Office of Professional Preparation Services

1
Teacher Certification Update

• Office of Professional Preparation Services
• 2008
• www.michigan.gov/teachercert

2
Office of Professional Preparation Services

• Information Available on Website
• Teacher certification reference manual
• Teacher certification verification site
• Applications for certification
• School Safety legislation information
• Highly Qualified information
• Other important certification information

3
Michigan Teacher Certification

• Michigan certificates expire on June 30th of any
  given year
• Renewals can be applied for anytime after January
  1 of the year in which it expires without any
  loss of validity

4
Michigan Teacher Certification

• Types of Certificates
• Provisional (Initial) teaching certificate
• Valid for up to 6 years
• May be renewed twice (each renewal valid for
  approx. 3 years)
• FIRST renewal requires 9 semester credit hours,
  since the issuance of the initial certificate, in
  a planned program or a masters degree or higher
  earned at any time
• SECOND renewal requires 18 semester credit hours

5
Michigan Teacher Certification

• Advancement to the Professional Certificate
• 18 semester credits in a planned program since
  the issuance of the initial certificate, or a
  masters degree (or higher) earned at any
  time
• 3 years of satisfactory experience within the
  validity of the teaching certificate
• 3-6 credits of reading or reading methods (may be
  a part of original teacher prep program)
• NEW 3 semester credit reading diagnostics
  requirement (effective July 1, 2009)

6
Michigan Teaching Certificates

• Certificate types
• Professional Education (Advanced) Certificate
• Valid for up to 5 ½ years
• Renewed for an additional 5 years based on
  meeting the continuing education requirement (no
  extensions are given)
• Completion of 6 semester hours of credit at any
  4-year or community college listed in the
  Directory of Michigan Institutions of Higher
  Education OR at an approved out-of-state
  university
• Earned 18 State Board-Continuing Education Units
• Or a combination of semester credits and SB-CEUs

7
Michigan Teacher Certification
National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards

• Meets Michigan's definition of a Highly Qualified
  teacher under NCLB
• Strengthens teaching practice
• Improves student learning according to a vast
  majority of research
• Increases financial opportunities in some
  Michigan school districts
• Contributes to SB-CEU/certification renewal
  requirements
• Michigan certificates match the validity of the
  NBPTS certificate (approx. 10 years)

8
Michigan Teaching Certificates

• Two Levels of Certificates
• Elementary certificates are valid for any K-5
  teaching assignment. May teach all subjects K-5
  and in a self-contained classroom grades 6-8 all
  subjects. May teach a specific subject grades 6-8
  ONLY when issued the appropriate endorsement
• Certain elementary certificates (Permanent and
  Continuing), no longer issued but remain valid,
  may teach all subjects grades K-8
• An endorsement for grade 9 is also valid for
  grades K-8

9
Michigan Teaching Certificates

• Levels Continued
• Secondary Teaching Certificate
• Valid for a 6-12 assignment in a subject for
  which the appropriate endorsement has been earned
• May only be used to teach subjects for which an
  endorsement is earned
• NOTE An out-of-field assignment (no endorsement
  earned) is considered out of compliance with
  Section 380.1531 of School Code and is subject to
  a State Aid penalty as prescribed in Section
  388.1763 of the State Aid Act

10
Michigan Vocational Teaching Certificates

• Interim Occupation Authorization
• The initial vocational certificate
• Valid for up to 6 years
• Valid only for the vocational teaching assignment
  designated on the certificate- may not be used to
  teach in a general education assignment unless
  the teacher ALSO holds a valid provisional or
  professional education certificate
• Must complete the academic requirements and the
  appropriate vocational teaching experience to
  advance in certification

11
Michigan Vocational Teaching Certificates

• Occupational Education Certificate
• The advanced level vocational certificate
• Valid for 5 years from the year of issue
• Valid for the vocational area designated on the
  certificate. May not be used to teach a
  comparable general education class without a
  valid provisional/professional education
  certificate
• Must meet the continuing education requirement
  for advanced certificate renewal

12
Michigan Vocational Teaching Certificates

• Annual Occupational Authorization
• A one year employment permit for persons who will
  be teaching state-approved career tech ed
  programs in grades 9-12
• Must be able to demonstrate recent and relevant
  work experience in the vocational area (requires
  4000 hours of experience)
• Valid to teach only in the area designated
• May be renewed yearly by posting and advertising

13
Michigan Vocational Teaching Certificates

• Annual Authorizations Credit Track
• The requirement for posting and advertising may
  be waived if a person is on a credit track
  working towards vocational certification. The
  candidate can be on the credit track for a
  maximum of eight consecutive years provided the
  teacher continuously completes at least once
  credit each year towards vocational certification
  at an approved teacher education institution.

14
Michigan Teaching Certificates

• Other valid types of certificates
• Life
• Permanent
• Continuing Education (both 18 HR 30 HR)
• Temporary Vocational Authorization
• Full Vocational
• Also issue a School Counselor License

15
Michigan School Counselor

• School Counselor Endorsement
• The endorsement (NT) is displayed on a valid
  provisional or professional education certificate
• Teaching certificate must be renewed by meeting
  the continuing education requirements
• The counselor with an endorsement may attain
  tenure as a counselor by successfully completing
  a probationary period (4 years) beginning with
  the 2005-2006 school year OR if they were
  eligible for the tenure prior to P.A. 288 (July
  10, 2000)
• Tenure is not portable between districts, but the
  probationary period is reduced to two years

16
Michigan School Counselor

• Preliminary Employment Authorization
• Issued to a candidate for an endorsement or
  licensure
• Valid for 3 years from the date of issuance and
  is nonrenewable
• Must be presently enrolled and making progress
  toward completion of program
• Completed at least 30 semester hours in the
  program
• Recommended by the sponsoring institution

17
Michigan School Counselor

• School Counselor License
• Does not possess a teaching certificate
• Completed the school counselor preparation
  program at an approved institution
• Completed an approved program outside of the
  state of Michigan
• May be renewed every 5 years by completing the
  continuing education requirement
• May not attain tenure in the district

18
School Counselor Preparation Programs

• There are 12 Michigan institutions of higher
  education that have been approved to offer a
  school counselor preparation program
• Andrews University Central Michigan
• Eastern Michigan Grand Valley State
• Michigan State Northern Michigan
• Oakland University Siena Heights
• Spring Arbor U of Detroit-Mercy
• Wayne State Western Michigan

19
Michigan School Psychologists

• Preliminary School Psychologist Certificate
• Valid for 3 years during which time the school
  psychologist must complete a specialist degree
  from an approved school psychologist program or
  an additional 15 semester hours beyond the
  masters and a supervised internship under the
  direction of a Michigan School Psychologist.
• The certificate may be renewed once for an
  additional 3 years upon the completion of 6
  semester credits of appropriate coursework.

20
Michigan School Psychologist

• School Psychologist Certificate
• Valid for 5 years and may be renewed upon
  completion of the continuing education
  requirement (6 semester credits or 18
  SB-CEUs in an area appropriate for role as a
  school psychologist)
• May not attain tenure as a school psychologist

21
Michigan School Psychologist

• Out-of-state applicants may apply for a Michigan
  School Psychologist certificate if the candidate
  has successfully completed the national
  certification program, and has at least one year
  of experience as a school psychologist, otherwise
  the candidate is only eligible for the
  Preliminary School Psychologist certificate
• Michigan Institutions with a School Psychologist
  preparation program
• Andrews University
• Central Michigan
• Michigan State
• University of Detroit-Mercy
• Wayne State University

22
Teaching Permits

• Full Year Permit
• may ONLY be issued after the teaching position
  has been posted and advertised and no
  appropriately certified candidate is available
  for the position
• candidate must have a bachelors or higher degree
  from an approved teacher preparation institution
• If the assignment is a core academic subject area
  (as defined by NCLB), the candidate must have a
  major in the subject area to be taught OR must
  have passed the appropriate state approved
  subject area test. (NCLB requirements also apply
  for Full Year Permits in special education.)
• renewable for up to 2 years without reposting the
  position if the teacher completes at least 6
  additional semester hours of credit each school
  year toward appropriate certification and has
  been assigned a mentor teacher

23
Teaching Permits

• Emergency Permits
• When a district cannot find an appropriately
  certified candidate or an individual who meets
  Full Year Permit requirements to fill a vacancy
  and the students education is in jeopardy, an
  emergency permit may be issued.
• Emergency permits are valid only for the school
  year for which they are approved.
• Emergency permits are NOT approved for core
  subject areas.
• They may be renewed only if there is sufficient
  evidence that the emergency situation continues
  to exist.

24
Teaching Permits

• 1233b Permit
• Issued to a district to employ an individual in
  grades 9-12 in one of the following disciplines
  mathematics, biology, chemistry, physics,
  engineering, robotics, computer science or a
  foreign language
• Requirements
• Bachelors degree
• Major or degree in the subject
• Two or more years of occupational experience
  within the last 5 years (exception foreign
  language)
• Posting and advertising
• above requirements may be waived under certain
  conditions.
• May be renewed if the individual is continually
  enrolled and completing credit towards
  appropriate certification AND has passed both the
  Basic Skills MTTC and subject area MTTC

25
Teaching Permits

• Day-to-Day Substitute Permit
• Issued to the district to employ an individual in
  a short-term assignment (defined as 90 calendar
  days or less in the same classroom for the entire
  school year) to replace the teacher of record
• Individual must have earned at least 90 semester
  credits consolidated at a four-year regionally
  accredited institution of higher education
• The individual DOES NOT need to meet the
  definition of a Highly Qualified teacher when
  assigned to a core academic subject

NOTE After four consecutive weeks in the
placement the 4-Week Notification letter must be
sent to parents if the teacher is not Highly
Qualified.
26
Administrator Certification

• Legislation signed by the governor provides for a
  voluntary school administrator certificate to be
  issued by the MDE.
• The certificate may display endorsements for
• Elementary
• Secondary
• Central Office
• The certificate may also display specialty
  endorsements or enhancements.

27
Administrator Certification

• Individuals previously certified as a school
  administrator in Michigan will be eligible to
  apply for a voluntary reactivation of the
  certificate. The previous certificate will be
  matched as closely as possible with current
  endorsements. Applications will be accepted and
  evaluated until December 31, 2008.
• Individuals who were previously certified as an
  administrator in another state or completed an
  approved out-of-state administrator preparation
  program will be eligible for a Michigan school
  administrator certificate when presenting
  evidence an out-of-state certification based on
  the completion of an approved preparation program.

28
Administrator Certification

• Individuals who have completed an administrator
  preparation program at a Michigan institution
  during the time period 1996 through August 2006
  must work through the university to be
  recommended for certification. Those
  recommendations will be accepted until December
  31, 2008.
• Individuals who are currently completing an
  approved administrator preparation program may be
  recommended for certification by the university.

29
Administrator Certification

• Individuals who have not completed an
  administrator preparation program or not
  previously certified as an administrator in
  Michigan or another state may not obtain a
  Michigan school administrator certificate.
• The school administrator certificate is voluntary
  and not required by the Michigan Department of
  Education for employment as a school
  administrator in Michigan.
• The school administrator certificate is voluntary
  and not required by the Michigan Department of
  Education. It can be a condition of employment
  by a hiring school district.

30
Administrator Eligibility for Employment

• Administrators are required to meet the following
  continuing education requirement to be eligible
  to maintain employment by a school district
• During the 5 years following the initial date of
  hire, or 5 years from the expiration of a
  Michigan School Administrator certificate, have
  completed 6 semester credits relevant to the
  assignment at a post-secondary institution of
  higher education
• Completed 18 State Board Continuing Education
  Units (SB-CEUs) or a combination of semester
  credits and SB-CEUs
• Administrators holding a valid school
  administrator certificate are considered to have
  met this requirement.
• The statute does not authorize exceptions to the
  requirement.

31
Nullification

• Certificate or Endorsement Nullifications
• The law regarding the nullification of a
  certificate/endorsement was amended on January 3,
  2007.
• Upon receipt by the MDE of a request from a
  teacher, a teaching certificate/endorsement may
  be nullified only if the teacher is able to
  demonstrate that the teacher has not been
  assigned to teach the subject during the past 12
  years.
• Once nullified, the teacher is no longer able to
  have the certificate/endorsement reinstated.

32
No Child Left Behind Act

• Highly Qualified Teachers
• NCLB requires school districts to only assign a
  Highly Qualified teacher to teach a core academic
  subject beginning with fall classes in 2006-2007.
  
• The core academic subjects are
• Any teacher who provides direct instruction in a
  core academic class must be Highly Qualified for
  the assignment.

• English/Reading/Language Arts
• Mathematics
• Science
• Foreign Languages
• Government/Civics

• History
• Geography
• Economics
• The Arts (Music, Visual Art, Dance
• Theatre)

33
No Child Left Behind Act

• Highly Qualified Teacher
• Demonstrating Competence
• At least an earned bachelors degree
• Full state certification, including appropriate
  endorsements or authorizations
• ONE of the following
• An academic major or its equivalent (30 cr.)
• Successful testing in the subject
• An advanced degree in the subject or related to
  the teaching of the subject
• National Board Certification
• Any of the HOUSSE options

34
No Child Left Behind Act

• Highly Qualified Teachers
• ELEMENTARY special education teachers who provide
  direct instruction (the sole provider of
  instruction) in a core academic subject must be
  Highly Qualified to teach the subject.
• The options to demonstrate competence are
• Take and pass the MTTC general elementary test
• Identify they have completed the 18 semester
  credit hours towards the advancement of their
  certificate (HOUSSE option 1)
• Complete a specific portfolio available to
  special education teachers to cover all content
  the teacher may be asked to teach to special
  education students (HOUSSE option 3)
• National Board Certification

35
No Child Left Behind

• Highly Qualified Teachers
• SECONDARY special education teachers assigned to
  a class where they provide direct instruction in
  a core academic subject must be Highly Qualified
  for the subject.
• Options to demonstrate competence are
• An academic major or the equivalent of an
  academic major (30 semester credits)
• Pass the specific subject area MTTC
• Appropriate National Board Certification
• Completion of 18 semester credit hours in a
  planned program, or a masters degree, that
  enhanced and strengthened their ability to teach
  the core subject area(s). (HOUSSE option 1)
• Completion of 6 semester credit hours (or 90 pd
  hours) in the SPECIFIC core subject area within
  the past 5 years (HOUSSE option 2)
• Completion of a single or multiple subject
  portfolio (HOUSSE option 3)

36
Alternative Education Teachers

• Teachers in an Alternative Education Teaching
  Assignment
• Must demonstrate competence as a Highly Qualified
  teacher for any core academic subject
• A teacher must hold a valid secondary teaching
  certificate (an elementary teacher employed in
  the position prior to October 25, 2005 may
  continue in the position)
• In a self-contained setting the teacher must be
  certified and HQ in at least one core academic
  subject and may then use testing or any HOUSSE
  option to demonstrate competence in the remaining
  subjects
• In a departmentalized setting the teacher must
  hold the appropriate subject area endorsement and
  be HQ

37
NCLB and Other Teaching Assignments

• NCLB does not address teachers who are assigned
  to teach non-core academic classes
• Examples
• Health
• Physical Education
• Computers (programming)
• Computer Applications
• Library Media
• Family Consumer Science
• Sociology
• Psychology
• Vocational/Occupational

Teachers NOT providing direct instruction, but
providing support to a student in a general
education setting OR facilitating instruction
(i.e. NovaNet) do not need to meet the HQ
requirements.
38
NCLB and School Code and Teaching Assignments

• The NCLB Act requires districts to only assign a
  Highly Qualified teacher to teach a core academic
  subject.
• A district may not assign a teacher who does not
  have the proper state authorization to teach a
  subject and be considered Highly Qualified. Such
  an assignment would be out-of-compliance with
  School Code (Section 380.1531) in addition to
  NCLB.

39
Certificate Endorsements

• To obtain an endorsement to a Michigan teaching
  certificate, the teacher must complete BOTH the
  approved academic program and take and pass the
  appropriate MTTC tests. The teacher may not
  obtain the endorsement unless both conditions are
  met.
• Taking the MTTC test for the purpose of
  demonstrating competence as a Highly Qualified
  teacher will not lead to the awarding of an
  endorsement.
• Note MTTC test score reports will no longer
  identify the actual point score, but will only
  indicate if the test was passed or failed.

40
The Full Range of Law and Standards Governing
Teacher Preparation

• Michigan Compiled Law
• Administrative Rules Governing
  the Certification of Michigan
  Teachers (2006)
• Professional Standards for Michigan Teachers and
  Profile of Teacher Knowledge and Skills (2008)
• Elementary Certificate Program Standards (2008)
• Reading Standards for All Elementary Teachers
• Specialty Area Endorsement Standards
  (for authorization to teach specific
  content/specialty area in a departmentalized
  setting or as a specialist)
• Early Childhood Education (ZA) Standards (2008)

41
Focus in All Standards

• National Standards
• SBE Policies and Documents
• Alignment with Michigans K-12 content
  expectations
• Teaching all students in an inclusive classroom
• Technology for teaching, learning and management
• Collaboration and Professional Development

42
PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR MICHIGAN TEACHERS
(PSMT)
Expectations of Teachers upon Entry into the
Profession
43
Standard 2. INSTRUCTIONAL DESIGN AND ASSESSMENT
Facilitation of learning and achievement of all
students (in accordance with the SBE Universal
Education Vision and Principles), including the
ability to
44
Elementary Certificate Standards
OPTION 1 Core Subject The teacher preparation
institution must provide student advising that
assures candidates successfully accomplish all
elements within the option before recommendation
for certification.
Authorization to Teach
? Major (30 credits minimum) or 2 minors (40
credits minimum) of the following ? Integrated
Science, ? Elementary Mathematics, ? Social
Studies, ? English Language Arts, or ? Reading
May take the Michigan Test for Teacher
Certification (MTTC) Specialty Area Endorsement
Departmentalized instruction in grades K-8
PLUS
AND
Authorization to Teach
A planned program (20 credits minimum) that
incorporates the other core content areas not in
the major or 2 minors AND Health, Physical
Education, Music, World Language and the Arts.
Must take the Michigan Test for Teacher
Certification (MTTC) Elementary Education
Self-Contained Grades K-8 Classroom
PLUS
Professional sequence (20 credits minimum) these
courses are guided by the Professional Standards
for Michigan Teachers (PSMT) which address
pedagogy and field experiences. Plus the 6
credits of Reading Courses.
45
Elementary Certificate Standards
OPTION 2 Comprehensive Major The teacher
preparation institution must provide student
advising that assures candidates successfully
accomplish all elements within the option before
recommendation for certification.
Authorization to Teach

• Comprehensive Major ( 45 credits minimum) Must
  include courses in the all of the following
• Integrated Science,
• Mathematics,
• Social Studies,
• Language Arts,
• Health,
• Physical Education,
• World Languages, and
• The Arts

Must take the Michigan Test for Teacher
Certification (MTTC) Elementary Education
Self-Contained Classroom Grades K-8
AND
PLUS
Authorization to Teach
Departmentalized instruction in grades K-8, or
with specialty knowledge K-12, or birth to age
8, or Grades 6-8.
May take the Michigan Test for Teacher
Certification (MTTC) Specialty Area Endorsement
A minimum of a minor (20 credits minimum) in one
of the following A World Language, or A
student-centered specialty area English as a
Second Language, Bilingual Education, Special
Education (K-12), Early Childhood (Birth- age
8), or Middle Level (Grades 6-8).
Professional sequence (20 credits minimum) these
courses are guided by the Professional Standards
for Michigan Teachers (PSMT) which address
pedagogy and field experiences. Plus the 6
credits of Reading Courses.
PLUS
46
Early Childhood Education (ZA)

• The Early Childhood Education major or minor may
  be utilized to complete an elementary
  certification program through option 2 of the
  elementary certificate standards.
• Completion of an Early Childhood Education major
  must include a minimum of 30 semester credit
  hours.
• Completion of an Early Childhood Education minor
  must be at least 20 semester credit hours.
• In order to keep a focus on highly qualified
  elementary teachers, the following core content
  specialty areas must be evident in the program
  (Reading, Language Arts, Mathematics, Integrated
  Science, World Languages, Social Studies, and
  Fine Arts).
• The Early Childhood Education endorsement may be
  added to a secondary certificate only in
  combination with a special education endorsement
  to allow for employment in an early childhood
  developmentally delayed placement.
• To add an Early Childhood Education endorsement
  to an existing elementary certificate, the
  program must be at least 26 semester credit hours
  with 14 of those semester credit hours addressing
  learning related to birth through age 8 children.

47
Qualified Paraprofessionals

• The NCLB Act requires paraprofessionals employed
  for instructional support in a Title I funded
  position or in a building with a Title I
  school-wide designation to have demonstrated
  knowledge of and the ability to assist in the
  instruction of
• reading,
• writing, and
• mathematics
• by June 30, 2006 or prior to placement.

48
Paraprofessionals

• A paraprofessional new hire, defined as someone
  not previously employed in any capacity by the
  district, must be qualified at the time of
  employment.
• All current district employees were expected to
  be qualified by the end of the 2005-2006 school
  year.

49
Paraprofessionals

• Paraprofessionals may qualify by one of the
  following methods
• Possess an associates degree or higher
• Have completed the equivalent of 2 years of
  college (60 semester credits)
• Take and pass one of these approved tests
• MTTC Basic Skills
• WorkKeys Tests
• The ETS ParaPro Assessment

50
Paraprofessionals

• Paraprofessionals have also been provided an
  opportunity to demonstrate knowledge of and
  ability to assist in instruction through the use
  of a portfolio process.
• Portfolios were to be completed and accepted by
  the district by the end of the 2005-2006 school
  year.
• The portfolio is no longer an option available to
  paraprofessionals.

51
Michigan Technical Assistance Program

• The Michigan Technical Assistance Program (MiTAP)
  is an initiative by the Michigan Department of
  Education, and approved by the United States
  Department of Education, to provide assistance to
  the local school districts and public school
  academies in ensuring that all core academic
  teachers are Highly Qualified for their
  assignment.

52
Michigan Technical Assistance Program

• MiTAP visits are designed to address
• the staffing of core academic classes by Highly
  Qualified teachers
• the distribution of Highly Qualified and
  experienced teachers in the district (equitable
  distribution)
• a review of teacher certification/endorsement and
  current assignment

53
Michigan Administrative Rules Governing
Certification

• The Michigan Department of Education has recently
  revised the rules governing the certification of
  teachers, the certification and licensure of
  school counselors, and the certification of
  school psychologists. These three sets of rules
  have been certified by the Secretary of State and
  now are in effect.
• The revised rules are available at the following
  web site www.michigan.gov/teachercert

54
Administrative Rules Governing the Certification
of Michigan Teachers

• A few significant changes
• The validity period of a certificate will be
  determined from January 1 of the year of
  application
• Provisional certificates may be renewed for the
  first time by completing 9 semester credits of a
  planned program
• Credits taken to renew or advance in
  certification must be in an area related to the
  certificate or other educational function

55
Recent Legislative Changes

• Reading Requirement
• Beginning July 1, 2009 a teacher advancing to the
  Professional Education teaching certificate must
  present evidence that during the first 6 years of
  classroom experience has completed a 3 semester
  credit course in the diagnosis and remediation of
  reading disorders, including an appropriate field
  experience.

56
Recent Legislative Changes

• Sixth Grade
• Effective August 15, 2006 a teacher holding a
  secondary teaching certificate may now be
  assigned to teach sixth grade in an endorsed
  area.
• Administrative rules also permit the assignment
  of a secondary certified teacher to a sixth grade
  assignment in any subject for which the teacher
  holds a valid endorsement.

57
School Safety Legislation

• Section 380.1230 of the Michigan School Code has
  been recently amended to protect students in all
  Michigan schools public, nonpublic and private,
  by requiring that all school employees, both new
  and veteran, undergo a criminal history check.
• School employees must have submitted to a digital
  fingerprint scan by July 1, 2008.

58
School Safety Legislation

• All school employees who are under are regularly
  and continuously employed must be fingerprinted
  along with all contracted employees who work in
  food services, custodial or transportation
  position.
• Individuals who work sporadically or
  intermittently need not be fingerprinted.
• The districts are advised to seek legal counsel
  should a question of who must be fingerprinted
  arises.

59
School Safety Legislation

• The legislation does permit the sharing of
  criminal background check results if the
  individual is making application to multiple
  districts during the same time period, or when an
  employee has moved from one district to a new
  district with no interruption of service .
• Once the individual has been identified as a
  school employee any subsequent arrests,
  arraignments, or convictions will be reported to
  the MDE by the Michigan State Police Criminal
  Justice Information Center.

60
School Safety Legislation

• Any questions or concerns regarding the criminal
  history background checks should be directed to
  the Michigan State Police Criminal Justice
  Information Center by telephoning the following
  number 517-322-5531.
• A record challenge should be directed to the same
  agency.

61
School Safety Legislation

• The legislation requires the MDE to collaborate
  with the State Police to compare the data
  submitted to the Registry of Educational
  Personnel to the Criminal History Records. Where
  matches occurred the information is disseminated
  to the school employers by the MDE.
• This process will occur twice each year through
  Summer 2008. (We are almost done!)

62
School Safety Legislation

• If a school employee has been convicted of a
  listed offense (a conviction requiring the name
  of the individual to be listed on the Sex
  Offenders Registry), the employee must
  immediately be dismissed and may not work for a
  school setting in any capacity.

63
School Safety Legislation

• If a school employee has been convicted of a
  felony, then the superintendent and the school
  board must agree in writing to continue the
  employment of the individual.
• If the school employee has been convicted of a
  misdemeanor, then the school will be notified by
  MDE but no action is required.
• However, the school may chose to institute a
  policy regarding misdemeanor convictions by
  employees.

64
School Safety Legislation

• Schools are now required to report to the MDE the
  status of school employees who have been
  identified as having a felony conviction.
• Schools are asked to use the rosters provided by
  the MDE to report status back to the department.

65
School Safety Legislation

• All school employees are now required to report
  all felony and/or misdemeanor arraignments and
  convictions to both the employer and the MDE
  within three (3) business days or be guilty of an
  additional felony or misdemeanor.
• The employing school continues to be required to
  report all convictions to the MDE as the employer
  is made aware.

66
School Safety Legislation

• The legislation defines which convictions may be
  obtained by the public under a Freedom of
  Information request.
• Certain convictions require the release of
  personal identifying information along with the
  specific crime, these are any felony conviction
  and misdemeanor convictions involving physical
  abuse or sexual abuse.
• Other misdemeanor conviction lists may be
  released without personal identifying information
  included.
• Schools are advised to seek legal counsel to
  address specific concerns regarding the FOIA.

67
Revocation and Suspension of Teaching Certificates

• The Michigan School Code, Section 380.1535(a)
  gives authority to the Superintendent of Public
  Instruction to suspend or revoke a teaching
  certificate when a conviction for a felony or
  certain enumerated misdemeanors can be shown to
  have an adverse effect on the persons present
  fitness to teach in an elementary or secondary
  school.

68
Revocation and Suspension of Teaching Certificates

• Certain offenses are deemed serious enough to
  warrant the summary suspension of a certificate.
  In the case of a summary suspension, the school
  employer will be notified by the MDE that the
  teacher is no longer eligible to be assigned to a
  classroom pending the resolution of the hearing.
• A teacher may request an informal hearing to
  discuss the nature of the conviction and may also
  request a formal hearing regarding the
  certificate revocation or suspension.

69
Revocation and Suspension of Teaching Certificates

• The revocation or suspension hearing is an action
  by the MDE against an individuals teaching
  certificate (a property right).
• The action by the superintendent and the school
  board to continue employment is an employer
  decision.
• Action by the Tenure Commission involves both the
  employee and the employer and is independent of
  the two processes described above.

70
Unprofessional Conduct Disclosure

• Schools are required to obtain a disclosure of
  unprofessional conduct statement for all new
  employees.
• All new employees must sign a statement releasing
  the previous employer from liability for
  disclosing past unprofessional conduct.

71
State Board Continuing Education Units (SB-CEUs)

• Holders of the following certificates are
  eligible to use SB-CEUs for certificate renewal
• The Professional Education Certificate
• The Occupational Education Certificate
• The School Guidance Counselor License
• The School Psychologist Certificate
• Administrators for continued employment
• Voluntary School Administrator Certificate

72
SB-CEUs

• These certificates/licenses are renewable every 5
  years.
• SB-CEUs may not be used as a substitute for
  semester credits when the teacher is advancing
  from an initial (provisional) certificate. Only
  earned semester credits will meet that
  requirement.
• A complete listing of approved SB-CEU programs
  can be found at www.solutionwhere.com/mi_sbceu.
  The listings are updated daily. Contact the
  sponsor for registration information.

73
SB-CEUs

• What are SB-CEUs?
• State Board recognized, pre-approved inservice,
  workshop, training or conference to award units.
• Generic CEUs may not be used for certificate
  renewal.
• The MDE recognizes certificates of completion
  issued by the US DOE sanctioned
  Teacher-to-Teacher online training programs for
  equivalent SB-CEUs.
• The MDE recognizes certificates of completion
  from authorized International Association for
  Continued Education and Training (IACET)
  providers for equivalent SB-CEUs.

74
SB-CEUs

• Professional Activities Eligible for SB-CEUs
• Mentor Teacher (3 SB-CEUs per semester)
• Supervising Teacher (3 SB-CEUs per semester)
• Supervising School Psychologist/Counselor (3
  SB-CEUs per semester)
• School Improvement Team (3 SB-CEUs per year)
• School Committees (3 SB-CEUs per year)
• New Administrator Mentor (3 SB-CEUs per year)
• Completion NBPTS portfolio (9 SB-CEUs)
• Completion NBPTS assessment center (9 SB-CEUs)
• Acting as an NBPTS assessor (9 SB-CEUs)
• Gaining NBPTS certification (18 SB-CEUs)
• Completion of the renewal process for NBPTS
  certification (18 SB-CEUs)
• Out-of-state training as arranged for PRIOR to
  experience
• Maximum of 9.0 SB-CEUs earned in each activity
  in a five year renewal period can be used toward
  certificate renewal

75
Registry of Educational Personnel

• The REP is collected twice each year-the
  deadlines for the 2008-2009 school year are
  December 1, 2008 and June 30, 2009.
• Get connected! By joining the REP Listserv. CEPI
  sends important updates and Listserv members
  provide support and practical strategies.
  Information regarding the Listserv is available
  on the CEPI web site www.michigan.gov/cepi

76
REP

• The School Safety Legislation of 2005 requires
  that all school personnel who are employed on a
  regular and continuous basis must be reported in
  the REP.
• All contracted employees who work on a regular
  and continuous basis must be reported in the REP.
  These employees would include food service,
  custodial service, transportation workers.

77
Which Employees Are Reported?

• Contracted employees who work on an intermittent
  or sporadic basis are not required to be reported
  in the REP.
• These employees might include a heating systems
  repair person, a guest speaker, a disc jockey,
  etc.

78
Need Help

• For technical assistance
• Call CEPI Customer Service at 517-335-0505
• E-mail CEPI_at_michigan.gov
• Get Connected-Join the Listserv
• Updates found on www.michigan.gov/cepi
• Go to the MEIS Data Services section
• Click on Registry of Educational Personnel
• Look under the heading REP Help Resources

79
The End

• Thank you for your time and attendance.
• ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS?
• Contacts
• Krista D. Ried 517-373-0699 riedk_at_mi.gov
• Bonnie Rockafellow 517-373-7861
  rockafellowb_at_mi.gov
• Stephanie Whiteside 517-335-1167
  whitesides_at_mi.gov