Michigan: College and Career Policies

Educator Professional Growth and Development: Administrator Licensure Renewal

150 hours or 6 credit hours of professional development are required in order to renew an administrative certificate.

Graduation Requirements: Science

Michigan requires 3 credits of science courses to graduate.

Student Assessments: Assessment Authority

Michigan Department of Education develops, implements, administers and scores exams.

Student Assessments: Science

In June 2014, the Michigan Legislature required the Michigan Department of Education to develop a new test for spring 2015.The Michigan Student Test of Educational Progress (M-STEP) will include the state's summative assessments. English language arts and mathematics will be assessed in grades 3–8, science in grades 4 and 7, and social studies in grades 5 and 8. It also includes the Michigan Merit Examination in 11th grade, which consists of the ACT Plus Writing, WorkKeys, and M-STEP summative assessments in English language arts, mathematics, science, and social studies.

Educator Performance Evaluation: Educator Evaluation Authority

Section 380.1249 of Michigan Statutes outlines policies for teacher evaluations.

Graduation Requirements: Social Studies

Michigan requires 3 credits of social studies to graduate.

Educator Performance Evaluation: Educator Evaluation Policy

Michigan is working to develop and approve educator evaluation systems after assessments finding that the existing systems found most of the teachers to be effective or highly effective, while the student test scores did not reflect the same. These systems will be developed on the local level and 50% should be based on student performance data.

Content Standards: Standards Authority

The State Board of Education has authority to lead in developing a vision and comprehensive plan for redesigning Michigan school organization and finance that supports attainment of robust learning standards, necessary skills, and good outcomes for all students; and that provides the requisite, predictable and fairly delivered public funding to reasonably achieve these goals.

Educator Preparation and Licensure: Educator Licensure Authority

The Superintendent of Public Instruction determines the requirements and issues certificates in Michigan.

Educator Preparation and Licensure: Teacher Licensure Renewal

Professional development is required for teachers in order to renew a certificate.

Educator Preparation and Licensure: Educator Licensure Policy

In order to become a certified teacher in Michigan, an applicant must pass the basic skills and content-specific examinations.

Content Standards: Career and Technical Education Standards

The State Board of Education has authority over adoption of Career and Technical Education Standards.

Educator Preparation and Licensure: Educator Preparation Authority

The Superintendent of Public Instruction has the authority to continually approve programs according to R390.1151. The superintendent of public instruction shall approve programs in accordance with state board approved standards for teacher preparation. Programs may result in certificates and certificate endorsements issued on a teaching certificate. The State Board of Education approves standards and procedures for reviewing prospective teacher preparation institutions.

Professional Program Standards and Requirements: Educator Preparation Policy

The Michigan Department of Education requires the completion of a bachelor’s degree program, at minimum, from a state-approved teacher preparation program in order to be eligible for a teaching certificate. If you attended a teacher preparation program in another state, the Michigan Department of Education will recognize your credentials as long as that teacher preparation program is recognized for certification purposes by the Department of Education in that state. If you attended college in a foreign country, the Michigan Department of Education reserves the right to request a course-by-course evaluation of your credentials at the time of your online application for certification. Programs must be accredited and meet standards as determined by CAEP.

Content Standards: English Language Arts

Michigan aligned the English language arts to the Common Core State Standards. Michigan K-12 Standards for English Language Arts were adopted by the State Board of Education in 2010.

Graduation Requirements: English Language Arts

Michigan requires 4 credits of English to graduate.

Student Assessments: English Language Arts

In June 2014, the Michigan Legislature required the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) to develop new, one-year-only summative tests for spring 2015. These tests were designed to replace the Michigan Educational Assessment Program (MEAP) tests and the Michigan developed components of the Michigan Merit Examination (MME). However, the notification in June 2014 meant that the MDE had to condense a normal three-year test development process into just nine months. The department has worked hard to accomplish this task and is excited about delivering its new M-STEP assessments this spring.

Content Standards: Mathematics

Michigan aligned the math standards to the Common Core State Standards. Michigan K-12 Standards for Mathematics were adopted by the State Board of Education in 2010.

Graduation Requirements: Mathematics

Michigan requires 4 credits of math for graduation.

Student Assessments: Mathematics

Educator Professional Growth and Development: Professional Development

Michigan follows the Learning Forward standards of learning communities, leadership, resources, data, learning designs, implementation, and outcomes.

Graduation Requirements: Additional Graduation Requirements

Michigan requires 4 additional credits for graduation in physical education and health, arts, and foreign language.

Content Standards: Science

In 2011, the National Research Council released A Framework for K-12 Science Education, which set forth guidance for science standards development
based on the research on how students learn best. This extensive body of research suggests students need to be engaged in doing science by engaging the same practices used by scientists and engineers. Furthermore, students should engage in science and engineering practices in the context of core ideas that become ever more sophisticated as students move through school. Students also need to see the connections of these disciplinary-based core ideas to the bigger science concepts that cross disciplinary lines. The proposed Michigan standards are built on this research-based framework. The framework was used in the development of the Next Generation Science Standards, for which Michigan was a lead partner.

State Policy Database

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