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Advanced Professional Teaching Certificate

Advanced Professional Teaching Certificate

Governor Whitmer signed into law Public Act 110 of 2023 and Public Act 111 of 2023 which expand reciprocity and support experienced educators in becoming certified or recertified in Michigan. These are effective July 27, 2023, and website guidance has been updated accordingly.

Facts-At-A-Glance

  • The Advanced Professional Teaching Certificate became available January 1, 2017
  • Valid for up to 5 years and recognizes completion of an approved Teacher Leader program or achieving National Board certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards
  • Recognizes highly effective annual evaluation ratings*
  • Intended to be an indication of an educator’s advanced skills and training in master teaching and/or teacher leadership
  • Can be applied for at any time after receiving the Professional Teaching Certificate (or even after the Professional certificate’s expiration) as long as the requirements have been met
  • Education-related professional learning is not required for the initial Advanced Professional Teaching Certificate, but is required for all subsequent renewals
  • School districts approach assignments and weigh benefits associated with the certificate differently; therefore, we encourage educators to talk with their school and district leaders about the district’s approach

Requirements

  1. A Professional Teaching Certificate
  2. Completion of an approved Michigan Teacher Leader program or certification through the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards 
  3. Teacher Leader or National Board designation must be noted on the certificate prior to submitting application for an Advanced Professional Teaching Certificate
  4. *Educator effectiveness ratings:
  • Highly effective or effective ratings for 3 out of the 5 most recent end-of-school-year annual evaluations under MCL 380.1249
  • No ineffective ratings within the 5 most recent end-of-school-year annual evaluations under MCL 380.1249
  • Since the issuance of the individual's most recent teaching certificate, the individual completed at least 3 years of successful experience in an appropriate assignment, as determined by the superintendent of public instruction, including experience as a teacher leader, a teacher of children from birth to pre-k, a teacher of adult education, or a provider of K to 12 instruction in an assignment that does not require an annual performance evaluation under MCL 380.1249

*For additional information on educator evaluations and ratings, please visit the educator evaluations website or email questions to MDE-EdEvals@Michigan.gov.

Application for Advanced Professional Teaching Certificate

  • It is also important to verify that the appropriate effectiveness ratings were imported from the Registry of Education Personnel (REP), the database the schools use to report educator effectiveness ratings.
  • Questions regarding the ratings that are viewable (or not viewable) in an individual’s Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS) account should be directed to the employing school or school district.
  • Once the requirements for the Advanced Professional Teaching Certificate have been met, application is made through MOECS.

Apply now

Additional Information

Costs associated with obtaining an Advanced Professional Teaching Certificate

The National Board Teaching Certificate Programs and Teacher Leader programs are fee-based programs. Additionally, Advanced Professional Teaching Certificate has a state-issued application fee of $210 and five-year renewal fees of $160.

Permanent, Life or Continuing Certificate Holders

Holders of these certificates types may select to obtain the Advanced Professional Teaching Certificate. However, unlike the Permanent, Life or Continuing certificates, this certificate requires criteria for renewal every five years. Obtaining this certificate will put the holder on the renewal track requiring 150 professional learning hours every five years. 

Multiple Ratings in a Single Year

The legal language for progressing to an Advanced Professional Teaching Certificate states that (in addition to other criteria) an individual must be “…rated as highly effective …for 3 out of the 5 most recent school years [and]…has not been rated ineffective …within the 5 most recent school years.” An educator will not be able to progress to the Advanced Professional Teaching Certificate if he/she has an ineffective rating. Put simply, the ratings default to the lower rating.

National Board Certification

Additional information regarding National Board Certification and how it is recognized in Michigan is available in this guidance.