Requirements  /  Massachusetts

Massachusetts Teacher PD Requirements (2026)

150 hours every 5 years for teachers

Source

Primary regulatory source: 603 CMR 44.00 "Educator License Renewal". Cross-referenced: DESE Recertification/Renewal Guidelines for Massachusetts Educators (April 2017 edition). PDP conversion (1 PDP = 1 clock hour, with 1.5 PDP/hr for Advanced Academic Studies and some DESE PD) per DESE guidance. The Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP) documents how the 150 PDPs were distributed.

Teachers

Annual hours
—
Cycle hours
150
Cycle years
5

Massachusetts Professional license renewal requires 150 Professional Development Points (PDPs) per 5-year cycle in the primary license area. 1 PDP = 1 clock hour of PD (Advanced Academic Studies and some DESE PD = 1.5 PDPs per hour). Mandatory sub-distribution for academic teacher licenses: 15 PDPs in content (subject matter), 15 in pedagogy, 15 in Sheltered English Immersion (SEI) / ESL, 15 in strategies for students with disabilities and diverse learning styles — total 60 mandated, remaining 90 elective. Each ADDITIONAL license held requires 30 more PDPs in that content area.

Counselors

Annual hours
—
Cycle hours
150
Cycle years
5

School Guidance Counselors and Adjustment Counselors hold an academic Professional license under MA 603 CMR 44.00 and follow the same 150-PDP / 5-year cycle with the four 15-PDP sub-distribution areas as teachers.

Administrators

Annual hours
—
Cycle hours
150
Cycle years
5

Administrators (Principal/Assistant Principal, Superintendent, Supervisor/Director) need 150 PDPs per 5-year cycle in the administrator primary area. Sub-distribution areas: supervision, school law, school finance, labor relations, safety and health, curriculum, labor laws. The teacher-specific 15-PDP SEI / 15-PDP SwD sub-requirements do not apply to administrators in their admin primary area.

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Information current as of May 25, 2026. Verify with your state Department of Education for official licensure decisions.