Public Act 118 of 2006, New Reading Requirement for Teachers holding the Provisional Teaching Certificate, on or after July 1, 2009.

Effective July 1, 2009, Michigan teachers who do not hold a Professional Teaching Certificate are required to take a new, approved three semester credit reading course. Michigan State University offered the approved course beginning Summer Semester 2007. The course is offered as TE846, Accommodating Differences for Learners in Reading and Writing.  Both elementary and secondary teachers may enroll for the course. 

We encourage those teachers who do not yet hold the Professional Teaching Certificate, but who meet all requirements for the certificate, (e.g. Have taught in their area(s) of certification for at least three full academic years AND who have completed an approved, planned program of at least 18 semester hours via an approved Master's program, an individually planned program, or an endorsement program), to apply for the Professional certificate on or before April 1, 2009. Your application should then be processed before July 1, 2009.  * Teachers that have been recommended for the Professional certificate before July 1, 2009 will not need to complete the newly required reading course.

Teachers, who are NOT already enrolled as graduate students in a degree program at MSU, will be able to admit as Guest/Lifelong GC - Graduate Certification (6705) students and subsequently enroll for the course. Guest/Lifelong students can complete an on-line MSU admission application at http://admissions.msu.edu/admission/guest.asp
Those interested in College of Education graduate program admission, should visit http://www.educ.msu.edu/students/prospectivegrad/default.htm for additional information about graduate program application deadlines, program requirements, program faculty, etc.

* Note: The application for the Professional Teaching Certificate, the First Renewal of the Provisional Teaching Certificate or for Second Renewal of the Provisional Teaching certificate is available on-line at: http://www.educ.msu.edu/programs/certification/teachercertapp.htm
Michigan State University requires that the majority of coursework used for certification purposes be completed through MSU. Coursework, taken through other teacher preparation institutions, requires approval. Planned program coursework must be in taken through departments of Teacher Education, Counseling, Special Education and/or Educational Psychology, Educational Administration OR from disciplinary subject departments in which the teacher holds certification. (e.g. The certified mathematics teacher may be encouraged to take additional mathematics coursework; Course work in the History of Music, regardless of how interesting and personally valuable, is not likely to be approved for the mathematics teacher. Coursework in the History of Music may be approved for a certified History teacher or a certified Music Educator, providing it does not duplicate previous coursework. Coursework required to renew the Provisional certificate or qualify for the Professional Certificate is expected to provide professional development in the areas in which the teacher is certified to teach and/or to enhance the teacher's professional skills as an educator. Professional development coursework may also be taken to qualify the teacher to teach in a new certification area; this is called an additional (teaching) endorsement. Additional endorsements require a minimum of 20 semester hours, and may be more than 20 credits. Coursework used for an additional endorsement requires evaluation of previous coursework. Teacher certification advisors, (J. Cogan, C. Gajda, and J. Smith) are available to meet with teachers to develop planned programs of professional development. Appointments can be made by calling 517-353-9680.