Michigan School Psychologist Continuing Education Requirements
Review current Michigan school psychologist certificate renewal requirements, professional learning hours, SCECHs, NCSP recognition, preliminary and full certification, and online continuing education.
Michigan School Psychologist Renewal at a Glance
Professional Learning Hours
A Michigan School Psychologist Certificate generally requires 150 education-related professional learning hours for renewal.
Year Certificate Cycle
The full Michigan School Psychologist Certificate is valid for five years and may be renewed repeatedly.
Renewal Alternative
A valid Nationally Certified School Psychologist credential satisfies Michigan's professional learning requirement for renewal.
A school psychologist who holds a valid NCSP at the time of the Michigan renewal application is considered to have satisfied the state's 150-hour professional learning requirement.
Michigan School Psychologist Renewal Overview
How Are Michigan School Psychologists Credentialed?
A person employed as a school psychologist in a Michigan school must hold either a valid Michigan School Psychologist Certificate or a Preliminary School Psychologist Certificate.
The full School Psychologist Certificate is valid for five years.
It is available to individuals who complete specialist-level school psychology preparation or its equivalent, including at least 60 semester credits and a 1,200-hour internship under Michigan's certification requirements.
Michigan Credential
Michigan Preliminary School Psychologist Certificate
Michigan also offers a Preliminary School Psychologist Certificate for individuals completing the earlier stages of school psychology preparation.
Michigan Requires 150 Professional Learning Hours
A full Michigan School Psychologist Certificate may be renewed every five years.
The standard renewal pathway requires a total of 150 education-related professional learning hours completed since the issue date of the most recent School Psychologist Certificate or renewal.
Professional learning must be appropriate to the content and professional responsibilities of the certificate and must be entered into Michigan's educator-certification system when required.
Renewal Options
What Can Count Toward Michigan Renewal?
Michigan permits several types of education-related professional learning to satisfy School Psychologist Certificate renewal requirements.
How Michigan Converts Professional Learning
Michigan uses a straightforward conversion system when different forms of professional learning are combined for renewal.
One semester credit equals 25 professional learning hours.
One SCECH equals one professional learning hour. Qualifying district-provided professional development may also be converted on an hour-for-hour basis when accepted under Michigan's current reporting rules.
Conversions
Can the NCSP Satisfy Michigan School Psychologist Renewal?
Michigan states that a valid Nationally Certified School Psychologist credential satisfies the education-related professional learning requirement for School Psychologist Certificate renewal.
This means a Michigan school psychologist who maintains a valid NCSP does not need to separately demonstrate 150 SCECHs or six semester credits solely to satisfy the standard professional-learning portion of the Michigan renewal requirement.
The NCSP must be valid when the Michigan renewal application is submitted.
NASP Approved Provider #1152
Michigan Also Recognizes the NCSP for Out-of-State Applicants
Michigan recognizes national school psychology certification in its initial certification pathway for certain out-of-state applicants.
Do NASP-Approved Courses Automatically Earn Michigan SCECHs?
No. Michigan State Continuing Education Clock Hours are awarded through professional development programs provided by Michigan-approved SCECH sponsors.
An outside organization generally must become an approved SCECH sponsor or partner with an approved sponsor for a course to be entered into Michigan's system as SCECH credit.
Therefore, NASP Approved Provider status and Michigan SCECH sponsor status should be treated as separate approval systems.
How Can Michigan School Psychologists Use NASP-Approved Courses?
School psychologists may complete NASP-approved professional development to maintain the NCSP, and a valid NCSP can then satisfy Michigan's 150-hour professional learning requirement.
This makes NASP-approved continuing education especially useful for Michigan school psychologists who maintain national certification.
School psychologists who are not using a valid NCSP for renewal and instead want an individual course recorded as Michigan SCECH credit should verify that the course is offered through an approved Michigan SCECH sponsor.
NASP Approved Provider #1152
How Is Michigan Professional Learning Tracked?
Michigan educator certification and renewal applications are managed through the Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS).
SCECHs are recorded within MOECS and normally do not require separate documentation as part of the renewal application.
College coursework used for renewal must be documented through an appropriate transcript. Educators should verify that all required professional learning appears in MOECS before applying.
MOECS
Can Michigan School Psychologists Take Online CE Courses?
Yes. Michigan school psychologists may complete online professional development for NCSP renewal, professional growth, and Michigan certification when the learning satisfies the applicable approval pathway.
Child & School Psychology CE provides structured, asynchronous continuing education designed specifically for school psychologists and related professionals.
For Michigan educators maintaining the NCSP, NASP-approved courses can support national certification, and a valid NCSP can satisfy Michigan's standard 150-hour renewal requirement.
Online CE for School Psychologists
Explore self-paced professional development in assessment, behavior, mental health, ethics, legal issues, data-based decision making, and school psychology practice.
Browse CE CoursesKeep Documentation of Michigan Professional Learning
Michigan school psychologists should maintain appropriate records of continuing education, college coursework, national certification, and other professional learning used toward renewal.
Your NCSP Can Directly Satisfy Michigan Renewal
Michigan expressly recognizes a valid NCSP as satisfying the professional learning requirement for renewal of the School Psychologist Certificate. Maintaining national certification can therefore serve both NCSP and Michigan certification needs.
Official Michigan Certification Information
Michigan School Psychologist Certificates are administered by the Michigan Department of Education. Renewal requirements can be met through education-related professional learning, a valid Michigan Professional Teaching Certificate, a valid NCSP, or certain one-time out-of-state certification pathways.
View Michigan School Psychologist Certification Information ↗