Frequently Asked Questions About RETELL

Does the MTA Have a position on the bilingual education law?

The MTA applauds the new law, which gives school districts greater flexibility in how they educate English learners.  An Act Relative to Language Opportunity for Our Kids was approved by both the House and Senate and signed into law by the governor in November 2017.

Read more: MTA applauds new bilingual education law.

How does the new bilingual education law impact the sei endorsement requirements?

The SEI Endorsement requirements will remain in place. Core academic teachers of English learners and administrators who supervise and/or evaluate core academic teachers of English learners will still be required to hold the appropriate SEI Endorsement. The Endorsement is also required for a first Administrator License or first Initial License as a core academic teacher. For more, read The Policy Minute, a blog produced by the MTA's Center for Education Policy and Practice.

I will be evaluating an educator with an ELL student for the first time. What should I do?

The following are required for the SEI Endorsement for administrators:

  • Hold the SEI Endorsement for teachers.
  • Complete an approved SEI Endorsement course for administrators through a for-cost provider within one calendar year.
Will my license be "taken away" if I do not earn the SEI Endorsement?

Your license will not be taken away. However…

If you are a core academic teacher and had an English language learner in your classroom within your district’s cohort years, the following applies:

  • You should have earned the SEI Endorsement by Aug. 31, 2016. If not, a restriction should have been placed on your license on Sept. 1, 2016. This means you will not be able to renew, advance or extend your core academic license(s) until you earn the endorsement.
    • Professional License: If you are restricted from renewing your professional core academic license, the license will become inactive when it expires. At that time, you will not be licensed. In order to reactivate your license, you will need the appropriate PDPs and will need to earn the SEI Endorsement at your own expense.
    • Initial License: If you are  restricted from advancing or extending your initial license(s) when it or its extension expires, you will not be licensed.
  • If your core academic license(s) is restricted but not expired or inactive and an ELL is assigned to your classroom, you will have one calendar year to earn the endorsement  at your own expense. After that year, your employability may be at risk.
  • If you are not licensed, the only way you can continue teaching or return to teaching in a public school is for your district to request a waiver.
How do I renew my professional license?

After July 1, 2016, any unendorsed Core Academic Teacher who is assigned an English language learner will have 12 months from the time of that assignment to earn the SEI Endorsement. This does not apply to professional licenses for vocational technical education (Ch. 74).

Required new Professional Development Points:

  • 15 PDPs in content
  • 15 PDPs in pedagogy
  • 15 PDPs in English as a Second Language or Sheltered English Immersion
  • 15 PDPs in teaching students with diverse learning styles (special education) and
  • 90 elective PDPs
  • SEI Endorsement courses may count as content-area PDPs.
  • Educators who completed a DESE SEI Endorsement course and have more than 150 PDPs may “roll over” excess SEI PDPs one time.
  • Districts have an obligation to provide a no-cost option for educators to renew a professional license (MGL Ch. 71, s. 38G).
  • MTA local leaders are encouraged to meet with district leaders to discuss district-offered professional development starting in the 2017-2018 school year.
  • Impacted educators may need to update their Individual Professional Development Plan to reflect the inclusion of the ESL/SEI and SPED PDP changes.

Related Links

Which educators are required to hold the SEI Endorsement?

There are three categories of educators required to hold the SEI Endorsement.

  • Core academic teachers assigned an ELL, supervisors and evaluators of core academic teachers of ELLs between 2012 and 2016.
  • Impacted educators were notified by the district and/or via certified mail from DESE.
  • Failure to qualify for SEI Endorsement resulted in “restriction” of educator license until SEI Endorsement is obtained. License “restriction” will appear in the educator’s ELAR (Educator Licensing and Recruitment) account.
  • Core academic teachers and administrators who were assigned an English language learner after July 1, 2016.
  • All educators applying for an initial license as a core academic teacher or administrator since July 1, 2014.

Related Links 

What are the routes to SEI Endorsement?

Educators may choose any available route to qualify for the SEI Endorsement. 

SEI Endorsement for teachers:

  • Complete approved SEI Endorsement for teachers course.
  • Hold an English as a Second Language license.
  • Receive passing score on Sheltered English Immersion MTEL.
  • Get DESE review and approval of prior related coursework.
  • Receive endorsement embedded in an approved educator preparation program for Initial license(s).

Endorsement for administrators:

  • Hold SEI Endorsement for teachers.
  • Complete approved SEI Endorsement for administrators course.

All educators must apply for the SEI Endorsement within their Educator License and Renewal (ELAR) account.

Related Links

What are the SEI Endorsement requirements for an initial license?

All educators seeking an initial license as an administrator or a core academic teacher were required to hold the SEI Endorsement as of July 1, 2014. Educators may qualify for the SEI Endorsement via any available route.

If you need an extension of your preliminary license to obtain the SEI Endorsement, you must meet the following criteria:

  • Be a teacher working under a preliminary license who only needs the SEI Endorsement to complete requirements for an initial license.
  • Apply for a "commissioner’s determination," which may grant a one-time extension of the preliminary license.

Related Links

In what types of cases were license restrictions imposed?

The SEI Endorsement is not required for an educator to obtain a professional license except in the following instances:

  • Educators — teachers and administrators — who were assigned to a “cohort” between 2012 and 2016 and failed to register or wait-list for a spring 2016 course, and failed to qualify for the SEI Endorsement by Aug. 31, 2016.
  • Educators who were notified by DESE via certified mail and/or ELAR account indicating a restricted status.
  • Educators with a “restricted” license will be unable to extend an initial license, advance to initial or professional, or renew a professional license until the SEI Endorsement is obtained.
  • Educators who experienced a hardship may apply for a hardship extension or request a commissioner’s determination.

Related Links

What are the requirements for Professional Development Points?
  • Educators renewing an academic professional license must have 15 PDPs in English as a Second Language and/or Sheltered English Immersion and 15 PDPs in teaching students with diverse learning styles (special education).
  • Districts have an obligation to provide a no-cost option for educators to renew a professional license (MGL Ch. 71, s. 38G).
  • Impacted educators may need to update their Individual Professional Development Plan to reflect the inclusion of the ESL/SEI and SPED PDP changes.

Related Links

I am an administrator who also holds a core academic license(s). What steps do I need to take?
  • The SEI Teacher Endorsement fulfills both the administrator and core academic teacher license requirements for renewal.
  • The SEI Administrator Endorsement alone does not fulfill the requirement for the renewal of a core academic license(s) if the administrator both supervises/evaluates and has taught or will teach one or more ELL students during the district's cohort training window.
  • Administrators who have not been teaching ELLs during the district's cohort training window may renew a core academic license(s) without the SEI Teacher Endorsement.
  • If one or more ELL students are assigned, an educator will have one calendar year to earn the SEI Teacher Endorsement. This includes administrators who have retired at that level but returned to the classroom after July 1, 2016.
  • All administrators renewing a professional license must also satisfy the new PDP requirements.

Related Links

What opportunities are available for ongoing professional development?

Be sure to check with your local associations as your district's collective bargaining agreement may include tuition reimbursement or other compensation.