Educationally Speaking - Issue 52

Issue 52 | February 2024

Be sure your email address is up-to-date in the Michigan Online Educator Certification System to receive important notifications regarding YOUR certificate.

Please see the archived newsletters for other important information that affects licensure.

Public Comment on Proposed School Librarian Preparation Standards

The public comment period on proposed Standards for the Preparation of School Librarians continues through the month of February. These standards would replace Michigan's current Standards for the Preparation of Teachers of Library Media. All feedback on the proposed standards must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. EST, March 10, 2024, at the School Librarian Preparation Standards Public Comment website. All comments will be reviewed in preparing a final recommendation to the State Board of Education at its May 14, 2024, meeting. 

National School Counseling Week
February 5-9, 2024

This year, National School Counseling Week was celebrated February 5-9, 2024, the first full week in February. The goal of this special week was to focus public attention on the unique contributions of school counselors within U.S. school systems and to highlight the tremendous impact school counselors have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a fruitful career.

Even though National School Counseling Week is over, the important work of school counselors goes on during every part of the school year. Don’t forget to thank your school counselors for their impact on the lives of students today and every day!

Certificate Application Fee Reimbursement Program

The Certificate Application Fee Reimbursement program has been designed to retain and incentivize early renewals of educators renewing their certificates for the first time between October 1, 2023, and September 13, 2024. There is no need to apply for this reimbursement. This program is available until funds are exhausted. Please visit the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) Certificate Application Fee Reimbursement website for more information.

Future Proud Michigan Educator (PME) Military Veterans Grant

Michigan’s intermediate school districts (ISDs) and local education agencies (LEAs), both traditional public school districts and public school academies (PSAs), are all eligible to apply for grant funds to offer paid mentorships and salary for eligible military veterans seeking educator certification, as well as costs of the Michigan Tests for Teacher Certification (MTTCs). This is a great way to support military veterans with an on-ramp to the classroom!

Candidates for the grant program must possess a bachelor’s degree or higher from a public or private university, be veterans as defined by Section 1 of 1965 PA 160, MCL 35.61, and be enrolled in an approved Michigan teacher preparation program in order to complete student teaching requirements. 

For more details and general information, visit the Future PME Military Veterans website.

Student Loan Repayment Program Webinar

The Office of Educator Excellence (OEE) will host a Student Loan Repayment Program Application Webinar on Tuesday, March 12, 2024, at 11 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST, with time set aside for a brief Q&A session. Webinar participants must use the Zoom registration link found on the Student Loan Repayment Program website; a webinar link will be automatically sent to the e-mail address used for registration.

As a reminder, application and participant eligibility information about the Student Loan Repayment Program, along with many frequently asked questions (FAQs), is available on the Student Loan Repayment Program website. Individuals may not apply for this program; ISDs and LEAs (both traditional public school districts and PSAs) must apply on behalf of their participants. ISDs may apply on behalf of the districts in their service area pursuant to their agreements with those districts.

National Board Certification Grants for Michigan Teachers

We are excited to announce National Board Certification grant applications for eligible teachers who currently hold National Board Certification (NBC) or teachers in schoolwide Title I buildings wishing to pursue NBC certification for the first time.

ISDs and LEAs (both traditional public school districts and PSAs) may apply.

Full details regarding the grants and eligibility requirements can be found on the National Board Certification (NBC) Grant Opportunities website. Please direct questions about the National Board Certification grants to [email protected].

Applications Open Now for FY24 EXPLORE Section 504 Grants

The official memo announcing the opening of the application window for the new round of Section 504 grants was posted on January 19, 2024. Application screens can be currently found on NexSys, using the "My Opportunities" filter.

ISDs and LEAs (both traditional school districts and PSAs) may submit applications to build and sustain existing EXPLORE programs, to provide tuition grants to eligible EXPLORE graduates, or both.

More instructions for applying for this grant opportunity on NexSys can be found on the EXPLORE grant: Section 504 website. In addition, the website features a downloadable Word template of the application currently being developed. This will help applicants gather necessary data, budget details, and supporting information before starting the application process.

This is a grant opportunity that was developed to build on the success of EXPLORE programs and to boost graduates who were inspired to pursue the teaching profession from experiences with their EXPLORE programs at their schools. A strong teacher pipeline is crucial to the success of education in Michigan.

Section 27h Mentoring and Induction Standards, Curricula, and Professional Learning Creation Grant

The first of three grants from Section 27h of the State School Aid Act will be released in early March. The purpose of this grant is to award $500,000 to an ISD or other educational entity to assist MDE in developing research-based standards, curricula, and professional learning for mentors to help better prepare new teachers, administrators, and counselors.

For purposes of this grant, eligible applicants who are “other educational entities” will be defined as Michigan approved educator preparation providers or established Michigan professional education organizations. Applicants will need to demonstrate knowledge and experience in effectively supporting new teachers, as well as a capacity to partner with MDE, meet deadlines, and complete the deliverables.

Continue to monitor the Mentoring and Induction Grants website for more information.

Michigan Law Brings Changes to Educator Evaluation Requirements

Michigan Public Acts 224 and 225, approved by Governor Whitmer on November 22, 2023, modified the existing requirements for teacher and administrator evaluation. Learn more and stay informed by reviewing updated guidance, including FAQs, student growth and student learning objectives (SLO) resources, and the lists of state-approved evaluation tools for teachers and administrators at www.michigan.gov/mde-edevals. Please contact [email protected] with questions regarding educator evaluation.

Webinar Recordings Available: Value-Added Reports for Michigan Schools

Since 2018, MDE has contracted with SAS® to provide value-added reports to all districts and public school academies. These reports include diagnostic information and measures of academic growth that students made in a selected grade and subject. These data reports can help educators reflect on past practices and proactively plan for current and future classes.

On January 22 and 23, 2024, SAS® offered two-hour virtual webinars for all users, showcasing the new Student Report to inform classroom decisions and enhance student learning. The webinars also highlighted other updates to the 2023 reporting. Please visit the EVAAS site for more information about the webinars and to access a recorded version.

Michigan Talent Pool

The Michigan Talent Pool is a group of elementary and secondary educators nominated by their supervisors that MDE draws upon throughout the year when opportunities for engagement and recognition become available.

For 2023-2024, MDE is focusing on early and mid-career educational leaders primarily working with students in grades 6 to 12.

We welcome recommendations of outstanding classroom teachers and/or principals who exhibit strong potential for professional leadership, and demonstrate the following:

Exceptional educational talent as evidenced by effective instructional practices and student learning results in the classroom and school;
Exemplary educational accomplishments beyond the classroom;
Contributions to education that are largely unheralded, yet are worthy of the spotlight; and
An engaging and inspiring presence that motivates and impacts students, colleagues and the community.

Recommendations to the Talent Pool should be submitted by the nominee's supervisor and can be made via the online recommendation form.

The nomination form includes a one-page letter of recommendation explaining how the nominee meets the above criteria. Please note that these recommendations are confidential and should not be discussed with the recommended educator or others in your school or community.

Please direct any questions to Jennifer Robel at [email protected].

Aspiring Principals Workshop

Considering building leadership? Know someone who is? Join the Michigan Association of Secondary School Principals (MASSP) for a full day of résumé help, interviewing techniques, networking, and more!

This one-day workshop is open to aspiring principals, assistant principals, deans, and even current administrators who want to take their careers to the next level! You don't even need to take a day away from the office—it's on Saturday, March 2, 2024. Learn more and register at the MASSP website.

Michigan Reading Association Annual Conference

Discover joy at the Michigan Reading Association’s 68th Annual Conference, March 15-17, 2024, in Lansing!

Learn more about this year’s conference and register online today.

Michigan Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators Conversations Among Colleagues Conference

Connect with mathematics educators across the state on Saturday, March 16, 2024, at the University of Michigan-Dearborn on the theme of "Reframing and Humanizing Mathematics, Teaching, and Learning." Read more about the conference on the MI-AMTE website and register online today!