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Successful Teaching

In order to meet the successful teaching requirement defined by Administrative Rule 390.1103 and required under law for the Professional Teaching Certificate, a teacher must have classroom experience with one or more employers in a teaching capacity within the validity of a teaching certificate that is calculated in the following ways:

  • A year of employment is a minimum of 150 instructional days and may be within an academic year.
  • More than 1 year of employment cannot be earned during an academic year.
  • A year of employment may be accumulated over a period of years.
  • An instructional day is 6 or more clock hours during which a teacher provides instruction to or has contact with students.
  • Two partial instructional days of not less than 3 hours each may be combined to equal 1 day.
  • Validity is defined as being within the subject, content or discipline area and grade level indicated on a certificate that has not lapsed or expired.

Successful work experience must be documented on the Work Experience Form available within the Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS).

Less Than Full-Time/Intermittent Teaching Experience

Less than full-time teaching experience may be used to satisfy the successful teaching requirement, but the accumulation of days must be calculated as outlined above. Beginning July 1, 2018, in order to use less than full-time teaching experience to progress to the Professional Teaching Certificate, a teacher must have received effectiveness ratings in accordance with MCL 380.1531j. Individuals working under a Daily Substitute Permit are generally reported as substitutes in the state data collection system and are often not provided with effectiveness ratings. Substitutes typically do not have access to the professional development, mentoring and support with induction into the profession that is required under law (MCL 380.1526). See the section below regarding new teacher requirements.

Non-School Teaching Experience

The Michigan Department of Education values non-instructional roles fulfilled by classroom paraprofessionals, tutors, and teachers for homebound and hospital-bound students, along with various other positions that may or may not require a teaching certificate as a condition of employment. However, most teachers in these positions do not receive effectiveness ratings, as they may not be employed by K-12 schools and therefore not subject to educator evaluations in accordance with MCL 380.1249. Educators in these positions may renew a Michigan Standard Teaching Certificate without being required to complete the Work Experience Form.

New Teacher Requirements

MCL 380.1526 requires that schools provide all new teachers with a mentor and intensive professional development designed to support a teacher (induct) into the teaching profession. The Michigan standards for professional teachers are compatible with Interstate Teacher Assessment and Support Consortium (InTASC) standards and Michigan’s Teacher Induction and Mentoring Standards, both of which contain key components related to teacher effectiveness. This effectiveness is conveyed through effectiveness ratings and considered vital to a teacher’s professional advancement. Teachers without access to these opportunities outside of K-12 school programs can continue to maintain their certification utilizing the unlimited Standard Teaching Certificate Renewal option.