Guidelines for Adding a New Level Endorsement to an Existing Elementary or Secondary Certificate

SECONDARY LEVEL ENDORSEMENT: Candidates with elementary certification wanting to add a secondary level endorsement through Michigan State University must complete a program which meets the State Department of Education (SDE) guidelines for secondary certification. These guidelines include the following:

• Endorsement plan must total a minimum of 18 semester credits taken subsequent to the issuance of the initial Michigan Provisional certificate.
• Must have a teaching major appropriate for secondary certification. SDE standards require a minimum of 30 semester credits for a major (36 credits for a group major).
• Some majors require more than the SDE minimum. Can count credits to upgrade a minor to a major towards the 18 minimum credit plan.
• Technology course or demonstrated proficiency.
• Needs appropriate subject-area methods/pedagogy for the teaching major.
• Must have 3 semester credits in content-area literacy (TE843).
• Needs 6 semester hours of Directed Teaching at the secondary level (or meet guidelines for waiver).
• Other appropriate courses can be taken at the 300 level or above related to the major and/or minor to total at least 18 semester credits for the secondary level endorsement can include Adolescent Psychology and/or Education Psychology "Learning" course.

ELEMENTARY ENDORSEMENT: Candidates with secondary certification wanting to add a general elementary level endorsement through Michigan State University must meet the SDE guidelines for elementary certification. These guidelines include the following:

• Endorsement plan must total a minimum of 18 semester credits taken subsequent to the issuance of the initial Michigan Provisional certificate.
• Appropriate methods courses for elementary certification are required. (e.g., TE 847 Language Arts), TE 860 (Science Education), one of TE 855-857 (Math Education) and one of TE 865-867 (Social Studies)
• Pass Math 201 and Math 202.
• Needs one teaching major and/or two teaching minors appropriate for elementary certification. (Note: Candidates for elementary endorsement with K-12 secondary certification must have at least one appropriate elementary minor and the Elementary "Planned Program" beyond their K-12 major.)
• Needs Elementary education "Planned Program" to cover core elementary subjects.
• Needs 6 semester credits of literacy coursework appropriate for elementary certification (TE842 and TE844).
• Must pass the Elementary Education subject test.
• Needs 6 semester credits of Directed Teaching TE 894 at the elementary level (or meet guidelines for waiver).
• Also required: Technology course or demonstration of technology proficiency.
• Also needed: Developmental Psychology Childhood course or demonstrated child psychology background through professional or paraprofessional experience with children.
  

Note: Students taking math courses through MSU must meet all stated prerequisites either through course credit or through the appropriate score on the math placement examination. For more information regarding math placement, contact the receptionist in 134 Erickson or a math advisor.

Guidelines for Waiver of Directed Teaching (student teaching) requirement:

Michigan State University uses the same guidelines for adding an additional level endorsement as for initial provisional certification. The guidelines are spelled out in the State of Michigan Board of Education "Teacher Certification Code" as follows:

R 390.1124 3:
The directed teaching requirement for the initial elementary or secondary provisional certificate may be waived for an experienced teacher as follows:

(a) For an applicant with an earned master's degree or higher degree and 3 years of successful teaching experience at the appropriate level, together with a recommendation from the school superintendent and the sponsoring institution regarding the certificate, the complete requirement of 6 semester hours may be waived.
(b) For an applicant with less than an earned master's degree, but with 5 years of successful teaching experience at the appropriate level, together with a recommendation from the school superintendent and the sponsoring institution regarding the certificate, the complete requirement of 6 semester hours may be waived.

(History: 1954 ACS 52, Eff. Nov. 15, 1967; 1954 ACS 74, Eff. Jan. 19, 1973; 1979 AC; 1989 MR 6, Eff. July 8, 1989.)

Notes:

1. Teaching experience in grades 7 and/or 8 can count towards either elementary or secondary certification.
2. Superintendent or their designee in a district must verify experience as successful in writing and request a waiver on behalf of the student.

INDIVIDUAL PROGRAM PLANS: Individualized programs must meet all requirements for the endorsement level requested and be planned and approved in advance with a certification advisor. They must be on file in 134 Erickson.353-5091.