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Educationally Speaking

Issue 56 | June 2024
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*Be sure your email address is up-to-date in the?**Michigan Online Educator Certification System* [ [link removed] ]*?to receive important notifications regarding YOUR certificate.*

**Please see the?*archived newsletters [ [link removed] ]* for other important information that affects licensure.**

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Grants Information Section Header
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*Section 27h(6) Mentoring Evaluation Grant Application Opens Soon*

MDE welcomes applicants for the second of three grants supporting mentoring and induction practices per Section 27h of the State School Aid budget for fiscal year 2023-24 [ [link removed] ]. This specific grant, from Subsection 6, is designed to award $500,000 to a qualified evaluation entity to evaluate mentoring and induction activities in Michigan, including identifying recommendations to strengthen programming. Applications will* open on June 20th *and* close at 5:00 p.m. on July 25, 2024*. To apply or to seek more information, please visit the Mentoring and Induction Grants webpage [ [link removed] ] or contact [email protected].?

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Student Loan Repayment graphic
*Student Loan Repayment Program Updates*

On May 16, 2024, MDE published an official memo [ [link removed] ] announcing the conclusion of the application window for the first cohort of the Student Loan Repayment Program, anticipating the first payments to arrive in July for districts whose applications were free from errors. Between May 20 and May 31, 2024, districts who submitted applications with errors in their first attempts were allowed to re-submit applications to correct these errors; these districts may have first payments arriving later than the first group.

The updated website [ [link removed] ] includes details on the administrative review process for the first cohort and announces the fall 2024 application window for the second cohort. It addresses the impact of federal loan servicer transitions on participant eligibility and application readiness for the second cohort.

Both educators and administrators are encouraged to review the MDE memo and the latest website updates for the program's next steps. Please be sure to regularly check the Student Loan Repayment Program website [ [link removed] ] for any updates. As always, districts can reach out to [email protected] with any questions.



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Updates to Section 27b Grow Your Own (GYO) Website

The GYO Team is pleased to announce that some major updates have been made to the GYO School Staff website [ [link removed] ]! In addition to new downloadable resources for grant administration and NexSys reporting, the website now features a table of important grant milestones and deadline dates, links to grant announcement memos, and updated Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs). It?s your first stop for all the information you need as a GYO grantee, regardless of round. Check it out?but remember, you can still contact the GYO team with more specific questions at [email protected].

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*Reminder:?Permits Available Soon for the 2024-25 Academic Year!?*

Beginning July 1, Michigan schools may begin applying for staffing flexibilities for educators. These staffing flexibilities include permits, Special Education Approvals, and the Annual Career Authorizations. Permits are applied for and issued to the employing school district. If it is anticipated that vacancy in a non-core subject area will extend for an entire academic year, remember that the *initial* Full-Year Basic Permit has the same requirements as the Daily Substitute Permit (60 semester credits). As an additional reminder, a Michigan certified teacher can teach up to 90 consecutive calendar days outside of the subject area(s) or grade level(s) authorized by their endorsement "without" need of a permit. When in doubt, get a Daily Substitute Permit!

For more information on permits, please visit our Educator Placement and Flexibilities [ [link removed] ] webpage.?

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Educational Resources
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*Survey** Opportunity: Understanding Artificial Intelligence in Education*

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in education continues to reshape teaching and learning landscapes. Our commitment to understanding this transformation is exemplified through our ongoing research, focused on the perceptions and experiences of PK-12 and post-secondary educators with AI tools. As AI?s influence grows, it is crucial to gather and analyze insights from those at the forefront of educational innovation ? our pre-service and in-service educators and school administrators. In-service teachers, administrators, and pre-service teachers are encouraged to participate in a survey for a chance to win a $50 Amazon gift card. Read more about the survey ? and find links to participate ? at the American Association of Colleges of Teacher Education?s EdPrepMatters webpage [ [link removed] ].

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Noteworthy News
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2025-26 Michigan Teacher of the Year Nomination Window Open

The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) has opened the 2025-26 Michigan Teacher of the Year nomination window early this year! This annual program recognizes outstanding teachers in our state. Each year, 10 Regional Teachers of the Year are selected through a competitive application process, with one of the Regional Teachers of the Year named Michigan Teacher of the Year.?

Parents, students, colleagues, and community members are invited to nominate a teacher. To be eligible, a nominee must have a valid Michigan teaching certificate, at least five years of teaching experience in Michigan, and be in good standing with their school or district.?

Please make nominations using the online form [ [link removed] ], [ [link removed] ] which is available until Wednesday, September 25, 2024, at 11:59 p.m.

We recognize that some districts and intermediate school districts (ISDs) have an established process for awarding local teachers of the year. District representatives are welcome to nominate their district level teachers of the year by directly emailing [email protected].

To learn more about the Michigan Teacher of the Year program and MDE's other educator recognition programs, visit the program webpage [ [link removed] ]. Please contact [email protected] with questions regarding the program or nomination process.?

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Did You Know
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*Michigan Law Brings Changes to Educator Evaluation Requirements*

Public Acts 224 [ [link removed] ] and 225 [ [link removed] ] of 2023 modified the existing teacher and administrator evaluation requirements and removed the requirement for educator effectiveness ratings to be tied to teaching certificate progression. Learn more and stay informed by reviewing the updated MDE guidance about changes in law [ [link removed] ], including resources to support collective bargaining and evaluation system design. Additional resources include frequently asked questions (FAQs) [ [link removed] ], student growth [ [link removed] ] and student learning objectives (SLO) resources [ [link removed] ], [ [link removed] ] and the lists of state-approved evaluation tools for teachers [ [link removed] ] and administrators [ [link removed] ] at www.michigan.gov/mde-edevals [ [link removed] ].?

For questions regarding educator evaluation, please contact [email protected].

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Teacher Discounts [ [link removed] ]




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"Copyright ? 2024 Office of Educator Excellence, All rights reserved."

Michigan Department of Education - Office of Educator Excellence
608 W. Allegan Street, Lansing, MI 48933
(517) 241-5000 |[email protected]






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