Waivers in Approved Programs from the Guidelines for Educator Preparation Program Approval for additional information.
• Supporting Candidates to Meet Expectations
  • What information should we retain about candidates who have required additional support?
    • During the Formal Review process and, in some cases, interim review processes, DESE will review a sample of artifacts from candidates who have needed additional support or guidance to be successful in their program (including those who were not able to be successful despite receiving additional support or guidance). A template that can be used for these artifacts is available in the Launch Stage Resources. DESE will review these artifacts to understand:
      • When in their program each candidate was identified as needing additional support;
      • By whom the candidate was identified and what led to that identification;
      • What supports were provided to the candidate;
      • How improvement was measured/monitored by the organization; and
      • What the outcome was for the candidate.

Last Updated: September 25, 2024