Code of Massachusetts Regulations
603 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION
Title 603 CMR 4.00 - Vocational Technical Education
Section 4.02 - Definitions
Administrator Performance Assessment. The assessment required for the Initial Vocational Technical Superintendent/Assistant Superintendent and the Initial Vocational Technical Principal/Assistant Principal licenses pursuant to 603 CMR 4.08.
Board. The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Bilingual Education. An educational program that involves teaching academic content in two languages, English and another language. Program types determine the varying amounts of each language used in instruction. Bilingual education programs include dual language education or two-way immersion and transitional bilingual education programs, as defined in M.G.L. c. 71A, § 2, and any other bilingual program types that may be approved by the Department.
Career Vocational Technical Education Program. For purposes of Sheltered English Immersion, a career vocational technical education program shall include programs approved under M.G.L. c. 74; programs that meet the definition of career and technical education listed in the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Improvement Act of 2006, 20 U.S.C. § 2302(5), as amended by the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act and its implementing regulations; and any other programs that may be designated by the Commissioner.
Career Vocational Technical Subjects. For purposes of Sheltered English Immersion, such subjects shall include automotive technology, carpentry, culinary arts, engineering, exploratory, masonry, information technology, and any other subjects listed by the Department in guidance.
Career Vocational Technical Teacher. For purposes of Sheltered English Immersion, a teacher of a career vocational technical subject in a career vocational technical education program at the secondary level.
Certificate of Occupational Proficiency. The Certificate issued pursuant to M.G.L. c. 69, §1D(iii). The Certificate of Occupational Proficiency shall include a determination that the recipient has demonstrated mastery of a core set of skills, competencies and knowledge in a particular trade or professional skill area set by established industry standards.
Chapter 74 Vocational Exploratory Program. A program approved by the Commissioner that provides students an opportunity to explore programs approved pursuant to M.G.L. c. 74.
Commissioner. The Massachusetts Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education or his or her designee.
Communication and Literacy Skills Test . The test of communication and literacy skills required pursuant to 603 CMR 4.08, 603 CMR 7.00: Educator Licensure and Preparation Program Approval, and approved by the Board.
Cooperative Education. A vocational technical education program for students enrolled in programs approved pursuant to M.G.L. c. 74 that alternates study in school with a work-based learning opportunity in a related occupational field.
Department. The Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
District of Residence. The school district of the city or town where a student resides.
Inactive Vocational Technical Educator License. A professional vocational technical educator license that is not renewed within the five-year validity period. A license that is not renewed is deemed inactive for five years.
Individual Professional Development Plan. A five-year plan developed by an educator that outlines the professional development activities for the renewal of the vocational technical educator's professional license(s).
Induction Program. A planned program of professional support with a trained mentor for beginning educators during their first year of employment with a new license provided by the school district and approved by the Department.
Initial Vocational Technical Educator License. A vocational technical educator license issued to a person who has met the requirements established by the Board for an Initial Vocational Technical Administrator or Cooperative Education Coordinator license. The Initial license is valid for five years of employment.
Internship. A planned program providing the candidate for the Initial Vocational Technical Supervisor/Director license and the Initial Vocational Technical Cooperative Education Coordinator license with on-the-job training with a trained mentor in the role of the license sought.
Invalid Vocational Technical Educator License. A professional vocational technical educator license that is not renewed within the five-year validity period and that is not renewed within the five-year inactive period.
Mentor. An educator who has at least three full years of experience under an Initial or Professional license under 603 CMR 4.00, or 603 CMR 7.00: Educator Licensure and Preparation Program Approval, and who has been trained to assist a beginning educator in the same professional role with his or her professional responsibilities and general school district procedures. In addition, a mentor may assist an experienced educator who is new to a school, subject area, or grade level. A mentor may also assist an educator who is participating in a performance assessment or a district-based program for licensure.
National Occupational Program Approval Standards. Those standards established by an organization that is nationally recognized by a specific industry or industry cluster, and that is involved in the accreditation, approval and/or certification of vocational technical education programs.
Nonresident Student. A student who has been, or seeks to be, admitted to a Chapter 74-approved program outside of his or her district of residence.
Occupational Clusters. A group of vocational technical education programs that share certain common skills.
Pilot Vocational Technical Education Program. A program approved by the Commissioner for the purpose of determining the feasibility of establishing a new vocational technical education program under M.G.L. c. 74.
Postgraduate Students. Adults who enroll in the shop portion of a secondary vocational technical education program.
Postsecondary Program. A vocational technical education program at the grade 13 and/or grade 14 level.
Preliminary Vocational Technical Teacher License. A Vocational Technical Educator license issued to a person who has met the requirements established by the Board for the Preliminary Vocational Technical Teacher license. The Preliminary Vocational Technical Teacher license is valid for five years of employment and may be extended at the discretion of the Commissioner for one additional five-year employment period.
Professional Development Point (PDP). A unit of measurement of professional development activities. One clock hour of new employment experience is equivalent to one PDP. One semester hour is equivalent to 15 PDPs. One continuing education unit is equivalent to ten PDPs. Professional development activities sponsored or approved by the Department and advanced academic and vocational technical education subject matter studies will receive 1.5 PDPs per clock hour. Refer to 603 CMR 4.12(8).
Professional Vocational Technical Educator License. A Vocational Technical Educator license issued to a person who has met the requirements established by the Board for a Professional Vocational Technical Teacher, Administrator or Cooperative Education Coordinator license. The Professional Vocational Technical Educator license is valid for five years and renewable for additional five-year terms pursuant to 603 CMR 4.12.
Receiving School. The school in which a nonresident seeks to enroll or enrolls.
Related Instruction. Instruction that introduces, explains and amplifies the conceptual and theoretical foundations of the knowledge and skills in the Vocational Technical Education Frameworks and the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.
School Committee. A school committee or board of trustees of a school district or agricultural school or a board of trustees of an educational collaborative.
Scope. Curricular scope refers to the depth and breadth of skills and content addressed in that curriculum in total.
Sequence. Curricular sequence refers to the order in which the skills and content addressed in a program's curriculum are taught.
Sheltered English Immersion (SEI). Shall have the meaning set forth in M.G.L. c. 71A, § 2.
Vocational Technical Literacy Skills Test. The test of communication and literacy skills required pursuant to 603 CMR 4.07(2), 4.08(6) and 4.09(2) and (3) and 603 CMR 4.13(4), and approved by the Board.
Vocational Technical Educator. A person employed in a school or school district under a Vocational Technical Educator license issued pursuant to 603 CMR 4.00.
Vocational Technical Education Framework. Framework approved by the Commissioner, consisting of six strands representing all aspects of the industry that students in the vocational technical education program are preparing to enter.
Vocational Technical Education Program . A program approved by the Commissioner that provides instruction based on the Vocational Technical Education Frameworks and the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.
Vocational Technical Education. Education offered pursuant to M.G.L. c. 74.
Waitlist. A list of students who have completed the admissions application process to a school offering programs approved pursuant to M.G.L. c. 74 and are not selected for admission. A completed application means all criteria used in the district's Department-approved admission policy have been met.
Written and Performance Tests for Prospective Vocational Technical Education Teachers. Tests in the subject matter the candidate for a vocational technical teacher license will teach based on the applicable Vocational Technical Education Framework and the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks.
