Accelerated Early Literacy Program Review and Approval

The Early Literacy Program Approval Criteria articulate DESE's expectations for teacher candidates' preparation in evidence-based, inclusive, and culturally and linguistically sustaining early literacy instruction. The criteria are comprehensive of all of the components of literacy, including:

1. Core Principals of Intentional and Equitable Literacy Instruction
2. Language Comprehension
3. Foundational Skills
4. Reading Comprehension
5. Writing

The criteria ensure that teacher candidates are well-prepared to support every student, with considerations for multilingual and bidialectal students, students with a range of abilities and disabilities, and students who are experiencing reading difficulties.

Finally, the criteria set the expectation that prospective teachers have rich and varied opportunities for deeper learning through high quality field-based placements so that they are able to apply the research-based instructional practices and theories learned in coursework to classroom instruction.

The Commissioner of Elementary & Secondary Education has the statutory authority to review and approve programs that prepare candidates for educator licensure in Massachusetts. From 2024 to 2029, DESE will review all Elementary, Early Childhood, Moderate Disabilities PK–2, and Moderate Disabilities PK–8 Initial licensure programs for alignment to the Early Literacy Program Approval Criteria through two program approval processes:

1. Formal Reviews

   • Sponsoring organizations undergo a formal review of their licensure programs on a seven-year cycle. This periodic formal review ensures educator preparation programs' continued alignment to state standards and continued growth and effectiveness beyond their initial approval.

   • The Early Literacy Program Approval Criteria will be integrated into the formal review process for sponsoring organizations already scheduled to undergo formal review between SY2024-25 and SY2028-29, as outlined in the 2023 Guidelines for Educator Preparation Program Approval.

   • To learn more about the specific early literacy components of the formal review process, visit the Formal Review Toolkit webpage where you can find detailed planning guides for each stage of the review process inclusive of early literacy considerations.

   
   
2. Accelerated Interim Reviews

   • Sponsoring organizations with formal reviews scheduled in SY2028-29 and beyond will undergo literacy-specific interim reviews on an accelerated timeline. DESE will conduct these stand-alone Early Literacy Interim Reviews of the four relevant licensure programs over the next four years using a review process that is similar to the formal review process and aligned to the Early Literacy Program Approval Criteria. Review toolkits for these interim reviews will be available soon.

The early literacy reviews will result in program-level approval determinations (e.g., approved with distinction, approved, approved with conditions, probationary approval) for 170 Early Childhood, Elementary, and Moderate Disabilities PK–2/PK–8 Initial licensure programs across 46 educator preparation providers.

The following sponsoring organizations offer Elementary, Early Childhood, Moderate Disabilities PK–2 and/or Moderate Disabilities PK–8 Initial license programs and are therefore scheduled for programmatic reviews (either formal or interim) to assess alignment to the Early Literacy Program Approval Criteria in the next four years. More detailed information is available on the Guidelines for Program Approval webpage.

DESE will provide technical assistance to each organization throughout the review processes by setting clear timelines, expectations, and requirements; providing templates of required documents; and sharing resources to explain requirements and options for the review. These resources will be adjusted routinely based on feedback from sponsoring organizations, external reviewers, and DESE staff.

Additionally, DESE remains committed to providing rich and diverse opportunities and supports for educator preparation faculty, staff, and leadership to engage in self-assessment and continuous improvement efforts as well as professional development aligned to Mass Literacy. Learn more about these offerings on the Early Literacy in Educator Preparation site.