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.
Early learning and development program resources for all children, birth to age eight, especially those in highest need.
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.
Resources for Michigan’s Out-of-School Time programs and providers.
Resources for programs and initiatives that support school improvement efforts.
Michigan has an innovative and comprehensive system of assessments to measure student achievement in learning our state content standards.
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.
Following the State Board of Education (SBE) adoption of the PK-3 and 3-6 teacher preparation standards in 2018, development began for new Michigan Tests for Teacher Certification (MTTCs) aligned to these standards. In partnership with the Michigan Department of Education, Evaluation Systems created a model with four multiple choice subtests: Literacy, Mathematics, Science/Social Studies, and Professional Knowledge. In response to the concerns raised by educator preparation providers, our partners, we looked closely at the cost structures related to the examinations.
Following the State Board of Education (SBE) adoption of the PK-3 and 3-6 teacher preparation standards in 2018, development began for new MTTCs aligned to these standards. The Action Team for updating literacy and mathematics licensure tests at the elementary level recommended a non-compensatory model. Candidates will not be recommended for certification if they do not pass all subtests. Additionally, legislative Boilerplate language for 2016-17 included a required change to teacher candidate assessment to focus on literacy in section 5-507.
To avoid burdening candidates with a separate test beyond what would be required for elementary certification, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) opted to address this mandate via a subtest model which includes literacy, aligned to the PK-3 and 3-6 teacher preparation standards.
In partnership with MDE, Evaluation Systems created a model with four multiple choice subtests: Literacy, Mathematics, Science/Social Studies, and Professional Knowledge. The framework for each subtest is based on the respective sections of the PK-3 and 3-6 standards. Each subtest will use scenario-based items and reflect the pedagogical content knowledge in the teacher preparation standards.
Candidates will register separately for each subtest, taking the tests one at a time, all at once, or in combination. The non-compensatory model allows candidates to focus on one content area at a time, at their own pace.
The Literacy, Science/Social Studies, and Professional Knowledge subtests each cost $59. The Mathematics subtest costs $69. The cost for Mathematics is greater because the items are more likely to have graphics, which are more costly to develop. The total cost of all four subtests is $246. The current Elementary Education test costs $129. This subtest model allows retakes of single subtests, eliminating the need for multiple attempts of a full test and ultimately reducing retake costs.
Suppose a candidate struggles in Math.
Under the new model the candidate:
If the candidate needs two retakes to demonstrate sufficient performance, their cost under the current model is $129 x 3 = $387. Their cost under the new model is $59 x 3 + $69 x 3 = $384. The costs are nearly the same, but the candidate has a better experience under the new model, because they can focus their studies, receive better feedback, and spend less time testing. Using 2018-2019 data, this would apply to roughly 10% of candidates.
Candidates will experience a greater initial cost, compared to the current model. However, the new model offers many advantages:
Candidates who successfully complete each subtest will have demonstrated an ability to meet the standard for each content area, rather than being able to compensate for a deficit in one area (such as mathematics or English language arts) with an over-performance in another area (such as social studies or science).
