Information on Michigan academic standards and instructional resources.
Responsible for providing final decisions in administrative appeals to MDE.
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.
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)
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If you are a teacher from another country who has completed a teacher preparation program including student teaching outside the United States (U.S.), you may use that program to apply for a Michigan teaching certificate. You do not need to be a U.S. citizen or a Michigan resident to qualify for Michigan teacher certification.
Public Act 110 of 2023 expands reciprocity and supports experienced educators in becoming certified in Michigan. If you have been certified outside the United States (U.S.) and have successfully taught three years since issued a standard teaching certificate you may be exempt from completing certification testing in Michigan. Our office will assess your eligibility for certification after an application is submitted with supporting documentation on our online certification system. Submit the Teaching Experience Report Form with your application, if applicable.
To apply for a Michigan teaching certificate, you must use the Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS). On the MOECS homepage under the heading “Educators and Educator Candidates,” you will find instructions for setting up an account to gain access to the system.
If you do not have a U.S. social security number, you will need an identification number to apply. An identification number can be obtained by calling the Office of Educator Excellence at 517-241-5000 or emailing MDE-EducatorHelp@Michigan.gov with "Identification Number" in the subject line.
Michigan issues several types of certificates. MOECS will determine which certificate type (standard or professional) you are applying for based on your answers to the application questions. Similar guidance on obtaining certification in Michigan can be found in the out-of-state applicant guide. Once you have submitted your application, MOECS will send you an email that explains how to pay the $210.00 application evaluation fee online using a debit or credit card. MOECS will also tell you how to print an application cover letter. The MOECS-generated cover letter will have a checklist of the documents you will need to provide and instructions on how to send the documents to this office.
As a teacher prepared in another country, one of the documents you will have to provide is an original course-by-course evaluation report from a recognized evaluation service (unless you completed a teacher preparation program in Canada and hold a teaching certificate from Ontario, Newfoundland, Quebec or Saskatchewan). The course-by-course evaluation report converts your course work and degree(s) into U.S. standards.
We accept out-of-country credential reviews from currently endorsed members or members in good standing with either the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators (AICE). Once your credentials have been evaluated and it has been determined you meet requirements for a Michigan teaching certificate, you will be emailed either an evaluation report that indicates the Michigan Test(s) for Teacher Certification (MTTC) you must take to receive your Michigan Standard Teaching Certificate or a notice that your Michigan Professional Teaching Certificate has been issued.
The status of your application can be viewed at any time using MOECS. MOECS also allows educators to utilize other convenient features relating to their certification, including printing a certificate.
Please note that if you experience difficulty accessing MOECS from a location outside of the U.S., additional support can be obtained by contacting MDE-EducatorHelp@michigan.gov with "Out-of-Country MOECS Access" in the subject line.
