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HD 837

An Act adding paths to professional licensure for teachers

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Kelly Pease

Adds a new pathway to Massachusetts professional teacher licensure for those who held a provisional educator certificate and have at least five years in an educational setting.

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Bill Summary · HD 837

Summary: An Act adding paths to professional licensure for teachers (HD 837)

Basic bill information

  • Bill number: HD 837
  • Title: An Act adding paths to professional licensure for teachers
  • Introduced: November 29, 2025 (per bill record provided)
  • Version content: The circulated bill text proposes an amendment to Section 38G of Chapter 71 of the General Laws and adds a new pathway to professional licensure for teachers.
  • Current status: Not indicated in the provided materials (default: a proposed bill in the 2025-2026 General Court).

Purpose and intent

  • The bill seeks to expand the routes by which individuals can obtain professional licensure as teachers in Massachusetts.
  • Specifically, it adds a new eligibility pathway for licensure based on prior licensure-related credentials and sustained work experience.

Key provisions

  • Amendment to Section 38G, Chapter 71, General Laws: The bill inserts a new eligibility phrase after the word “commissioner;” in line 203, stating:
    • “or has held a provisional educator certificate and worked in an educational setting for at least five years;”
  • Effect of provision: This creates an alternative route to professional licensure for teachers who have previously held a provisional educator certificate and accumulated at least five years of work experience in an educational setting.

Who would be affected

  • Primary beneficiaries: Individuals who have held a provisional educator certificate and have at least five years of employment in an educational setting (e.g., schools, districts).
  • Other affected parties: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), school districts, and teacher applicants who qualify under this pathway, as it interacts with existing licensure requirements and processes.

Procedural and timeline considerations

  • Process to enact: As a proposed bill, it would need approval by both houses of the Massachusetts General Court and signature by the Governor to become law.
  • Timeline specifics: The provided materials do not include a committee process, hearing dates, or a final vote timeline.
  • Implementation questions (not specified in text):
    • Whether the new pathway modifies existing licensure criteria beyond the one added clause.
    • Any accompanying requirements (e.g., continuing education, discipline reviews, or testing) tied to this pathway.
    • How this pathway interacts with current provisional licensure or standard professional licensure timelines.

Notes

  • The sole substantive change is the insertion of the five-year educational work experience behind a provisional educator certificate as a qualifying condition for professional licensure.
  • No dollar amounts, dates beyond introduction, or additional programmatic provisions are included in the provided text.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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