Professional Learning Responsibilities

Overview of Professional Learning Responsibilities

Districts have the responsibility to ensure compliance with requirements in MCL 380.1527 and MCL 380.1526 to provide professional learning (PL) to all teachers and additional PL to new teachers. Furthermore, districts should help certified educators complete the required 150 education-related professional learning (ERPL) hours needed to recertify by entering district-provided professional development (DPPD) as state continuing education clock hours (SCECHs).

What: Professional Learning Requirements for All Teachers (MCL 380.1527)

Districts are required to provide 5 days (30 hours) of professional learning to their staff each year.

To ensure teachers have the resources, support, and training needed to educate students.

Use the Professional Learning Audit Checklist to ensure 5 days (30 hours) of professional learning has been provided to all teachers. Keep documentation of the hours provided, including agendas, sign-in sheets, etc.

Teachers in the first three years of employment in classroom teaching must be assigned a mentor and receive an additional 15 days (90 hours) of professional learning beyond the hours required in MCL 380.1527, including First Aid and CPR certification in the first year.

Use the Professional Learning Audit Checklist to ensure that teachers in their first three years of employment are receiving a mentor and additional PL hours. Hours should be documented in locally kept and also entered into Field 24 of the Registry of Educational Personnel.

Districts should be entering the hours provided to satisfy MCL 380.1527 into MOECS as SCECHs.

Educators need 150 hours of education-related professional learning (ERPL) to renew their certificate. DPPD is one of three ways for teachers to accrue the required 150 hours to renew their certificate (SCECHs and college credit are the other two).

Ensure your district is a SCECH sponsor. Work with district SCECH Sponsor to create a SCECH program and upload hours for participants.

The educator has a responsibility to maintain their certificate by completing 150 hours of Education-Related Professional Learning (ERPL). The hours may be earned as State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHs - available through an approved SCECH sponsor), college credits, or any combination of the two. The PL required by MCL 380.1526 and 380.1527 can be used for this maintenance, as ERPL, when provided by the district as SCECHs or issued as semester credit hours on a college/university transcript.
The district has a responsibility to provide professional learning to their teachers to encourage continuous improvement per MCL 380.1527, to ensure that teachers new to the profession are receiving needed supports per MCL 380.1527, and to help their teachers receive the ERPL necessary to renew their teaching certificate.