Complete these steps to become a certified math teacher in Michigan:
The State Board of Education adopted the Common Core State Standards (CCSS) for K-12 math students in 2010. Implementing these standards established clear and consistent learning goals for the state’s students. It also facilitated Michigan’s ability to work collaboratively with other states so a variety of schools can provide curricular support to one another.
The CCSS standards both define what students should be able to do and make it easier for math teachers to assess their students’ understanding of math. Under CCSS Michigan’s math students will be expected to:
- Attend to precision
- Construct viable arguments and critique the reasoning of others
- Look for and express regularity in repeated reasoning
- Make sense of problems and persevere in solving them
- Reason abstractly and quantitatively
The Michigan Office of Professional Preparation Services (OPPS) requires that aspiring math teachers in the state be certified to teach math to K-12 students.
Step 1. Complete a Bachelor’s Degree at Minimum that Includes a Teacher Preparation Program
The traditional path to become certified as a math teacher in Michigan involves getting a bachelor’s degree in teaching math from a program inclusive of pedagogy courses and student teaching. However, the state does offer other options for attaining licensure for those that possess a bachelor’s degree from a program that did not include pedagogy courses and student teaching.
Provisional Certificate
This is the initial license that Michigan provides to new math teachers. Obtaining a Provisional Certificate involves completing one of Michigan’s approved math teacher preparation programs at either the bachelor’s or post-bachelor’s level. As of 2014, 33 institutions of higher learning in the state offered this type of training. You will also have to pass the appropriate Michigan Test for Teacher Certification exams to receive this six-year certificate.
Interim Teaching Certificate
If you already have at least a bachelor’s degree in an appropriate field, but haven’t completed pedagogy courses or student teaching, you may be eligible to get an Interim Teaching Certificate to transition into teaching math. The Michigan Legislature established these types of certificates in 2009 so that eligible individuals could pursue alternate routes to become teachers.
You must have at least a 3.0 GPA from your degree at a regionally accredited college or university. You need to pass your MTTC tests before you can be admitted into an alternate route program. The alternate route provider will need to recommend you for a post-bachelor’s teaching program.
Once you have been admitted to such a program, you can teach math for three years while being intensively observed and coached.
Professional Education Certificate
Professional Education Certificates are designed for teachers who already hold a Provisional Certificate (valid or expired). You need to meet the following requirements to be able to get this certificate:
- Three years of satisfactory experience teaching math
- The following semester hours of reading methods:
- Six for elementary certified teachers
- Three for secondary certified teachers
- Three semester hours of reading diagnostic and remediation coursework
- One or a combination of the following within five years of your application date:
- Six semester hours in:
- A planned program at an approved teacher education program
- Academic credit appropriate to math and the grade level at any regionally accredited college or university
- 150 State Continuing Education Clock Hours (25 clock hours = 1 semester hour)
- 150 District Provided Professional Development Clock Hours (25 clock hours = 1 semester hour)
- An approved master’s degree or higher
Step 2: Take the MTTC (Michigan Test for Teacher Certification) Exams
You will have to take two different types of MTTC exams to get your initial certification to teach math.
Professional Readiness Examination (PRE)
This exam was previously known as the Basic Skills Test, but was renamed the PRE in 2013. Passing this series of tests ensures that you have mastered the basic academic skills to be a teacher. It involves the following three proficiency areas:
- Mathematics
- Reading
- Writing
Some Michigan schools require that you pass this exam before you can enter a teacher preparation program.
Math Tests
You can take two types of math MTTC exams, depending on whether you will be teaching at the elementary or secondary level. Each of the tests lasts for 2.5 hours.
The state provides study guides for each of these tests. Both of them cover the following subareas:
- Algebraic relationships, and functions
- Data analysis, statistics, probability, and discrete mathematics
- Mathematical processes and number concepts patterns
- Measurement and Geometry
You must bring your own graphing calculator to the exam, and it has to be one of the brands and models listed on the MTTC website. This list changes periodically and varies between paper-based and computer-based tests. You should back up your calculator’s memory before you arrive for testing, because the staff will be clearing it before and after you take the test.
Step 3. Apply for Your Michigan Math Teacher’s License
You will apply for your math teacher’s license through the Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS). First, you have to create your account. Make sure and print the confirmation page that contains your login information and your Michigan Education Information Systems (MEIS) account number.
Log back into the system and choose “Educator” from the dropdown list. After you click “Continue,” the instructions will guide you to self-register. Once you have been successful with this process, the MEIS will send you an email with a link to activate your account. If you have any difficulty with this process, you can call 517-373-3310 for help.
Step 4. Meet the Requirements to Renew Your Michigan Math Teacher’s License
You renew your Michigan math teacher’s license at the same website you applied for it.
Provisional Certificate
You can renew your Provisional Certificate three times for up to three years at a time.
The renewal requirements differ depending on which renewal you are applying for. The requirements for your first renewal include:
- Six semester hours of the following types:
- Academic credit appropriate to math and the grade level at any regionally accredited college or university
- A planned program at an approved teacher education program
- 150 State Continuing Education Clock Hours (25 SCECHs = 1 semester hour)
- Combination of SCECHs and semester credit hours
- An approved master’s degree or higher
Your second renewal requires that you complete one of the previous options within the three years preceding the date of your application. For your third renewal, you need the following:
- Sponsorship by your local school district or private school
- Completion of all academic requirements for the Professional Education Certificate
- Michigan Department of Education approval
You cannot get a third renewal if you meet all of the requirements for the Professional Education Certificate. Instead you will be expected to transition to the Professional Education Certificate.
Two-Year Extended Provisional Certificate
If you don’t meet the requirements to renew your Provisional Certificate, you may be able to get a Two-Year Extended Provisional Certificate if you meet the following conditions:
- Your initial Provisional Certificate expired less than 10 years ago
- You have at least 1 year of satisfactory teaching experience while covered by your teaching certificate
- You are currently enrolled in an approved program for training math teachers
AND
- You are being employed and sponsored by a Michigan school that agrees to monitor your progress while completing the requirements for the Professional Education Certificate