Continuing Education Opportunities
New SCECH hours • About SCECHs • MAME-Sponsored Conferences and Workshops •
Instructions for Earning SCECHs • Accessing Your SCECH Record • Accessing Your Certification Record • District Provided Professional Development for Certificate Renewal • Questions
Instructions for Earning SCECHs • Accessing Your SCECH Record • Accessing Your Certification Record • District Provided Professional Development for Certificate Renewal • Questions
SB-CEUs are now SCECH Hours
As of Oct 1st 2012, the MDE has made changes to the system of continuing education credits, now called “State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHs).”
An event listed at .3 SB-CEUs = 3 hours
An event listed at 2 SB-CEUs = 20 hours
You do not lose any of your previously-earned SB-CEUs, they are simply transposed into hours.
- SCECHs will be handled through the Secure Central Registry (SCR) website just as they have before, and the online evaluation will still be required.
- All the previous rules followed for SB-CEUs still apply to earning SCECHs.
- SCECHs previously earned can still be used for renewal and will show in your Secure Central Registry account as Hours instead of credits. For conversion purposes, SB-CEUs x 10 equal one State Continuing Education Clock Hour earned. For example:
An event listed at .3 SB-CEUs = 3 hours
An event listed at 2 SB-CEUs = 20 hours
You do not lose any of your previously-earned SB-CEUs, they are simply transposed into hours.
- Read additional information at the MDE's SCECH and Secure Central Registry page.
About State Continuing Education Clock Hours
State Continuing Education Clock Hours are state approved credits for participation of in-service, workshop, training, or conferences that may be used for renewing selected certificates issued by the Michigan Department of Education.
The MDE teaching certificate renewal process requires applicants to complete 180 clock hours every five years.
The MDE teaching certificate renewal process requires applicants to complete 180 clock hours every five years.
MAME-Sponsored Conferences and Workshops
SCECHs available through MAME are offered at our:
- Annual Spring Seminar held in March.
- Annual Summer Workshop held in July.
- Annual Conference held in Oct/Nov.
Instructions for Earning SCECHs through MAME-Sponsored Conferences and Workshops
To ensure you receive SCECHs from MAME events, please do the following:
- Make sure you request and pay the $10 fee for SCECHs when you register for a session.
- Sign in prior to or at the starting time of the session.
- Sign out on or after the stated completion time. You must be present for the entire session.
- Complete and return a Participant Registration Form before leaving the session.
- Complete the online evaluation, which serves as the final step in confirming your attendance at the event. You’ll be sent a link to it via email within ten days of the session. The evaluation must be completed within 30 DAYS of the email notification.
Accessing Your SCECH Record
The MDE Professional Development Information web site contains:
- A catalog of all Michigan SCECH program offerings.
- Access to the login page for the Secure Central Registry, where you can review your record of hours earned, complete evaluations of workshops taken, and print your own unofficial transcripts.
- A video tutorial on creating an account in the Secure Central Registry.
A .pdf version of instructions for using the Secure Central Registry website can also be downloaded here.
Accessing Your Certification Record
The Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS) website allows you to access your teaching certification status and to apply online for certificates, renewals, and endorsements.
View this MOECS Support page for instructions to create an account and FAQs on using the system or this quick how-to handout if you're just needing a refresher.
District-Provided Professional Development for Certificate Renewal
New as of October 1st, 2012: Teachers who have a Professional Education Certificate or an Occupational Education Certificate may now use the professional development provided by their school districts to renew their certificates. In other words, if teachers have completed all 5 days of district-provided professional development for the 5 years prior to the expiration date on their certificates, they will be able to renew with those hours only. (The district does not have to offer them as SCECHs, but can if they choose to.)
Important points:
To be eligible for renewing with District Provided Professional Development days:
To obtain 180 clock hours, teachers may choose from the following:
How many hours an educator needs may depend on your specific certificate. Read more in the MDE's Office of Professional Preparation Services handout, Facts on Educator Certification.
All credits must be completed within the five-year period preceding the date of application and after the date of issuance of the previous certificate. College credits, SCECHs, and District provided professional development are listed separately on your record in the Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS). The system will total them together and allow you to renew when they total 180 hours.
Important points:
- If every district-provided PD is attended for all 5 days for each of the 5 years of a teacher's renewal period, that teacher would be eligible for certificate renewal with only those hours.
- If a teacher misses any part of the 5 days over the 5 years, their requirement reverts back to obtaining clock hours and they must obtain the required 180 clock hours to renew.
To be eligible for renewing with District Provided Professional Development days:
- The teacher attends every district-provided PD for all 5 days for each of the 5 years.
- The teacher submits all of the district-provided professional development and has their principal sign a form confirming they attended and those programs listed are district-provided as required by law.
- The teacher submits that form to the MOECS system.
To obtain 180 clock hours, teachers may choose from the following:
- 6 college semester credits from any Michigan college/university or four-year out-of state
institutions approved by their state as a teacher preparation institution (1 college semester credit = 30 hours) - 180 State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHs)
- District-Provided Professional Development hours
- A combination of any of the three above totaling 180 hours.
How many hours an educator needs may depend on your specific certificate. Read more in the MDE's Office of Professional Preparation Services handout, Facts on Educator Certification.
All credits must be completed within the five-year period preceding the date of application and after the date of issuance of the previous certificate. College credits, SCECHs, and District provided professional development are listed separately on your record in the Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS). The system will total them together and allow you to renew when they total 180 hours.
SCECH Questions?
- For instructions and FAQs on using the Secure Central Registry, visit the MDE's SCECH and Secure Central Registry page.
- For questions on SCECHs pertaining to MAME-sponsored events, please email Julie Harris, MAME Vice-President for Continuing Education.
