Meeting Michigan's Requirements for Professional Development: The Basics
Michigan educators are seeking a new kind of professional development
that is based on the learning needs of students and is linked
to student achievement through reliable research. Michigan schools
are required under the Michigan
School Code to ensure that educators working with students
participate in some form of quality professional development and
that they meet the following professional development requirements:
- All schools in Michigan must provide staff with five days
of professional development experience annually.
- For the first three years of employment, a new teacher will
be assigned a qualified teacher mentor.
- During the first three years of employment, new teachers must
participate in an intensive professional development induction
consisting of 15 days of quality professional development experiences.
A shortage of qualified special education teachers and rising
numbers of children with disabilities prompt schools to use paraprofessionals
to assist special education students.
No Child Left Behind mandates that paraprofessionals who
assist with instruction in Title I programs meet one of the following
academic requirements:
- Complete at least two years of study at an institution of
higher education
- Obtain an associate’s (or higher) degree
- Meet a rigorous standard of quality and demonstrate, through
a formal state or local academic assessment, knowledge of and
the ability to assist in instructing reading and mathematics
or knowledge of and ability to assist in instructing reading
readiness, writing readiness, and mathematics readiness as appropriate.
For a list of what qualifies for Michigan legislative requirements
for professional development, contact: Cheryl L. Poole, Michigan
Department of Education, (517) 241-4546, PooleCL@michigan.gov
or Bonnie Rockafellow, (517) 373-7861, RockafellowB@michigan.gov
or visit www.michigan.gov/mde
and click on Professional Preparation. |
