Michigan Administration/Principal Certification
Michigan requires school administrators to hold a School Administrator Certificate, which now requires a master’s degree or higher in educational leadership or administration plus an approved preparation program. Principals and assistant principals need the Elementary and Secondary (ES) endorsement, while central office administrators need the Central Office (CO) endorsement. Both endorsements are also phasing in a required MTTC exam.
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A decade ago, a bachelor’s degree and a few graduate credits could get you into a Michigan principal’s office. That’s no longer true. The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) now requires a master’s degree or higher for both administrator endorsements, and a new state exam requirement is being phased in that will eventually require candidates to pass a subject test before they can be recommended for certification. If you’re weighing a move into school leadership from the classroom, it’s worth first confirming your Michigan teaching certification is current, since administrator certification builds on top of that foundation. Here’s what the state actually requires today.
Use the links below to jump to pathways, endorsement requirements, the new exam rule, the permit option, and renewal information.
- Who needs a Michigan School Administrator Certificate
- The three pathways to certification
- Education and program requirements by endorsement
- The new MTTC exam requirement
- The School Administrator Permit option
- How to apply through MOECS
- Criminal history background check
- Renewing your certificate
Who Needs a Michigan School Administrator Certificate
Under MCL 380.1246, anyone employed as a superintendent, principal, or assistant principal, or whose primary responsibility is administering instructional programs, must hold a valid School Administrator Certificate. The state doesn’t judge this by job title alone. An assistant principal whose only duty is student discipline may not need the credential, but one who’s expected to step in and run the building does. Directors and supervisors of special education fall under the same requirement.
The Three Pathways to Certification
MDE currently recognizes three routes into administrator certification.
Traditional. Complete a master’s degree or higher in educational leadership or administration at an institution recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the U.S. Department of Education, along with an approved administrator preparation program.
Alternative Route. Apply to an approved alternative route program if you hold a master’s degree or higher from a CHEA- or USDE-recognized institution, or if you hold a bachelor’s degree from one of those institutions and have at least three years of experience as a school administrator. This mirrors the logic behind Michigan’s alternative teaching certification routes into the classroom: relevant experience can substitute for some of the traditional coursework, but not all of it.
Experience-Based (EZ). Administrators employed in the role before January 4, 2010, can qualify for the Experience-Based Administrator Certificate by completing 150 hours of education-related professional learning. Holding a valid Michigan Professional Teaching Certificate counts toward meeting that requirement.
Education and Program Requirements by Endorsement
Michigan issues the School Administrator Certificate with two endorsements, and the coursework differs between them.
Elementary and Secondary Administrator K-12 (ES) Endorsement
This is the building-level endorsement for principals and assistant principals. It requires a master’s degree or higher in educational leadership or administration from a CHEA- or USDE-recognized institution, plus completion of an approved administrator preparation program.
Central Office (CO) Endorsement
This is the district-level endorsement for superintendents and other central office administrators. It requires a master’s degree or higher plus at least 21 semester credit hours at the post-master’s level, completed through an approved preparation program.
MDE maintains a searchable database of approved preparation programs. Special education directors and supervisors follow a related but distinct set of certificate requirements, worth checking separately if that’s your specific role.
The New MTTC Exam Requirement
This is the biggest recent change to Michigan’s administrator certification process. In May 2024, the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) program added subject tests for both endorsements: MI139 for the ES endorsement, MI140 for the CO endorsement. The rollout happens in two phases. In Phase 1, which started in May 2024, candidates only need to make a good faith effort on the test to satisfy the requirement. Phase 2 will require an actual passing score of 220 or higher, but MDE hasn’t announced the Phase 2 start date yet. When it does, preparation programs get at least 60 days’ notice before the pass requirement takes effect. Passing the exam is one requirement among several. Your preparation program still has to recommend you for the certificate, and the exam itself doesn’t grant certification on its own. Test results are valid for five years, and administrators who already hold an ES or CO endorsement don’t need to test again at renewal. MDE’s MTTC Administrator Testing page has the current implementation timeline.
The School Administrator Permit Option
Districts sometimes need to hire an administrator before that person has finished certification requirements. In that case, the district applies for a School Administrator Permit on the candidate’s behalf through MOECS. The permit isn’t a substitute for the certificate. Within six months of hire, the administrator has to be enrolled in an approved preparation program, and the permit must be renewed annually until the full certificate is earned. Miss that six-month window without enrolling, and the district risks losing the ability to secure future permits for that position, along with a possible state aid deduction.
How to Apply Through MOECS
Every application for initial certification, whether based on an in-state preparation program or an evaluation of an out-of-state administrator certificate, goes through the Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS). There’s no fixed annual application deadline. Applications are processed on a rolling basis as candidates complete their preparation programs and, once the new exam requirement is fully in place, pass the relevant MTTC subject test.
Criminal History Background Check
Michigan law prohibits anyone from working with children in a school setting until they’ve cleared a criminal history background check run through the Michigan State Police and the FBI. For administrators, this typically happens through LiveScan fingerprinting after a district has made a hiring offer. The fingerprints are submitted electronically, the candidate covers the associated fees, and results are routed back to MDE, which then clears the district to finalize the hire.
Renewing Your Certificate
The School Administrator Certificate is a five-year credential with unlimited renewals, and each renewal adds another five years. You can request renewal any time after January 1 of the year your certificate expires. Renewal itself requires 150 hours of Education-Related Professional Learning, which you can satisfy through State Continuing Education Clock Hours (SCECHs), Michigan District Provided Professional Development (DPPD), credits from an education-related master’s or higher degree program, or some combination of those. Administrators who hold a valid Michigan Professional Teaching Certificate are considered to have met this requirement upon evaluation, and a valid out-of-state administrator certificate can be used to meet it one time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a master’s degree to become a principal in Michigan?
Yes. Both the Elementary and Secondary (ES) endorsement and the Central Office (CO) endorsement now require a master’s degree or higher in educational leadership or administration. This is a change from earlier requirements, so if you’re working from older information, confirm the current standard directly with MDE before enrolling in a program.
Can I qualify for administrator certification without a master’s degree?
There’s one narrow path. The Alternative Route allows candidates with a bachelor’s degree to apply if they already have at least three years of experience working as a school administrator. Without that administrator experience, a master’s degree is required under every other pathway.
What’s the difference between a School Administrator Certificate and a School Administrator Permit?
The certificate is the full, ongoing credential. The permit is a temporary authorization a district requests when it hires someone into an administrator role before that person has completed certification. Permit holders must enroll in an approved preparation program within six months and renew the permit annually until they earn the certificate.
Do I have to pass an exam to become certified as a Michigan administrator?
Eventually, yes, but the requirement is still phasing in. ES candidates take MI139 and CO candidates take MI140. Right now, in Phase 1, you only need to make a good faith effort on the test. MDE hasn’t yet announced when Phase 2 begins, which is when an actual passing score becomes mandatory. Before this rollout, no administrator exam was required beyond whatever teaching certification tests a candidate had already passed.
How often do I need to renew my Michigan administrator certificate?
Every five years. You can request renewal starting January 1 of your expiration year, and each renewal extends the certificate another five years. You’ll need 150 hours of Education-Related Professional Learning, which can come from SCECHs, district-provided professional development, or relevant degree coursework. A valid Michigan teaching certificate satisfies this requirement automatically.
- A master’s degree is now the standard, not a bachelor’s — both the ES and CO endorsements require a master’s degree or higher in educational leadership or administration, with the bachelor’s-plus-experience option limited to the Alternative Route.
- An exam is phasing in — MI139 (ES) and MI140 (CO) are already live, but only a good faith effort is required until MDE announces the Phase 2 start date, when an actual passing score becomes mandatory.
- A permit can bridge the gap — districts can hire before certification is complete through a School Administrator Permit, but enrollment in a prep program within six months is mandatory.
- Renewal is a five-year cycle — 150 hours of Education-Related Professional Learning (SCECHs, DPPD, or degree coursework) keeps the certificate active, unless a valid Michigan teaching certificate already covers the requirement.
Find accredited educational administration programs in Michigan that lead to the master’s degree and approved preparation program required for School Administrator Certification.
