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Renewing a Professional License

This is a brief overview of DESE Expectations (150 PDPs) for Professional License Renewal every 5 years, with some specific S Notes to help prepare for upcoming license renewal. 

150 PDPs - New Point Distribution as of July 28, 2017 (Primary Area)

  • At least 15 PDPs in content (subject matter knowledge) 
  • At least 15 PDPs in pedagogy (professional skills)

NOTE: It is no longer necessary for Elementary teachers to have a distribution of content across all subject areas. That was a guideline connected to “Highly Qualified” status during the No Child Left Behind years…

  • At least 15 PDPs related to Sheltered English Immersion (SEI); English as a Second Language (ESL); teaching English Language Learners. 

NOTE: The following free in-district PD meets the requirements for 15 EL PDPs and will be offered again this year:

  • ELL For Professional Licensure offered by Nancy Capen

NOTE: The following in-district PD meets the requirements for 15 PDPs in Special Education/Inclusive Practices:

  • Meeting the Diverse Needs of Struggling Students - Taught by Melissa Maguire. 
  • The Impact of Trauma on Learning: An Overview - course provided by Lesley University, hosted in the district.

The remaining required 90 PDPs may be earned through any combination of “elective” activities that address other educational issues and topics that improve student learning, additional content, or pedagogy.

NOTE: PDPs that have been awarded by the district are part of the SMART PD record. PDPs that have been awarded by outside PD providers via workshops, courses, etc are not part of the SMART PD record (unless you have entered them manually); the PD provider awards those points and should provide a certificate or some sort of record. 

Graduate courses provide both credits and PDPs. Calculate your PDPs based on the number of credit hours indicated by the graduate course provider. A 3 credit course is typically between 45 and 67.5 hours/PDPs.

How to Renew a Professional License* 

The quickest way to renew your Professional license is through the Educator Licensure And Renewal (ELAR) system. After you log into the ELAR system, select the Apply to renew your professional level license link on your Welcome to ELAR home page. Follow all of the prompts, pay the required fees ($100 for primary license, $25 for additional licenses), and your license(s) will be renewed automatically.

Do not send in any of your supporting documentation (verifying the attainment of the required PDPs) unless you are selected for an audit. If selected for an audit, you will be required to submit documentation in support of the license(s) that you renewed.

Please note that the Office of Educator Licensure no longer sends out hard copies of newly approved or renewed licenses.  

We ask you to print out your renewed license and send it to Leah Tambolleo for your file. 

*(copied and pasted from DESE site)