A Guide to Michigan School Counselor Professional Development Requirements

Within our native state of Michigan, school counselors, whether licensed through the Michigan School Counselor License or endorsed by the Michigan Teaching Certificate with the School Counselor (NT) endorsement, are required to renew their licenses every five years. Navigating these intricate requirements can be challenging, which is why Kalpa has crafted a concise and comprehensive guide to the process of renewing a school counselor license, presented in a digestible format for ease of understanding.

Overview

Michigan School Counselors as of February 6, 2020, are required to complete 50 professional development hours that are specific to college and career preparation to renew their license. Below is a graph displaying how these hours must be accrued: 

• 25 college preparation and selection hours 
• 25 career consultation hours
  • 5 MUST be an exploration of military career options 

The total 50 professional learning hours can be utilized for the 150 total hours of Education-Related Professional Learning. 

Forms of Professional Learning Hours & Submission 

Michigan requires that professional learning hours must be within the means of the DPPD, SCECH, or college credit. For college credit and DPPD, both such hours must be submitted through the State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHs). The Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS) will only allow credentialed educators to apply for renewal if all hours are logged in the educator’s MOECS account before application submission.

Obtaining Professional Development Hours 

When it comes to obtaining Professional Development (PD) Hours for Michigan school counselors, the process involves exploring current SCECH programs listed in the Michigan Department of Education SCECH catalog. Additionally, it’s important to note that new programs, whether in the form of college credits or District Provided Professional Development (DPPD), must gain approval to be recognized as SCECHs. Institutions looking to offer approved professional development opportunities need to become SCECH Sponsors.

Want to Learn More?

Connect with our dedicated support team for all of your professional learning needs! For more content like this subscribe to our newsletter with the contact form.