LANSING, Mich. — Sen. Joseph Bellino on Wednesday introduced legislation to help tackle the ongoing shortage of teachers in schools across Michigan.
“Education is critical to a child’s success in life, yet many of our schools continue to struggle to find enough teachers to provide that education,” said Bellino, R-Monroe. “My bill would give our state and our schools more tools to bring experienced teachers into the classroom — by allowing years of teaching experience to replace a bureaucratic test.
“We already provide this testing exemption for teachers who taught in another state. This reform would allow for that same exemption for those who taught in Michigan.”
Michigan has signed an Interstate Compact Agreement with every state agreeing to accept out-of-state approved teacher preparation programs and standard teaching certificates on a reciprocal basis for initial certification. To determine certification eligibility, an application must be submitted using the Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS). After an application evaluation, the educator will be emailed a MOECS evaluation letter specifying the appropriate test that must be passed for teacher certification.
However, three years of successful teaching experience matching the validity of their standard teaching certificate from another state, country or federally recognized Indian tribe since it was initially issued may be accepted in lieu of the test.
Senate Bill 189 would instruct the state superintendent to issue a teaching certificate to a teacher without requiring passage of the state examination if the teacher has taught successfully in Michigan for at least three years.
The state superintendent would also be required to issue any applicable subject area or grade level endorsement to a teacher without requiring passage of a state examination if the teacher has successfully taught those subject areas or grade levels in Michigan for at least three years.
###