Cambridge Licensure In-District Program

A Route 3, Teacher of Record, Program for the Initial License

The Cambridge Licensure In-District Program (CLIP) alternate teacher preparation program is limited to current Cambridge Public School (CPS) employees.  Teachers and qualified paraprofessionals in CPS have the unique opportunity to apply for the CLIP.   Inherent in the design of CLIP is the belief that professional learning should address both new teachers’ needs of growth and competency and district needs to fill high need areas with locally trained teachers.  Experienced CPS educators are viewed as the best guides through the professional learning experiences provided in the course of study.

The CLIP Program

CLIP allows teachers with Preliminary Licenses in a variety of fields at the 5-8 or 8-12 grade levels to earn an Initial License while serving as a “teacher of record.” CLIP is a Route 3 district-based, DOE-approved, preparation program for those who have not completed a practicum and related pedagogical study.

• CLIP provides course work based on the requirements outlined in the Professional Standards for Teachers.
• CLIP is a collaborative effort of the Cambridge Public Schools, the Cambridge Teachers Association, and the Massachusetts Teachers Association. All have a strong commitment to having a highly qualified teacher in every classroom in the Cambridge Public Schools.
• Participants in CLIP will be able to earn graduate credit through Fitchburg State College.
• Participants must commit to the whole program involving coursework in September through early July. No courses will be offered/required in August.

Program Components

The program components are a combination of coursework, seminar sessions, pre-practicum and practicum. The program includes observations by trained mentors and guided instruction under the supervision of a program supervisor and a supervising practitioner.

1) Pre-practicum: All CLIP participants will complete a pre-practicum. Prepracticum may be waived based on review of candidate documentation. The candidate will have the opportunity to observe both a wide variety of teaching situations and several teachers multiple times during the prepracticum. The candidate will be required to complete a portfolio entry based on the pre-practicum experience.

2) Practicum: All CLIP participants will complete a practicum experience between January of their first year and July of their second year. The program supervisor will schedule the candidate for at least six observations: three by the program supervisor and three by the supervising practitioner.

3) Assessment of Candidate Performance: All CLIP participants will be observed six times with three follow-up meetings with the candidate, the Program Supervisor and the Supervising Practitioner. The goal is to assist the candidate in understanding the progress made in the classroom and identify areas needing attention. The supervisor’s will suggest methods, strategies and resources. The final evaluation of the practicum will be based on the Massachusetts Department of Education’s Pre-service Performance Assessment.

4) New Teacher Induction Program (NTIP): The NTIP is a program that provides direct instruction, practice and application about the following topics:

• Classroom Management
• Time Management
• Communicating Effectively with Parents
• Assessment
• Reading Strategies for All Classrooms
• Standards-based Curriculum and Instruction
• Differentiated Instruction
• Understanding Professional Responsibilities

5) CLIP Courses: CLIP begins at the conclusion of NTIP. Developing a Professional Portfolio is the unifying course that ties induction pre-practicum, practicum, and coursework together; the portfolio is created over the two year period. The CLIP Portfolio is the performance assessment for the Initial License. The number of credits follows each course; one credit = 12.5 hours of instruction.

Year One

• Developing a Professional Portfolio (2)
• Classroom Management & Communicating with the Home (1)
• Understanding and Using the Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks (2)
• Standards-based Curriculum Planning and Assessment Strategies (3)

Year Two

• Developing a Professional Portfolio (1)
• Instructional Practices Repertoire Strategies (3)
• Equity Issues in Education (2)
• Legal Issues in Education (1)
• Understanding Professional Responsibilities (2)

One day every week (Thursday) is devoted to new teacher programs: NTIP or CLIP.

Cost to Participant

Participants must pay for all texts used in this program. The courses are free; there is a fee ($150 - $225 per course, depending on the number of credits) for optional graduate credit from Fitchburg State College, which the participant must pay.

Initial License Documentation

Upon successful completion of the program, the Cambridge Public Schools will send documentation to the Massachusetts Department of Education for the Initial License.

Applying for CLIP

CLIP applications may be obtained by contacting:

Frances Cooper-Berry
Lead Teacher Induction Programs
Office of Teaching & Learning
Cambridge Public Schools
159 Thorndike Street
Cambridge, MA 02141
Phone 617-349-3245
Email fberry@cpsd.us

CLIP is a Massachusett's Department of Education-approved program leading to an Initial Teaching License.