How Many SCECHs Do Michigan Teachers Need?

If you are a Michigan teacher working toward certificate renewal, you have probably encountered the term SCECH and wondered exactly how many you need — and what counts. The short answer is 150 hours of professional learning per five-year renewal, which you can earn as SCECHs, district-provided professional development (DPPD), college credit or a combination — and understanding how SCECHs compare to college credits can help you choose the most efficient path.

Quick Answers: Michigan SCECHs and Renewal

How many SCECHs do I need in Michigan?

Michigan requires 150 hours of education-related professional learning to renew a Standard or Professional Teaching Certificate for five years. You can meet it with 150 SCECHs, 150 DPPD hours, 6 semester credits from a regionally accredited college (each credit counts as 25 hours), or any combination, all earned since your current certificate was issued.

Can college credits replace SCECHs in Michigan?

Yes. The Michigan Department of Education counts each semester credit as 25 hours, so 6 credits meet the full 150-hour requirement. Credits are documented with a transcript (an unofficial copy is accepted) rather than recorded as SCECHs.

When can I renew my Michigan teaching certificate?

You can apply any time after January 1 of the year your certificate expires, once your professional learning is recorded in MOECS. Hours must have been earned since the issue date of your most recent certificate or renewal.

What Is a SCECH?

SCECH stands for State Continuing Education Clock Hour. It is Michigan’s official unit for measuring professional development hours for teacher certification purposes. One SCECH equals one hour of approved professional learning activity. The Michigan Department of Education uses SCECHs to track and verify that educators are completing ongoing professional learning between certificate renewals. SCECHs replaced the older DPPD (District Provided Professional Development) system as the primary tracking mechanism. Since July 1, 2020, all district-provided PD used for renewal must be entered into MOECS as SCECHs. DPPD completed before July 1, 2020 can still be recorded in the MOECS DPPD Log with an administrator-signed form. The result is a unified tracking system where all your professional learning hours — regardless of source — appear in one place.

How SCECHs Are Earned

To earn SCECHs, the professional learning program must be submitted by an approved Michigan sponsoring entity — an organization that has been authorized by MDE to award SCECHs. After completing an approved program, you must complete an evaluation in your MOECS profile. Once you submit the evaluation, the SCECHs are credited to your account automatically. Common sources of SCECHs for Michigan teachers include:

• Workshops and professional development days offered through your district (entered as SCECHs since July 2020)
• Online courses and programs from SCECH-approved providers
• Professional conferences with SCECH approval
• University courses also count toward renewal, though not as SCECHs — each semester credit counts as 25 hours toward the 150

SCECHs vs. College Credits: Which Is Better?

Michigan gives you a choice: satisfy the 150-hour renewal requirement with SCECHs, college credits, or a combination. Understanding the difference helps you choose the right path.

Factor	SCECHs	College Credits ✓
Amount needed	150 SCECHs	6 semester credit hours
Tracking	Automatic in MOECS after evaluation	Transcript required at renewal (an unofficial copy is accepted)
Salary lane advancement	✗ No	✓ Yes
Cost	Varies — often free through district PD	From $349 per 3-credit course with transcript at CFT ($199 without); traditional universities often $500+ per credit
Flexibility	Can be accumulated from many small activities	Requires completing a full course
Best for	Teachers who participate in regular district PD and don’t need salary lane advancement	Teachers who want renewal credit AND salary advancement from the same activity

The Conversion Rate: Credits to SCECHs

The Michigan Department of Education counts 1 semester credit hour as 25 hours toward the 150-hour requirement (1 SCECH = 1 hour). That means 6 credit hours equals exactly 150 hours (6 × 25 = 150) — the same total whether you take the straight 6-credit path or mix credit hours with SCECHs to reach the threshold.

Tracking Your SCECHs in MOECS

MOECS (Michigan Online Educator Certification System) is the state’s web-based portal where all your professional learning hours are tracked. Every Michigan teacher should have a MOECS account. When you complete an approved SCECH program and submit your evaluation, the hours appear in your MOECS profile automatically — no additional paperwork required. It is a good practice to log into MOECS at least once a year to verify your hours are being recorded correctly. Errors do happen — a program that failed to submit your evaluation, a sponsoring entity that didn’t upload the activity — and catching these early is much easier than trying to resolve them in the final months before your certificate expires.

Common SCECH Questions

Do SCECHs carry over to the next renewal cycle?

No. SCECHs must be earned during the current five-year certificate period — specifically, since the issue date of your most recent certificate or renewal. Hours earned before your current certificate period was issued do not count toward your current renewal requirement.

Can I use SCECHs from a previous employer or district?

Yes, provided the SCECHs were earned during your current certificate period and are recorded in MOECS. SCECHs are tied to your individual MOECS account, not to a specific district, so they follow you if you change jobs.

What if I don’t have enough SCECHs before my certificate expires?

You need to complete the remaining hours before submitting your renewal application. If your certificate expires before you complete the requirement, you will need to contact MDE about reinstatement — which is a more complex process than standard renewal. Do not wait until the last minute.

Do CFT courses earn SCECHs or college credits?

CFT courses award graduate semester credit hours through regionally accredited university partners — not SCECHs. Six CFT credit hours satisfy the full 150-hour renewal requirement through the college credit path. They also count toward salary lane advancement, which SCECHs do not.

The Bottom Line

Michigan teachers need 150 hours of professional learning — as SCECHs, DPPD hours or the equivalent in college credits — every five years to renew a Standard or Professional Teaching Certificate. SCECHs are Michigan’s official unit for professional development hours, tracked automatically in MOECS. The 6-credit college path satisfies the same requirement and has the added benefit of advancing your salary lane, which SCECHs cannot do. If you are near a lane threshold, graduate credits are almost always the smarter financial choice — the salary increase will pay back the course cost quickly, and many Michigan districts will reimburse the cost through tuition reimbursement programs.