Become a RETELL Approved Provider

RETELL Approved Provider- Frequently Asked Questions

1. How does my organization apply to become an approved provider?

   Districts and organizations must respond to the SEI Approved Provider RFR on the COMMBUYS system.

   1. Visit COMMBUYS
   2. Search for Bid Solicitation 21MAOLADG1
   3. Review the documents listed on the posting, paying particular attention to Attachment A and Amendment, for information related to gaining approval. All forms must be submitted according to the instruction on the COMMBUYS site.
   
   

2. When and how will I find out if my district/organization is approved?

   A DESE staff member will review your application once the bid is submitted to our team via the COMMBUYS system. The district/organization's liaison listed in the application will be notified via email when the organization is approved.

   A DESE staff member will then email the liaison links to all of the approved provider procedures, course materials, and instructor training dates/registration link.

3. Can I create my own SEI course for my district/organization?

   No. Approved providers must conduct the RETELL Teacher and Administrator courses using the syllabi, manuals, and materials provided by the Department. Details for this are outlined in the bid and in the "Approved Providers Procedure" document that is provided upon approval.

4. Who can I hire to be a RETELL instructor of these courses?

   Instructor qualifications and procedures are outlined in the bid and in the "Approved Providers Procedure" document provided upon approval.

5. Does the Department provide a learning management system (LMS) for hosting courses?

   No. Districts/organizations are responsible for obtaining a LMS for hosting the course(s) that have specific functionality requirements. These requirements are outlined in the bid and in the "Approved Providers Procedure" document provided upon approval. Acceptable LMSs include Moodle, Blackboard, Canvas, Schoology, Google Classroom, etc.

6. Who is eligible to take an approved provider course?

   Any educator, administrator, or other school personnel with access to students at the time of the course is eligible to take an approved provider course. This includes vocational teachers, specialists, substitutes, TAs and other support personnel, and/or other educators.

   To complete the Administrator course, a participant must be serving in an administrative role either supervising or evaluating educators at the time of the course or be working with an administrator to complete the practicum component of the administrator course.

   Approved providers may choose to offer their courses to educators in-district or out-of-district. Costs for in-district or out -of-district participants may also be determined by the approved providers, so long as they are within reason. For a complete list of current approved providers and costs, please visit the RETELL approved provider homepage.

7. Who can I contact for more information?

   Please email Diana Gentile .

RETELL Approved Providers

Districts and organizations that apply and are approved to become providers will be authorized to host their own SEI Teacher or Administrator endorsement courses.

The RETELL initiative (Rethinking Equity in the Teaching of English Language Learners) represents a commitment to address the persistent gap in academic proficiency experienced by EL students. At the heart of this initiative are training and licensure requirements for the Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) Endorsement, which core academic teachers and career vocational educational teachers of ELs and principals/assistant principals and supervisors/directors who supervise or evaluate such teachers must obtain.

Last Updated: October 1, 2021