Future Proud MI Educator

Current school employees, such as paraprofessionals and bus drivers, who are not certified teachers but are currently employed in local districts, have existing relationships with staff and students and often hold content knowledge for specific courses and district curriculum. These individuals are often committed to the community and profession, which makes them viable candidates for expanding a candidate pool.

Additionally, already certified teachers are a potential pool of candidates from which vacancies can be filled through completion of an approved additional endorsement program in a new discipline area. These individuals possess the knowledge, pedagogy and methodology for working with students. 

Students enrolled in preparation programs to become teachers, such as those currently in a student teaching assignment, are an underutilized and potential pool of candidates from which vacancies can be filled. These candidates are committed to the teaching profession and are gaining the knowledge, pedagogy and methodology for working with students. 

Often community members hope to make a career change and enter the education profession. Career changers should enroll into a preparation program to become teachers. Certification only programs and alternative and expedited pathways are available for individuals who already have a bachelor's degree. Career changers are also potential candidates from which vacancies can be filled while they complete the program. They are committed to the teaching profession and are gaining the knowledge, pedagogy and methodology for working with students. While the individual works toward completion of an educator preparation program, the recommended options for utilizing these individuals include:

• Full-year Basic Substitute Permits
• Interim Teaching Certificate: Alternative Route Programs
• Annual CTE Authorizations (ACA)

Additional financial support may be available by way of student loan forgiveness.

While an out-of-state license does not authorize placement in a Michigan school, these educators are highly likely to become certified in Michigan. Districts often have educators from other states apply for open positions. Reciprocity provides the opportunity for these educators to be evaluated for Michigan certification and subsequently placed into open positions.

MDE has a 96% approval rate for out-of-state evaluations*. If an individual does not immediately qualify, the recommended options for utilizing these teachers while they work with MDE to gain Michigan certification include:

• Daily Substitute Permit
• Full-year Basic Substitute Permit
• Temporary Teaching Certificate

*Lack of documentation is the number one reason for a delay in the evaluation of an out-of-state application. An applicant's status can remain on "Hold" for up to two years or until the evaluation is complete.

As part of the Future PME initiative, MDE is with working with state legislators to revise statute to further expand the ability to issue Michigan certification based on out-of-state licensure.

Out-of-State Application Guidance

A fourth pathway in the Future PME initiative is for students in grades 6-12 to learn more about education professions. While those students are not able or ready to enter the workforce or resolve immediate staffing needs, they are an important category of candidates to consider for long-term staffing solutions. There are two types of programs within the students grades 6-12 pathway: EXPLORE and LAUNCH. Determine how these programs might fit a local district context by reviewing the Comparing the LAUNCH and EXPLORE Programs document.

EXPLORE Programs  LAUNCH Programs