Licensure

Massachusetts Professional Standards for Teachers

These standards define the pedagogical and other professional knowledge and skills required of all Massachusetts teachers.

  1. Curriculum, Planning, and Assessment
  2. Teaching All Students
  3. Family and Community Engagement
  4. Professional Culture

All students applying for entrance into one of our licensure programs – secondary, elementary, or early childhood – must follow the procedures outlined below:

  1. Arrange for an initial interview with the appropriate advisor.
  • Prof. Scott Gelber: Secondary
  • Prof. Sara Donaldson or Alessandra Ward: Elementary & Early Childhood
  1. Create and receive a Massachusetts Education Personnel Identifier (MEPID). Go to the MA Department of Education website and click the “ELAR” icon. Once in ELAR, click “Create ELAR Profile” and complete this process in order to be assigned a MEPID. Be sure to enter accurate information and keep your login & password someplace safe.  Email your MEPID to the appropriate advisor.
  2. Register for the MTEL Communication & Literacy exam.
  3. Complete a Major Declaration Form: insideWheaton>>WINDOW>>Student & Financial Records>>Registration Forms (email the completed Google form to the appropriate advisor).
  4. Begin a 4-year plan with your advisor. This plan is tentative and will likely change over the course of your undergraduate years. As soon as you declare your education licensure major, this plan should be shared with your other (non-education) major advisor.

Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education regulations for Teacher Licensure change frequently as do education requirements and forms. It is therefore critical that students contact the appropriate Wheaton Education Department faculty advisor to obtain the most up-to-date information and education requirements documentation.

Related Resources

For more information, contact

Licensure Disclosure for Education Programs

Wheaton College’s Early Childhood, Elementary, and Secondary Education programs are approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) and lead to Initial Licensure in Massachusetts.

Licensure requirements for teachers vary by state. While many states participate in the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement, which facilitates reciprocity for licensed educators, this agreement does not guarantee automatic license portability. Some states may require additional steps such as state-specific exams, coursework, or background checks.

It is important that students, including prospective students, review the licensure requirements in the state where they intend to teach before applying to or enrolling in Wheaton’s education programs. Completion of a program does not guarantee eligibility for licensure or issuance of a license in any state.

To understand how Wheaton’s Education programs align with state licensure requirements, please consult the State-by-State Licensure Determination Chart for Education Programs (Google Doc), which indicates whether the program meets, does not meet, or has not yet determined if it meets educational requirements in each U.S. state and territory.

Additional licensure contact information for each state can be found via the NC-SARA Professional Licensure Directory, which is updated twice annually.

Wheaton College has determined that its educational programs requirements for licensure with additional requirements (such as background checks, coursework, or testing) in the following states and territories: Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, New Hampshire, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Tennessee, Vermont, Wyoming, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Licensure determinations for all other U.S. states and territories have not yet been determined. We are actively researching these jurisdictions and will update our disclosure chart as new information becomes available.

This information is reviewed and updated regularly. Please check back periodically for the most current guidance.