Michigan Merit Core Curriculum Guides Students Toward the 21st Centure

The Michigan Merit Core Curriculum is one of two components in the State Board of Education’s recommended graduation requirements. The other component is a set of 21st Century Applied Learning Core Skills that students need to know and apply for successful living in the 21st Century. According to the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), students can meet the new Michigan Merit Core Curriculum requirements through the traditional high school courses or in different contexts or formats such as a humanities sequence, Career and Technical Education programs, a specialized small school curriculum, or online courses. Schools that offer credits in a different format must be prepared to demonstrate how these credits align with the high school content expectations and demonstrate how they will be assessed. In all instances, it is expected that technology, including assistive technology devices and services, will be an important component in the delivery of instruction to all students in order to meet the Michigan Merit Core Curriculum high school content expectations.

The MDE is in the process of developing high school content expectations that outline what students should know and be able to do at the completion of each credit. The MDE will use these content expectations to guide item development for the Michigan Merit Exam. The Michigan Merit Core Curriculum requires legislation to become law. Legislative action could impact/change the State Board’s recommended subject requirements.

For more information, contact: Diane McMillan, High School Redesign Consultant, Office of the State Superintendent, (517) 335-4739, McMillanDj@michigan.gov.

Proposed Michigan Merit Core Curriculum

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