Issue 60 | November 2024
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.
Celebrating Veterans Throughout November
Explore Military Career Options
Are you interested in learning about the career opportunities for students who are considering joining the military? Earn five State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHs) by exploring Military Career options! Visit Understanding the Modern Military for further details.
Veteran-Friendly Colleges & Universities
The Michigan Veterans Affairs Agency (MVAA) has recognized 62 exceptional universities, colleges, and trade schools for their unwavering dedication to improving experiences for military-connected learners and to fostering innovation in support of veterans. Many of these Michigan institutions also prepare our teachers! More information about the MVAA's Veteran-Friendly Schools program and the institutions honored for 2024 is available on the MVAA's Veteran-Friendly Schools dashboard.
Veterans Day Teacher Resources
In addition to providing information on the contributions and sacrifices veterans have made throughout the years, a guide produced by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs also includes student activities, scholarship information, and ideas for projects and events that can be used to thank veterans. These free reproducible resources are available for teachers to share in their schools and communities.
The National Education Association compiled K-12 lesson plans, activities, and resources focused on wartime service and sacrifice intended to help students celebrate service men and women past and present.
Biennial or Triennial Exemption
According to educator evaluation law, districts may conduct evaluations biennially (every other year with one non-evaluated year in between) or triennially (every third year with two non-evaluated years in between) for any non-probationary teacher that has been rated as highly effective or effective on the three most recent consecutive year-end evaluations.
Administrators that have been rated as highly effective or effective on the three most recent consecutive year-end evaluations may have evaluations conducted biennially. Districts will be setting policy through collective bargaining on the implementation of exemptions as part of their evaluation systems.
Examples of ratings that would allow for biennial or triennial evaluations beginning with the 2024-25 academic year are included in the table below.
 A teacher with any of the above combinations of ratings could be exempt from evaluation in 2024-25 and be evaluated in 2025-26 (biennially) or exempt again in 2025-26 and evaluated in 2026-27 (triennially). An administrator with any of the above combinations of ratings could be exempt from evaluation in 2024-25 and be evaluated in 2025-26 (biennially).
The Annual Educator Effectiveness Data Appeals Window Opened September 1
Each year, starting on the first business day in September and ending on the first business day in December, districts and public school academies (PSAs) may submit data appeals for inaccurate educator effectiveness ratings for any of the past five years into the Registry of Educational Personnel (REP). This data correction window is only for the purpose of updating inaccurate effectiveness ratings data within REP. It is not a process for contesting the outcome of an evaluation. Any data corrected during the window for teachers in instructional roles will appear in the Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS) immediately after being entered by the district.
For questions regarding educator evaluation, please contact MDE-EdEvals@Michigan.gov.
27m National Board Recognized Achievement Grant - Round 2
The grant application for the second round of the 27m National Board Recognized Achievement grant, pursuant to Section 27m of the State School Aid Act, will open mid-January 2025. This grant will be awarded to local education agencies (LEAs), both traditional public school districts and PSAs, and intermediate school districts (ISDs) to award eligible teachers who hold National Board Certification at the time of application.
Please regularly visit the National Board Certification Grant Opportunities webpage for information.
Applications Closed for FY25 EXPLORE Section 504 Grants
The application window is now closed for Section 504 EXPLORE grants, which fund Grow Your Own EXPLORE programs for students and/or tuition grants to eligible EXPLORE graduates.
The EXPLORE grant: Section 504 webpage will continue to be updated to provide information. After the applications are reviewed and awards are approved, applicants can expect notifications from MDE. For questions and inquiries, please contact us at
MDE-EdWorkforceGrants@Michigan.gov.
Talent Pool
The Michigan Talent Pool is a group of elementary and secondary educators nominated by their supervisors that the Michigan Department of Education draws upon throughout the year when opportunities for engagement and recognition become available.
We welcome recommendations of outstanding classroom teachers and/or principals who exhibit strong potential for professional leadership, and demonstrate the following:
- Exceptional educational talent as evidenced by effective instructional practices and student learning results in the classroom and school;
- Exemplary educational accomplishments beyond the classroom;
- Contributions to education that are largely unheralded, yet are worthy of the spotlight; and
- An engaging and inspiring presence that motivates and impacts students, colleagues and the community.
Recommendations to the Talent Pool should be submitted by the nominee's supervisor and can be made via the online recommendation form.
The nomination form includes a one-page letter of recommendation explaining how the nominee meets the above criteria. Please note that these recommendations are confidential and should not be discussed with the recommended educator or others in your school or community.
Please direct any questions to Jennifer Robel at RobelJ@Michigan.gov.
|
|
