Michigan Teacher Licensure Guide for Online Master's Students

Who Licenses Teachers in Michigan, and Which Exams Does It Use?

Michigan licenses teachers through Michigan Department of Education, Office of Educator Excellence, and the exams it requires are the MTTC, the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification.

For the programs themselves, the online master's in education programs at universities in Michigan are ranked at the in-state price, and the national and specialty lists cover schools in other states.

How Do I Get a Michigan Teaching License With an Online Master's?

Getting a Michigan teaching license with an online master's starts with a program that includes student teaching and is approved for certification in the state where the school is located. The Standard Teaching Certificate is the initial certificate the department issues to completers of approved programs in other states, valid for five years and renewable.

You apply through the Michigan Online Educator Certification System, and a specialist then emails you for transcripts and any other documents. For an out-of-state applicant, the Professional certificate needs a standard-level certificate from another state, three years of teaching and reading methods credits: six semester hours for elementary teachers, three for secondary. An online master's in reading and literacy or elementary education may cover them.

Which Exams Does Michigan Require for Teacher Certification?

Michigan requires the Michigan Tests for Teacher Certification for teacher certification, and the department says the program consists of subject area tests, one for each endorsement area you seek. State law, MCL 380.1531, sets up the testing program, and passing a test by itself never earns a certificate.

The department wants you to wait for direction. An out-of-state candidate applies first, pays the evaluation fee, and receives an evaluation report that names any tests. The same page says this covers online programs approved by other states, unless the applicant has three years of successful teaching within the certificate's validity and grade level. Registration runs through the MTTC site.

Can I Transfer a Teaching License to Michigan From Another State?

A teaching license from another state can become a Michigan certificate in one of three forms, and the department's out-of-state page sorts them by experience and reading credit. Three years of successful teaching under the other certificate can replace the MTTC for a Standard certificate, and the Professional certificate adds the reading methods credits. A one-year, nonrenewable Temporary certificate gives time to finish tests or literacy courses.

The 2020 Education Commission of the States comparison recorded Michigan as tiered by experience, with extra assessments for some out-of-state teachers but no extra coursework and no full reciprocity. The department's page ties both the Standard and Professional steps to years of successful teaching, and the reading requirement sits on the Professional step.

Does NC-SARA Membership Cover Teacher Certification for Michigan Online Master's Students?

Teacher certification for Michigan online master's students sits outside what NC-SARA membership covers. Michigan was approved in August 2015, and a participating school can enroll Michiganders online with that approval, but NC-SARA states that SARA does not address licensing board approval for teacher education programs.

The protection SARA does add is disclosure. A school that participates must say whether its courses and programs meet licensure requirements where you live, and in Michigan the department evaluates the certificate itself.

What Should I Ask an Online Program Before Enrolling From Michigan?

Ask an online program to state in writing, before you enroll from Michigan, whether it has found that its curriculum meets Michigan certification requirements. Under 34 CFR 668.43 a school advertising licensure preparation has to list the states where the program does and does not qualify, and must warn prospective students when it found a gap or never decided.

The Michigan questions come next. Is the program approved for certification where the school sits, and does it include student teaching? Will it give you the reading methods credits? Who recommends you? Which MTTC subject area test will the department direct you to take?

Which Certificate Do Michigan Principals and School Counselors Need?

A Michigan principal needs a School Administrator Certificate, and the Elementary and Secondary Administrator endorsement asks for a master's degree or higher in educational leadership or administration and an approved preparation program. The department evaluates out-of-state administrator certificates through the same online system.

A school counselor needs 30 graduate semester hours in an approved program leading to a master's degree, a 600-hour internship with 300 hours in a school, and the MTTC School Counselor exam, which three documented years as a counselor elsewhere can replace. Compare an online master's in educational leadership or school counseling with those terms.