If you teach in Massachusetts, you must hold an active license that matches your current assignment. Comprehensive information on licensure can be found on the website of the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (MA DESE). Key links are highlighted below. If you have licensing questions, please contact Dan Murphy, AFT MA’s director of educational policy and programs.

Vocational Technical Teacher Licenses

• Vocational technical teacher license home page at MA DESE website
• State regulations for vocational technical education and vocational technical licenses

Welcome to AFT MA’s teacher evaluation web page. As part of Massachusetts’ Race to the Top plan, the state has revised regulations pertaining to the evaluation of teachers and administrators. This page is designed to provide union leaders, teachers, and other affected educators with the latest information and resources regarding educator evaluation in Massachusetts. Please check back regularly for updates.

Essential Resources

• View an AFT MA PowerPoint presentation on the new regulations (pdf; April 2012)
• Review the “model” educator evaluation system from the Massachusetts

Welcome to AFT Massachusetts’ resource page for educating students with disabilities. The page was created through the work of the AFT MA Special Education Task Force and is intended for all educators.

The Task Force runs free workshops to help AFT MA members—regular education teachers, special education teachers, and paraprofessionals—understand and access the resources on this page. If your local would like to request a workshop, please call Dan Murphy, director of educational policy and programs, at 617.423.3342, or send an email.
Even if you don’t participate in a

Professional development is a continuous process of individual and collective reflection and improvement of practice.  Ongoing, high-quality professional development is an essential part of efforts to improve student learning.  As a union, we have a responsibility to maintain high standards for professional development and to support only the highest-quality professional development offerings.

AFT’s Principles for Professional Development

Designed to assist districts, schools, and educators, this AFT report spells out guidelines for effective professional development.

AFT

It takes a team for a school to be successful.  Paraprofessionals and other school support staff are essential team players.  We are proud that thousands of paraprofessionals belong to AFT Massachusetts—men and women who perform vital work in the classroom and throughout the school community. Below are some key resources for paraprofessionals. If you know of other resources that should be added here, please send an e-mail to dmurphy@aftma.net.

Paraprofessional Teacher Preparation Grant Program

In 2003, AFT MA sponsored legislation to establish the Paraprofessional