Certification Alert
Special Alert Regarding District Allocations of Stimulus Funds, Education YES Replaced and Michigan Nontraditional Route to Teacher Certification
District Allocations of Stimulus Funds
The Michigan Department of Education has posted the anticipated allocations for districts based on Title I and Tile II American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus monies. The allocated amounts can be found at the following web site: www.michigan.gov/mde; click on ARRA information and scroll down to Grants and Allocations to find the link to the Title I allocations. On the next page click on Preliminary Program Allocations to access each districts funding.
It is our understanding that the amounts posted are accurate and, if anything, these amounts may increase pending the state recapture of other money.
The ARRA provides guidance and expectations articulated in the law for the use of ARRA funds by the local districts, including the following:
Spend funds quickly to save and create jobs
Improve student achievement through school improvement and reform by
- making improvements in teacher effectiveness
- provide intensive support and effective intervention for the lowest performing schools.
Attention Teachers: Remember that a Professional Education teaching certificate expires on July 1 of any given year and must be renewed prior to that date to avoid a district taking action against your employment. A district may only employ a teacher with a valid certificate and once your certificate expires and has not been renewed the district may terminate your employment. Without a valid teaching certificate you no longer can invoke your rights under the Tenure Act. Read more.
Department of Education explains what you need to do to keep your teaching certificate up-to-date
Teachers, school counselors and school psychologists must meet continuing education requirements to renew their certificate or license every five years.
The requirement can be met by completing six semester credits, 18 State Board Continuing Education Units (SB-CEUs), or a combination of the two. Three SB-CEUs can be used in lieu of one semester credit.
A Michigan teaching certificate or license will expire on June 30 of a given year. Only credits earned during the five years preceding the date of application will be considered for renewing the certificate or license, according to the Michigan Department of Education.
Semester credit can be earned from any Michigan institution of higher education, including any of the state community colleges, or from an out-of-state four-year institution that has been approved as a teacher preparation institution.
However, out-of-state community college credit will not be recognized by the Department of Education to renew a certificate or license.
Various education organizations, including MEA, routinely offer SB-CEUs to certified teachers, counselors and school psychologists at conferences and workshops.
Be sure to request SB-CEUs, if available, at the time of registration. The SB-CEUs may not be awarded retroactively.
Occasionally, a provider will offer continuing education units that have not been approved by the state of Michigan, but rather, are available from the International Association of Continuing Education and Training (IACET).
Continuing education units approved through IACET must be converted to SB-CEUs within 30 calendar days by presenting your certificate of completion to an approved Michigan SB-CEU coordinator from an intermediate school district.
Also keep in mind that a number of out-of-state institutions offer IACET credit as an option rather than receiving semester credit. These IACET credits also must be converted to SB-CEUs.
It’s also possible to receive SB-CEUs for participating in professional development activities, even when the provider has not requested the CEUs.
An approved SB-CEU coordinator from your intermediate school district may apply to receive approval for you, if done in advance of participation. Remember, approval must be sought prior to participation and will not be awarded retroactively.
Teachers are reminded that they are responsible for keeping their certificates up-to-date. A teacher with an expired certificate may not be employed by a district or school until the certificate is made whole again. Similarly, tenure rights of a teacher are jeopardized with an expired certificate.
Contact Susie Koenigsknecht at the Michigan Department of Education Office of Professional Preparation, 517/241-4928, with further questions.
First Rule of Teacher Certification
It is the teacher’s responsibility to keep his/her certificate valid at all times.
Please know what type of certificate you hold and its expiration date.
Certification Resources
Getting your Teaching Certificate (PDF)
Renewing your Advanced Level Certificate (PDF)
New Reading Requirement for Teachers Effective July 1, 2009
Updated: June 24, 2009 12:48 PM