If you have taught ABE, it is important for you to figure out how many years you have done so. The four "Routes" to the ABE license are based on how many years you have taught ABE and whether you have a Massachusetts K-12 license. Routes 1 and 2 are for new or novice teachers, so the requirements are extensive; Routes 3 and 4 are for more experienced teachers, so the requirements are fewer. "Years" of ABE teaching experience are based on your total number of ABE instructional hours.

One year of ABE teaching experience would qualify you for Route 3 and five years of ABE teaching experience would qualify you for Route 4. One year of teaching experience is 480 instructional hours--that is, actual time in the classroom. Five years of teaching experience is a minimum of 2400 instructional hours. Tutoring hours can count up to 25% of the total, if the candidate had received at least 15 hours of tutor training; college developmental education hours can also count up to 25%.

To figure out your years of experience, fill in the columns left to right. If you had more than one job for a given year, simply do a new line for each job. Take hours per week times number of weeks to get yearly totals for each job. As you go, think about how you might be able to document this experience. If you cannot obtain hard documentation, the DOE Office of Teacher Certification is willing to consider your situation, which you should explain as fully as you can in a statement attached to your application. (A sample entry is shown on the form.)

If you have at least 480 instructional hours, and you hold a Massachusett's educator's license at the initial or professional levels, you you might qualify for Route 3.

If you have at least 2400 hours, you might qualify for Route 4.