Mass. tweaks license rules to allow more educators to teach special ed., ESL
The state education board voted Tuesday to amend licensing regulations in an effort to address the statewide teacher shortage.
The amendments create an easier pathway for already-licensed teachers to be able to teach special education and English as a second language and create a new license for pre-K teachers of students with disabilities. The board also voted to create a new provisional license for school nurses, who are also understaffed in Massachusetts districts.
Heading into the 2022-2023 school year, 48 percent of district leaders in the Northeast felt they were understaffed, according to the U.S. Department of Education. In Boston, there were about 900 positions available — including 219 teacher vacancies, CBS reported.
