INTERIM TEACHING CERTIFICATE S.B. 727:
SUMMARY AS ENACTED
Senate Bill 727 (as enacted) PUBLIC ACT 106 of 2018
House Committee: Education Reform
CONTENT
The bill amended the Revised School Code to do the following:
-- Require an alternative teaching program provider to demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Superintendent of Public Instruction that its participants have a cohort grade point average (GPA) of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale.
-- Eliminate a requirement that an individual pass the basic skills examination in order to earn an interim teaching certificate.
The Act requires the Superintendent to establish a process for an individual to earn an interim teaching certificate that qualifies the individual to teach in the public schools and earn a Michigan teaching certificate. The process must provide that the Superintendent will grant an interim teaching certificate to an individual who meets certain criteria. An individual must be a participant in an alternative teaching program that is approved by the Superintendent. To be approved, a program provider must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the Superintendent that it meets certain criteria. Previously, this criteria included having a proven record of producing successful teachers in one or more other states or being modeled after a program that had a proven record of producing successful teachers in one or more other states.
Under the bill, a program provider must have a proven record of producing successful teachers or be modeled after a program with a proven record of producing successful teachers. In addition, a program provider's participants must have a cohort GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or the equivalent on another scale, as determined by the Superintendent, upon earning the degree. If a cohort member has earned more than one required degree, the highest GPA earned by the cohort member must be used in calculating the cohort GPA. "Cohort" means all of the individuals enrolled in an alternative teaching program approved by the Superintendent of Public Instruction for the three years immediately preceding the granting of an interim teaching certificate to an individual enrolled in the alternative teaching program.
The criteria also required the individual to meet both of the following:
-- Hold a bachelor's, master's, doctorate, or professional degree from a regionally accredited college or university with a GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or the equivalent on another scale, as determined by the Superintendent.
-- Pass both the basic skills examination and the appropriate available subject area examination for each subject area in which he or she applies to be certified.
The bill removes the requirement that the individual pass the basic skills examination. The bill also deletes the requirement that the individual have a GPA of at least a 3.0 on a 4.0 scale or the equivalent on another scale.
("Basic skills examination" meant that term as defined in Section 1531: an examination developed or selected by the State Superintendent or developed by an approved teacher education institution for the purpose of demonstrating the applicant's knowledge and understanding of basic language and mathematical skills and other skills necessary for the certificate taught.)
The bill took effect on April 5, 2018.
MCL 380.1531i Legislative Analyst: Nathan Leaman
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill will have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.