Issue 17 | July 2021
Be sure your email address is up-to-date in the Michigan Online Educator Certification System to receive important notifications regarding YOUR certificate.
Please see the archived newsletters for other important information that affects licensure.
Special Education Teacher Tuition Reimbursement Grant Opportunity
In response to the ongoing and intense need to provide appropriately certified and endorsed teachers for students with disabilities, the Michigan Department of Education Office of Special Education is offering a Special Education Teacher Tuition Reimbursement Grant opportunity. Districts eligible to apply for the Special Education Teacher Tuition Reimbursement Grant must have a 60 percent or higher Free and Reduced-Meals population, based on the fall 2019 data. Visit the grant information website for a list of eligible districts and other resources.
Explore Curriculum Available
The Michigan Department of Education recently released the Future Proud Michigan Educator (PME) Explore curriculum to intermediate school districts (ISDs) and local education agencies (LEAs), both traditional public school districts and public school academies (PSAs).
The Explore curriculum is designed to assist ISDs and LEAs in the implementation of new educator programming for students in grades 6-12. Explore coursework offers increased access to programs through flexible implementation models, free curriculum, and free professional learning for educators. To learn more about the Future PME Explore curriculum, please access the full curricular resources through the Future Proud Michigan Educator website.
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Registration Now Open for Virtual Job Fairs
The next education workforce job fairs are scheduled for August 4th and 5th. These virtual fairs are hosted by the Michigan Department of Education, in cooperation with the Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity. Each fair is open to individuals seeking to work in the education field as well as to employers of educators and educational support staff.
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Reminder: Permits Now Available for the 2021-22 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 Authorization. Educators cannot apply for these permits for themselves and they are issued to the employing school district.
Department of Education Implements TEACH Grant Program Changes to Benefit Teachers and Students
The U.S. Department of Education (ED) announced changes to the Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant Program, the only federal student aid grant program that directly benefits teachers working in high-need fields and underserved schools.
To learn more about these changes to the TEACH Grant Program, please see the press release: https://bit.ly/3kCPGPB.
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The LifeChanger of the Year Awards
LifeChanger of the Year is an annual program sponsored by National Life Group that recognizes and rewards K-12 educators and school employees across the country. The program celebrates those who are making a significant difference in the lives of students by exemplifying excellence, positive influence and leadership. Nominations for the 2021-22 school year are now open.
Do you know an educator with a clear passion for teaching who works primarily with English language learners or in early childhood education and would like to share the story of how they became an educator on-camera? If so, we’d love to hear about them and consider them for an upcoming #proudMIeducator video!
To recommend an individual for consideration, please use our online form. Contact Josh Roesner at RoesnerJ1@Michigan.gov with any questions.
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Children Matter. You Matter. Learn SEL.
Please participate in a quick summer learning opportunity that helps you and your students! In mid-March, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) launched the Children matter. You matter. Learn SEL! campaign. So far over 600 educators have completed the course since the campaign began.
MDE is asking educators to complete an ‘Introduction to SEL’ online module hosted through Michigan Virtual. The hope is that as many educators as possible (a minimum of one school leader and two to four teachers per building across the state) will complete the module before Labor Day. The course is free, offers State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHs), and takes about two hours to complete. This program is open to all districts.
Would you please participate in the training and encourage other educators to complete the training? Let’s reach our goal by Labor Day!!
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SAVE THE DATES! Announcing the 10th Annual 2021 Special Populations Conference: Leading Together Toward Tomorrow
The Michigan Department of Education’s Office of Educational Supports is excited to announce the 10th Annual Special Populations Conference: Leading Together Toward Tomorrow. The conference will focus on program coordination, best practices, early literacy, and networking.
Please save the dates and plan to join us for this virtual professional learning opportunity Wednesday, September 22, 2021 – Friday, September 24, 2021. A link to the conference program will be available on the OES website and shared widely the week of July 25, 2021. Online registration opens on August 1, 2021, and the cost of the conference will be $50 per participant.
For questions and additional information, please contact the special populations unit in the Office of Educational Supports at 517-241-6977 or email OESSpecialPops@Michigan.gov.
Michigan Department of Education Fall 2021 Virtual Continuous Improvement Conference
The Michigan Department of Education Office of Educational Supports will sponsor the MDE Fall 2021 virtual Continuous Improvement Conference: Equity and Stakeholder Voice: Making Education More Engaging and Relevant for Students, Families, and Educators, on Tuesday, October 19, 2021.
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REL Midwest Toolkit Helps Districts Better Understand Students’ Learning Gaps
As more students return to the classroom, a REL Midwest toolkit can help districts identify learning changes related to the pandemic and take action to address students’ learning needs.
Resource Roundup: Supports for Summer Learning
With summer in action, resources were rounded up from across the REL network to support educators as they create their summer learning plans and prepare for fall 2021.
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Submit a question and it could appear in an upcoming newsletter!
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