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.
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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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Ensuring that appropriately prepared and endorsed teachers are assigned to teach in Michigan’s classrooms is critical to student achievement. To be prepared to instruct Michigan students effectively, the MDE believes teachers should exhibit competency in three areas:
The MDE recommends local districts consider these competencies when placing staff. This will best serve the needs of all students in their district while appropriately staffing classrooms.
In addition, the MDE requests that districts take the following considerations into account when faced with staffing decisions. These considerations contain both requirements and best practices. Additional support for these considerations, including guiding questions, is in Figure 1 and the examples that follow. The considerations are listed into a tiered system to assist with making a quick accurate decision on teacher placement. After a district answers the Tier One considerations, they should move to the considerations in Tier Two.
The Tier One considerations should be used by districts when first faced with designing a course, outlining curriculum, and making decisions on staffing for a course.
The Tier Two considerations also must be a part of staffing a course. They are requirements for districts and failure to comply with these requirements may result in a state aid deduction.
Note: The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) maintains a list of Michigan endorsement areas currently on teaching certificates.
Although there are many different options for districts, this document should assist with understanding how the considerations help with staffing decisions. Below are common examples of courses and possible staffing assignments.
Curriculum, the curriculum for the course will include aspects of world history & geography. Standards that will be covered in the course are those outlined in Michigan Social Studies Standards. The standards are appropriately integrated and cover both world history and geography content equally.
Credit, students taking the course will be awarded a social studies credit aligned to the Michigan Merit Curriculum and/or a local credit for social studies.
Context, this course will be for all students (students without learning plans, students with an IEP, students with a 504 plan, students with personalized curriculum) and is funded through general district funds. The course is delivered face-to-face with technology support and the teacher of record is delivering instruction to all students.
Certification, Endorsement, and Preparation of Staff, the teacher assigned to the course should hold endorsements for the grade level of the students in the course along with one for Social Studies (RX) or Social Science (CX). Although not required, this teacher should also be supported and prepared through job- embedded professional learning focused on the integration of content and enhancing pedagogical skills for all learners. If a teacher with proper endorsement is not available for the assignment, the district may place an individual who holds the appropriate content knowledge for the course under an appropriate substitute permit.
Coding and Reporting, the district must be accurate and transparent in their reporting of courses, students, and staff in the Registry of Educational Personnel (REP). A course that meets the above description should be coded as Social Studies (000RX) or Social Science (000CX) course. The department also encourages districts to use a course name that is similar to the coding and encompassing of the course content such as “World History & Geography”. For additional support in coding and reporting, districts should refer to the Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI).
Curriculum, the content integrates elements of visual arts, computer science, writing, graphic design, and graphic arts. Standards used for instruction cross several content areas from arts to language arts. One of the final compilations for the course results in a school yearbook.
Credit, the student taking this course will earn many valuable skills but the district will not use this course to directly meet a specific Michigan Merit Curriculum credit. The credit awarded to K-12 students will be considered either a locally determined credit or an “elective” credit.
Context, this course will be for all students (students without learning plans, students with an IEP, students with a 504 plan, students with personalized curriculum) and is funded through general district funds. The course is delivered face-to-face with technology support and the teacher of record is delivering instruction to all students.
Certification, Endorsement, and Preparation of Staff, the district may have several possibilities for placement of a teacher in this scenario. In this case, the course has no specific focus on individual standards and is granting local or “elective” credit; therefore, the district will need to ensure that the teacher is endorsed at the grade-level for the students assigned to the course. An additional endorsement will be needed if there becomes a direct focus on one specific set of standards or if the district determines that the course can be used for a Michigan Merit Curriculum credit for any student in the course. Districts will also want to ensure that the teacher holds the appropriate skills for the course. For instance, if the district uses the course as a graphic arts (visual, performing and applied arts) credit for a student, then the teacher will need to be endorsed at the grade-level and with the content endorsement for Art Education (LX), Visual Arts Education (LQ), Visual Arts Specialist (LZ), Industrial Technology (IX), or Industrial and Technology Education (TE). If a teacher with proper endorsement is not available for the assignment, the district may place an individual who holds the appropriate content knowledge for the course under an appropriate substitute permit.
Coding and Reporting, the district must be accurate and transparent in their reporting of courses, students, and staff in the Registry of Educational Personnel (REP). In the original scenario, the district may select a REP reporting code of Communication Arts (000AX), Journalism (000BC), or possibly others. If the course turns into a graphic arts credit (as mentioned in the previous consideration) the district will need to provide an appropriate code for the credit being awarded. The department also encourages districts to use a name that is similar to the coding and encompassing of the course content. For additional support in coding and reporting, districts should refer to the Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI).
Curriculum, the curriculum for the course will include aspects of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Standards that will be covered in the course are integrated but include those outlined in Michigan Science and Mathematics Standards.
Credit, students taking the course will be awarded a credit of mathematics as outlined in the Michigan Merit Curriculum and/or a local credit for mathematics.
Context, this course will be for all students (students without learning plans, students with an IEP, students with a 504 plan, students with personalized curriculum) and is funded through general district funds. The course is delivered face-to-face with technology support and the teacher of record is delivering instruction to all students.
Certification, Endorsement, and Preparation of Staff, the teacher assigned to the course should hold endorsements for the grade level of the students in the course along with a mathematics endorsement. Although not required, this teacher should also be supported and prepared through job-embedded professional learning focused on the integration of STEM content and enhancing pedagogical skills for all learners. If a teacher with proper endorsement is not available for the assignment, the district may place an individual who holds the appropriate content knowledge for the course under an appropriate substitute permit.
Coding and Reporting, the district must be accurate and transparent in their reporting of courses, students, and staff in the Registry of Educational Personnel (REP). The district could use the Mathematics (000EX) code when reporting the class. The department also encourages districts to use a name that is similar to the coding and is encompassing of the course content such as “Mathematics through STEM”. For additional support in coding and reporting, districts should refer to the Center for Educational Performance and Information (CEPI)
Figure 1: Proper Placement Considerations Questions 