MA certification

Massachusetts teacher certification

Massachusetts reports 31 teaching credentials and 1 alternative route to Title II, and licensed 4,669 new teachers in the latest year.

Credential rules change. Confirm current requirements with Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Teaching credentials in Massachusetts

Each row is a credential Massachusetts reported to Title II. Initial means a first credential for a new teacher. Years is the length of validity.

Massachusetts credentials
Credential	Initial	Years	Renewable	Grade levels
Biology	Yes	5	No	5-8, 8-12
Business	Yes	5	No	9-12
Chemistry	Yes	5	No	5-8, 8-12
Dance	Yes	5	No	PK-12, PK-12, PK-12
Early Childhood	Yes	5	No	PK-2
Earth Science	Yes	5	No	5-8, 8-12
Elementary	Yes	5	No	1-6
English	Yes	5	No	5-8, 8-12
English as a Second Language	Yes	5	No	PK-6, 5-12, 5-12
Foreign Language	Yes	5	No	PK-6, 5-12, 5-12
General Science	Yes	5	No	1-6, 5-8
Health/Family and Consumer Sciences	Yes	5	No	PK-12, PK-12, PK-12
History	Yes	5	No	1-6, 5-8, 8-12
Instructional Technology	Yes	5	No	PK-12, PK-12, PK-12
Latin and Classical Humanities	Yes	5	No	5-12, 5-12
Library	Yes	5	No	PK-12, PK-12, PK-12
Mathematics	Yes	5	No	1-6, 5-8, 8-12
Middle School Humanities	Yes	5	No	5-8
Middle School Mathematics/Science	Yes	5	No	5-8
Music: Vocal/Instrumental/General	Yes	5	No	PK-12, PK-12, PK-12
Physical Education	Yes	5	No	PK-8, 5-12, 5-12
Physics	Yes	5	No	5-8, 8-12
Political Science/Political Philosophy	Yes	5	No	5-8, 8-12
Speech	Yes	5	No	PK-12, PK-12, PK-12
Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities	Yes	5	No	PK-8, 5-12, 5-12
Teacher of Students with Severe Disabilities	Yes	5	No	PK-12, PK-12, PK-12
Teacher of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing	Yes	5	No	PK-12, PK-12, PK-12
Teacher of the Visually Impaired	Yes	5	No	PK-12, PK-12, PK-12
Technology/ Engineering	Yes	5	No	5-12, 5-12
Theater	Yes	5	No	PK-12, PK-12, PK-12
Visual Art	Yes	5	No	PK-8, 5-12, 5-12

Requirements

Yes means the state reports the item as required for that credential. Tests shows only whether tests are required; Title II does not name the tests.

Credential	Bachelor's	Master's	Education degree	Prep program	Tests	Performance assessment	Clinical	Coursework	Credit hours	Min. GPA	Transcripts	Employment	Mentoring	Recency	Background check	Fingerprint	Police check
Biology	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Business	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Chemistry	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Dance	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Early Childhood	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Earth Science	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Elementary	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
English	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
English as a Second Language	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Foreign Language	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
General Science	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Health/Family and Consumer Sciences	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
History	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Instructional Technology	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Latin and Classical Humanities	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Library	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Mathematics	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Middle School Humanities	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Middle School Mathematics/Science	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Music: Vocal/Instrumental/General	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Physical Education	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Physics	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Political Science/Political Philosophy	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Speech	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Teacher of Students with Severe Disabilities	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Teacher of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Teacher of the Visually Impaired	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Technology/ Engineering	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Theater	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No
Visual Art	Yes	No	No	No	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes	No	No	Yes	No	No	No	No	No	No

Verify a teaching license in Massachusetts

Teaching licenses in Massachusetts are verified on the lookup service run by Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Search there by the teacher's name or certificate number to see current status.

PT3 does not verify licenses and holds no records of individual teachers.

Renewal

Renew times is how many times the credential can be renewed; renewal years is the length of each renewal.

Renewal
Credential	Renewable	Renew times	Renewal years	Details
Biology	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Business	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Chemistry	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Dance	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Early Childhood	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Earth Science	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Elementary	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
English	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
English as a Second Language	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Foreign Language	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
General Science	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Health/Family and Consumer Sciences	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
History	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Instructional Technology	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Latin and Classical Humanities	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Library	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Mathematics	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Middle School Humanities	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Middle School Mathematics/Science	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Music: Vocal/Instrumental/General	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Physical Education	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Physics	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Political Science/Political Philosophy	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Speech	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Teacher of Students with Severe Disabilities	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Teacher of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Teacher of the Visually Impaired	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Technology/ Engineering	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Theater	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported
Visual Art	No	Not reported	Not reported	Not reported

Emergency and temporary credentials

Emergency credentials
Credential	Initial	Years	Renewable	Grade levels
Biology	Yes	5	No	5-8, 8-12
Chemistry	Yes	5	No	5-8, 8-12
Dance	Yes	5	No	PK-12, PK-12, PK-12
Early Childhood	Yes	5	No	PK-2
Earth Science	Yes	5	No	5-8, 8-12
Elementary	Yes	5	No	1-6
English	Yes	5	No	5-8, 8-12
English as a Second Language	Yes	5	No	PK-6, 5-12, 5-12
Foreign Language	Yes	5	No	PK-6, 5-12, 5-12
General Science	Yes	5	No	1-6, 5-8
Health/Family and Consumer Sciences	Yes	5	No	PK-12, PK-12, PK-12
History	Yes	5	No	1-6, 5-8, 8-12
Instructional Technology	Yes	5	No	PK-12, PK-12, PK-12
Latin and Classical Humanities	Yes	5	No	5-12, 5-12
Library	Yes	5	No	PK-12, PK-12, PK-12
Mathematics	Yes	5	No	1-6, 5-8, 8-12
Middle School Humanities	Yes	5	No	5-8
Middle School Mathematics/Science	Yes	5	No	5-8
Music: Vocal/Instrumental/General	Yes	5	No	PK-12, PK-12, PK-12
Physical Education	Yes	5	No	PK-8, 5-12, 5-12
Physics	Yes	5	No	5-8, 8-12
Political Science/Political Philosophy	Yes	5	No	5-8, 8-12
Speech	Yes	5	No	PK-12, PK-12, PK-12
Teacher of Students with Moderate Disabilities	Yes	5	No	PK-8, 5-12, 5-12
Teacher of Students with Severe Disabilities	Yes	5	No	PK-12, PK-12, PK-12
Teacher of the Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing	Yes	5	No	PK-12, PK-12, PK-12
Teacher of the Visually Impaired	Yes	5	No	PK-12, PK-12, PK-12
Technology/ Engineering	Yes	5	No	5-12, 5-12
Theater	Yes	5	No	PK-12, PK-12, PK-12
Visual Art	Yes	5	No	PK-8, 5-12, 5-12

Out-of-state teachers

Title II lists no separate out-of-state credential for Massachusetts. Ask Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education how it reviews licenses from other states.

Newly licensed teachers prepared out of state: 607.

Alternative routes

Route Two: Performance Review Program for Initial Licensure (PRPIL) (teach while completing)

All alternative routes in Massachusetts

About Massachusetts certification

Massachusetts collects annual data from all providers according to 603 CMR 7.03 Regulations for Educator Licensure and Preparation Program Approval.

Massachusetts publishes the data on the Department's Public Profiles. Profiles contain data for all programs, including initial teacher data as provided under Title II, and all other approved program areas (e.g., professional licensure, administrative leadership, etc.). Additionally, The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education collects, links, and reports on additional measures not included here such as: faculty data, annual goals, rationales for increases/decreases in enrollment, list of district partners, employment and retention data for candidates employed in MA public schools, evaluation data, and stakeholder survey data.

Profiles can be accessed at:

profiles.doe.mass.edu

How to become a teacher in Massachusetts Massachusetts teacher preparation providers

Frequently asked questions

How do I get a teaching certificate in Massachusetts?

Massachusetts reports 31 credentials to Title II, 31 of them initial. 31 initial credentials require a bachelor's degree, 1 require a preparation program and 30 require tests. Apply through Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

How do I verify a teaching license in Massachusetts?

Licenses are verified on the lookup service run by Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. PT3 does not verify licenses.

Can I renew a Massachusetts teaching certificate?

Title II lists no Massachusetts credential as renewable. Confirm with Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

Does Massachusetts issue emergency or temporary teaching certificates?

Yes. Title II lists 30: Biology; Chemistry; Dance; Early Childhood; Earth Science.

Can I teach in Massachusetts with an out-of-state license?

Title II lists no separate out-of-state credential for Massachusetts. Ask Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education how it reviews licenses from other states.

Is there alternative teacher certification in Massachusetts?

Yes. Massachusetts reports 1 alternative route to Title II.