The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) will be proposing to eliminate the Instructional Technology Specialist teacher license currently issued under 603 CMR 7.00. The proposal is to replace it with a license that combines computer science with instructional technology.
This is very concerning for our schools. Instructional Technologists are an integral part of making sure that our students and teachers are using all available technology in appropriate and creative ways. The skillset required for the new license combines two very different worlds of technology – instructional technology and computer science (programming). To obtain the new license, current Instructional Technology Specialists would need to take several higher level courses in programming, an unrelated area.
Please help petition this change by sending a letter to Commissioner Mitchell Chester. A sample letter has been linked below for your convenience. It was crafted by friends at MassCUE and is also supported by friends at the Massachusetts Educational Technology Administrators Association (METAA).