Bill > S314

This bill mandates that all teachers applying for their first Massachusetts educator license on or after September 1, 2016, must complete training and preparation in augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) for students who are nonverbal or have limited speech. AAC refers to methods and tools that help individuals communicate when they cannot speak or have difficulty speaking. This training will include coursework and practical classroom experience with children who use AAC, such as those with Autism Spectrum Disorder, acquired brain injury, or cerebral palsy, and other disabilities that affect verbal abilities. For regular education teachers, this practical experience will involve working with students who use AAC in a classroom setting, or if that's not possible, through other interactions and observations. The bill also requires that teacher and specialist teacher licensing standards, knowledge requirements, professional standards, and educator preparation program approvals adequately cover AAC competencies for educating students with disabilities who have limited or no verbal abilities, with an exception for teachers applying for a second or subsequent license. Additionally, individual professional development plans for teachers will need to address the learning needs of nonverbal students or those with limited speech.