Elementary Education
The Michigan Elementary Provisional Certificate qualifies the holder to teach:
- Grades K-5, all subjects
- Grades 6-8, all subjects, self-contained classroom
- Grades 6-8, major(s) and minor(s) subject areas
- Grades K-12, Cognitive Impairment, French, or Spanish
Secondary Education
The Michigan Secondary Provisional Certificate qualifies the holder to teach:
- Grades 6-12 or K-12, major subject area
- Grades 6-12, minor subject area
Teacher Certification Info Sheet (.doc) - this form is distributed at the beginning of the student teaching semester.
The major and/or minor subject areas listed on your certificate are known as "Endorsements." Know your endorsement codes and which classes you are certified to teach.
In order to be valid, teaching certificates must be signed and notarized. Certificates may be notarized at the Education Department, Financial Services, or most banks and credit unions.
Candidates who are certified with K-12 Cognitive Impairment or Learning Disabilities may need to meet additional requirements in order to teach core academic subjects in grades 6-12 in Michigan.
Other States and Provinces
If you hope to teach a particular subject in a certain state or province, it is wise to investigate your options early on to determine which majors, minors, and grade levels you should pursue at Calvin. Although the Michigan certificate will transfer to other states, not all states offer certification in the exact same subjects and grade level combinations that Michigan offers. Contact the state or province department of education to find out which major/minor and program (elementary or secondary) you need to complete at Calvin.
All states listed below have signed the NASDTEC Interstate Agreement except for Alaska, Iowa and Minnesota. The NASDTEC Interstate Agreement facilitates the movement of educators among the states that have signed the Agreement. The Agreement makes it possible for an educator who completed an approved program and/or who holds a certificate or license in one jurisdiction to earn a certificate or license in another state or jurisdiction. Receiving states may impose certain requirements which must be met in a reasonable period of time; for example:
- Additional tests, such as the PRAXIS Tests
- Copies of your MTTC score reports
- Additional courses (such as a course in the history of the particular state)
- Application fees
- Official transcripts
- A copy of the Michigan Teaching Certificate
- Criminal background check and/or fingerprinting
- Validation that the candidate has completed a college program - send verification forms to the Calvin College Certification Coordinator
If you obtain the Michigan certificate, most states and provinces will give you a temporary license allowing you to begin teaching immediately while any of the above additional requirements are completed.
If you decide not to be certified in Michigan, the state or province will evaluate your Calvin transcripts and may require you to complete additional college courses. You will not be able to begin teaching until those courses are completed, which could cost you significant time and money. For this reason, we recommend that everyone who completes Calvin's Education Program complete all requirements for the Michigan teaching certificate.
The following web sites contain additional information and applications for teacher certification in other states and provinces.
- Items Required for Applications
- Teacher Certification Requirements in all Fifty States
Certification Websites
Renewal Information
First, determine which renewal option you need based on the Certificate Renewal Chart. Then, follow these instructions to renew your Michigan certificate and/or add an endorsement online.
Note: Teaching certificate renewal requirements are currently being revised by the Michigan Department of Education. We anticipate that after September 1, 2013, additional college credits will be no longer be required, but will be one option for teaching certificate renewal. Other options could include state board continuing education units or district-provided professional development. The reading disabilities course will continue to be required for the professional certificate (see below). More information about these changes should be available later this year.
If you are applying for the Professional Certificate, send this experience report form to Shari Brouwer:
.doc or.pdf
If you completed your 9 or 18 semester hours at a different institution in Michigan, contact the appropriate Certification Officer for assistance.
Administrators have a seperate Renewal Chart for the Administrator Certificate.
Professional Certificate Reading Course
All applicants for the Professional Certificate must have completed a 3-credit course of study in the diagnosis and remediation of reading disabilities and differentiated instruction. The state-approved courses have been designed based on the latest instructional and assessment research in reading and writing and they include valuable ideas and resources for practical classroom application. Click here to view the list of state-approved courses. Any of the courses on the list will apply toward this new requirement, regardless of where the applicant completed the 9 or 18 semester hours. Calvin currently offers this course online. If you are out-of-state, you may locate an online course offered by a Michigan institution or locate a course at a university near you which meets the specifications of the law. For an out-of-state course, complete this form and mail it in yourself to the MDE with all other documentation after applying for the Professional certificate. Do not mail the form until after you have applied for the Professional certificate online.
Contact the Teacher Certification Office at (616) 526-6208 or certification@calvin.edu
