Center for Educator Preparation
410 David M. French Hall
(810) 762-3257
Website: Center for Educator Preparation (CEP)
Email: umflintteach@umich.edu
Interim Director: Suzanne Knight
Quality Assurance Coordinator: Sade Wilson
Elementary Education Coordinator: Elizabeth Cunningham
Secondary and K-12 Education Coordinator: Laura McLeman
Faculty Field Coordinator: Suzanne Knight
Education Department Advisor: Linda Blakey
Education Department Graduate Program Advisor: Vacant
Certification Officer: Debbie Seyerle
The Center for Educator Preparation (CEP) works closely with P-12 partners to enhance and support the experiences of education students at the University of Michigan-Flint. The CEP utilizes a student-centered approach and brings together all of the services the University has to offer into one place to assist and support the success of future and current educators.
The CEP’s support services include:
- Initial and renewal certification services
- Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) support, study guides and workshops
- Student teacher orientation and field experience support and guidance
All teacher candidates recommended for certification are required to student teach. The CEP is committed to working with candidates to help them successfully complete the student teaching experience.
Application for Admission
Before they can be considered candidates for teacher certification, students must complete an application and be admitted formally to a teacher certificate program (TCP). If a teacher education student has been away from the University for one calendar year or more, the student must reapply for admission to the teacher certificate program and must satisfy the admission and degree requirements in effect at the time of readmission.
Application information is posted on the Center for Educator Preparation (CEP) website and bulletin board. Applications are accepted twice a year, January 1-15 for Fall admission, and September 1-15 for Winter admission.
Admission Requirements
- Admission to the University of Michigan-Flint.
- An overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.7 or higher. The GPA will be computed using all courses which are earned at the University of Michigan-Flint, as well as courses potentially transferrable to the University of Michigan-Flint, including courses for which the student received a grade below C (2.0).
- Completion of all courses in years 1 and 2 of the Elementary Education PK-3 or 3-6 TCP with a minimum grade of B- (2.7) in each one, or completion of all courses in Phase I of a secondary or K-12 TCP with a minimum grade of C (2.0) in each one.
- Favorable dispositions assessments throughout the program.
- An ACT or SAT score on record at the University of Michigan-Flint.
Requirements for Completion
Candidates must have a 2.7 or better GPA, overall and in education courses, and must maintain grade point averages specified above in order to be eligible to enter student teaching and apply for certification.
At all points in the teacher certification program, candidates must exhibit dispositions appropriate to the teaching profession and must remain in compliance with student responsibilities detailed in the “Student Rights and Responsibilities” section of this Catalog.
Student Teaching Eligibility
Candidate must have an ACT or SAT score on record at the University of Michigan-Flint to be eligible for student teaching.
In addition, candidates must complete an online application and attend a mandatory first seminar meeting. The application for Fall student teaching is made available in early December; the application for Winter student teaching is made available in late April/early May. Missing the application deadline may and could result in waiting until the next application period. The dates and time for the mandatory first seminar meetings are in August for Fall semester student teaching and in December for Winter semester student teaching. Announcement of student teaching seminar meetings will be emailed to applicants’ university email accounts and posted on the Center for Educator Preparation (CEP) website and bulletin board.
Prospective teachers must be of good moral character, have suitable personality traits, dispositions, and aptitude for teaching, as well as possess good physical and mental health. The Administrative Rules Governing the Certification of Michigan Teachers impose the following conditions on teacher certification:
Rule 101. “The state board may refuse to grant or renew, or may revoke or suspend for a fixed term, or may impose reasonable conditions on, a teaching certificate pursuant to these rules for the following reasons:
- Fraud, material misrepresentation, or concealment in the application for certificate.
- Failure or ineligibility of the applicant or certificate holder to meet the criteria for eligibility for the certificate.
- Conviction, as an adult, of an act of immoral conduct contributing to the delinquency of a child, or of a felony involving moral turpitude.
Certificate applicants are required to sign a statement declaring that the conditions stated in Rule 101 do not apply to them and must also take the oath of allegiance as prescribed by the laws of Michigan.
Recommendation for Teaching Certification
To be recommended for a teaching certificate, the candidate must:
- Complete the degree requirements in a prescribed curriculum in education for the state elementary, secondary or K-12 provisional certificate.
- Maintain a minimum 2.7 or better grade point average in professional education courses as well as in the teaching majors or minors, or as specified by the specific TCP program.
- Earn a satisfactory rating in Student Teaching.
- Pass the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification Elementary Education Test, the MTTC Early Childhood Education examination if seeking Specialist Endorsement in Early Childhood Education, or the appropriate MTTC subject area test for each secondary certification area, prior to certification.
- Submit proof of completion of an advanced and valid course in first aid and adult and child CPR. See the list of approved providers.
- Apply online for a teaching certificate after program completion on the Michigan Department of Education Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS). Continued updates and more information are available on the MOECS website.
Certification Requirements in Other States
The teacher’s certificate issued by the State of Michigan is valid only in the state of Michigan. A candidate who plans to teach in a state other than Michigan should become fully acquainted with the certification requirements of that state.
Many states now require that the applicant pass a test before a teaching certificate is issued. For information and addresses of state departments please consult the following link: http://education.uky.edu/AcadServ/content/50-states-certification-requirements
Certification for Students Holding Bachelor’s Degrees
A student who has completed a bachelor’s degree at an approved accredited institution may meet state requirements for teacher certification without earning a second degree. Students should contact the Office of Admissions and Recruitment for information concerning a coursework evaluation.
Academic Policies and Procedures
Academic policies and procedures may be found in the School of Education and Human Services [hyperlink] section of this catalog. Secondary education policies may be found in the specific department within the College of Arts and Sciences section of this Catalog. Unit wide policies, including field policies, can be located in the Education Unit Handbook and/or the Student Teaching Handbook. Graduate Program policies can be located on the University Graduate Program Website.
VIA
All education candidates are expected to use the VIA data management system in courses where key assessments and field evaluations are being administered using the system. They will be provided with information regarding VIA during their orientation to the program and receive training within the context of specific courses and field experiences.
MTTC
Michigan law mandates a testing program as part of Michigan’s teacher certification requirements. The examinations of the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) program, currently the only tests that satisfy the testing requirement for teacher certification in Michigan, are designed to help identify those candidates who have the level of knowledge required to perform satisfactorily as entry-level teachers in their fields of specialization. The MTTC program currently consists of subject-area tests, including the world language tests.
Teacher candidates are cautioned not to attempt MTTC subject-area tests too early in their academic programs. Prior to registering for these tests, they should consult with an advisor to confirm appropriate timing for testing. To improve likelihood of passing, it is strongly recommended that approximately 90% of their content area coursework be completed prior to taking the corresponding subject-area test. Student materials and other assistance are available from the Center for Educator Preparation (CEP).
MTTC scores may be disclosed to the faculty and program advisors directly upon entry into the Education program. It is understood that by allowing test scores to be disclosed, a candidate may be offered additional support or resources to aid in their progress towards successful completion of the teaching program.
Dispositions and Professionalism
All teacher candidates will be assessed on the professional dispositions in their respective academic programs. On rare occasions, a teacher candidate may demonstrate professional weaknesses that are so severe they must be addressed before completion of the program prior to the program capstone. In these cases a faculty member will work with the Education Unit process and the educator candidate to address concerns.
Weaknesses could and do typically fall under any of the following five categories: inadequate oral communication skills, inadequate written communication skills, indications of unprofessional behavior, breaches of professional ethics, or other circumstances that are sufficient to call into question the candidate’s ability to succeed as a professional educator despite adequate achievement in course work.
Except under extraordinary circumstances (such as behavior that could merit dismissal from the university), no single report of professional weakness is sufficient to impede a candidate’s progress toward completion of program. A candidate who accumulates multiple dispositional concerns during the course of the educator preparation program will be considered to have demonstrated significant professional weaknesses and will be potentially dismissed from the educator preparation preparation program. Candidates may appeal this decision in writing following the process of their host College or School. The decision of the appeal will be final.
University of Michigan-Flint Institutional Report Card on the Quality of Teacher Preparation
In response to the Title II - Higher Education Act, Section 207, Accountability for Programs that Prepare Teachers, the University of Michigan-Flint provides the following Institutional Report Card on the Quality of the Teacher Preparation Program.
Pass Rate
The pass rate on the State of Michigan’s Teacher Certification assessments for students who are recommended for teacher certification upon completion of a teacher education program at the University of Michigan-Flint is 100% for all certification programs. The pass rate is equal to or exceeds the pass rate for all other Michigan colleges and universities that prepare teachers.
Program Information
Candidates are required to complete a minimum of fourteen (14) weeks of supervised student teaching as part of the culminating program requirement. The total number of hours required is four hundred and ninety (490). The faculty-student ratio in the supervised student teacher experience is 1-10 (one full-time faculty member is responsible for supervising a maximum of 10 student teachers in supervised practice teaching).
Accreditation Statement
The teacher education program at the University of Michigan-Flint is approved by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE) and the Council for Accreditation of Educator Programs (CAEP) to offer programs in elementary education, early childhood education, selected secondary education programs, and selected programs that prepare teachers for teaching in all grades.
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