Information on Michigan academic standards and instructional resources.
Learn more about the MDE office responsible for providing leadership in curriculum and instruction that provides students with greater choices to prepare for success.
Resources for educator certification, recognition programs, evaluation, and workforce research.
The Equitable Services Ombudsman helps ensure equitable services for private school children, teachers, and other educational personnel.
Resources related to financial and pupil accounting and auditing.
Options available for Michigan students that provide unique learning opportunities.
Food & Nutrition Programs
This MDE office provides resources and technical assistance in physical education, sex education, health education, behavioral, emotional, mental, and social education as well as safety, discipline, and transportation.
Resources for programs and initiatives that support school improvement efforts.
Resources for supporting special education in Michigan.
Michigan has an innovative and comprehensive system of assessments to measure student achievement in learning our state content standards.
Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA)
Search is currently unavailable. Please try again later.
The web Browser you are currently using is unsupported, and some features of this site may not work as intended. Please update to a modern browser such as Chrome, Firefox or Edge to experience all features Michigan.gov has to offer.
August 10, 2026
LANSING – Michigan’s 2026-27 Regional Teachers of the Year share their focus on meeting student needs and discuss the challenges and rewards of being a teacher in the Michigan Department of Education’s latest #proudMIeducator video.
“My education philosophy is kids first, content second,” Region 4 Teacher of the Year Luke Kanine from E.F. Rittmueller Middle School in the Frankenmuth School District says in the video. “Teachers are there for students first—that they have the students’ best interest at heart.”
Students First is the philosophy of the Michigan Department of Education and State Superintendent Dr. Glenn Maleyko. “It’s exciting to see the Students First focus of our Regional Teachers of the Year,” Maleyko said. “You can easily see how devoted they are to their students. The Michigan Teacher of the Year and Regional Teachers of the Year will be sharing their passion for education and what works in the classroom at every State Board of Education meeting. I look forward to learning from them.”
The 2026-27 Regional Teachers of the Year, including the Michigan Teacher of the Year Erik Meerschaert, form the Michigan Teacher Leadership Advisory Council. During their year of service, this group of teacher leaders, representing 10 regions across Michigan, regularly meets to share issues important to educators and students with MDE and to provide input on proposed state and department initiatives.
The advisory council began in 2017 with 24 educators from across Michigan applying directly to MDE for selection before it shifted to its current format in 2018-19, with membership determined through the Michigan Teacher of the Year program application process.
The new Regional Teachers of the Year will be introduced at the Tuesday, Aug. 11, State Board of Education meeting.
Since 2016, the #proudMIeducator campaign has featured educators and supporters of Michigan educators who share their passion for education. The full playlist can be found on the #proudMIeducator - YouTube page.
If you know a proud Michigan Educator who should be considered for a future video feature, please email MDE-PME@Michigan.gov.
###
Media Contact:
