Summary — SB 354 (Amendment to MCL 380.1531)
Subject: Teacher licensing examination; interstate/tribal reciprocity; reading subtest
Status: Introduced Feb 12, 2025 — referred to the Senate Committee on Education
Purpose and intent
- SB 354 amends section 1531 of the Revised School Code (MCL 380.1531) to broaden pathways for out‑of‑state and tribal certified teachers to receive Michigan teaching certificates. The change is framed as a measure to address teacher shortages by expanding reciprocity while maintaining reading and subject‑area knowledge standards.
Key provisions and changes
- Reciprocity via existing national/licensing exams:
- For individuals who hold (or are eligible to hold) a valid teaching certificate from another U.S. state or a federally recognized Indian tribe, the Superintendent of Public Instruction (SPI) may issue a Michigan teaching certificate if the applicant has passed an existing licensing examination that:
- Is administered nationally;
- Is already in existence as of the bill’s effective date; and
- Is approved (as applicable) by the issuing state/tribe or by the SPI.
- For applicants certified in another country, the SPI must approve the equivalent examination.
- Reading requirement for early grades endorsements:
- Applicants seeking pre‑K to grade 3 or grade 3 to grade 6 endorsements who hold out‑of‑state/tribal certificates must pass either:
- The SPI’s reading subtest; or
- A reading test “based on the science of reading” approved by the issuing state/tribe (or, for foreign‑certified teachers, a reading test approved by the SPI to replace the State’s reading subtest).
- Existing subject‑area examinations:
- Passage of SPI‑developed subject‑area examinations continues to qualify an applicant as having met Michigan’s testing requirement.
- Retained safeguards:
- SPI retains authority to develop/select subject examinations and reading subtests (with technical standards and procurement controls).
- SPI may deny certification for fraud, material misrepresentation, concealment, or convictions that would warrant suspension/revocation.
- Professional certification/readiness:
- The bill leaves in place the State’s reading‑credit and three‑credit remediation/diagnostic coursework requirement for advancement to a professional certificate (and the SPI’s rulemaking authority on reading credits).
Who is affected
- Primary: teachers certified (or eligible for certification) in other U.S. states or with federally recognized tribes seeking Michigan certification; internationally certified teachers seeking Michigan certification.
- Secondary: Michigan school districts and students (potentially expanded teacher applicant pool), teacher preparation programs, and the Department of Education (administration and assessment review).
- Fiscal: Nonpartisan staff analyses attached to earlier versions reported no fiscal impact on state or local government.
Procedural / timing notes
- The bill was introduced and referred to the Senate Education Committee (status per bill header). Prior legislative analyses and substitute versions (from the 2023–2024 cycle) show the measure has been considered in multiple forms; the text retains SPI authority over exams and reading standards and emphasizes use of already‑existing, nationally administered licensing exams. If enacted, implementation depends on SPI approvals of qualifying existing examinations and any required rulemaking.
Bottom line
- SB 354 aims to expand reciprocity for licensed teachers from other states and tribes by allowing passage of specified, existing national licensing exams (with an added early‑literacy testing safeguard), thereby easing credentialing barriers while preserving Michigan’s reading and subject‑area competency checks.
