Massachusetts Teacher Certification

For both alternative pathways to licensure, you must have a bachelor’s degree from an accredited college/university and not have completed an educator preparation program. For the MINT program, you must also meet one of the following academic requirements:

• Rank in the top 10 percent of your graduating class
• Have an overall GPA of at least 3.0
• Rank in the top 10th percentile of test takers on a national examination (such as the LSAT, MCAT or GRE)
• Have a documented outstanding record of community service (with two letters of recommendation)

If you are a mid-career professional (that is, you graduated five or more years ago with a bachelor’s degree), you need not meet the additional academic requirements above. Your work experience qualifies you for enrollment in MINT.

Experience

For MINT and the Preliminary License track, five years of work experience qualifies you for entrance into the program unless you are a more recent graduate in the MINT program, in which case you must meet the academic requirements above.

Criminal History Background Check

While the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education does not require applicants to undergo a criminal history background check as a part of the alternative licensure process, they are authorized to investigate any “yes” answers to criminal history questions you give on your licensure application. When you are hired by a Massachusetts school, however, it is mandated that you pass a criminal history background check before being allowed to work with children. More information on this process will be provided to you when you are hired.