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Moving from Initial to Professional Licensure?
The Professional License must be renewed every five years.

Candidates Must:
- Possess an Initial license in the specific area
- Three years of employment under an Initial License
- Complete a Teacher Induction Program
- Get 50 Additional hours of Mentoring beyond the Induction Program
     - Teachers must maintain a mentoring log
     - Teachers must submit evidence to the Human Resources Department
     - Human Resources sends Letter of Work Experience and Statement for meeting the requirements to the DESE - One of the following
     - Master’s Degree in the content area
     - Master of Education Degree plus 12 credits in the specific content area
     - Approved professional licensure program with at least 50 hours of content-based seminars

Professional Vocational Technical Teacher License:
- Complete a one-year induction program.
- Work for 3 years as a teacher under the preliminary license
- Complete college courses as required.

District Recommendations:
- Get a Master’s Degree in your content area
- Enroll in graduate level courses in your content area and pay for the credits (such as Contract Courses offered by SPS)
- Don’t wait until the last year of your initial licensure to meet the requirements for the next level
- Maintain a file with copies of all your licensure documents
- Send updated copies of your licensure documents to the Human Resources Department
     - MTEL Results
     - Transcripts
     - Copies of Licensure
     - Notification of Enrollment in Graduate/Licensure Programs

Professional Licensure Preparation Program in Local Colleges:

American International College
- Early Childhood PreK-2
- Moderate Disabilities PreK-8
- Elementary 1-6

Bay Path College
- Moderate Disabilities PreK-8 and 5-12
- Severe Disabilities All Levels

Elms College
- Specialist Teacher: Reading All Levels
- Elementary 1-6
- Early Childhood PreK-2
- Moderate Disabilities PreK-8 and 5-12

Springfield College
- Physical Education PreK-8 and 5-12

UMass Amherst
- Moderate Disabilities PreK-8
- General Science 1-6 and 5-8
- Elementary 1-6
- Earth Science 5-8

Western New England College
- Elementary 1-6

Westfield State
- Moderate Disabilities PreK-8 and 5-12
- Early Childhood PreK-2
- Math 5-8 and 8-12
- History 5-8 and 8-12
- Chemistry 8-12
- Music All Levels
- Physical Education PreK-8 and 5-12
- Elementary 1-6
- Severe Disabilities All Levels
- Biology 8-12
- General Science

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