Knowledge Center

The Mentor Teacher Credential is a structured, practice-based professional learning experience designed to prepare educators to guide and support others in the field.

Participants selected for the pilot will meet all eligibility criteria and complete credential requirements through active participation over a 6-month period.

Participants will:

• Complete a 30-hour Mentor Teacher training program through asynchronous modules in the Michigan AEYC Knowledge Center
• Participate in at least 3 virtual coaching sessions
• Complete a virtual portfolio, including:
  • Knowledge checks
  • Guided journaling
  • Self-assessment of competency
• Apply learning directly to their daily work with children and colleagues

Upon successful completion, participants will:

• Receive the Mentor Teacher Credential through MiRegistry
• Be eligible for a $3,000 completion stipend

All training and coaching requirements must be completed by April 30, 2027 to be eligible for the stipend.

Candidates must meet one of the following pathways before participating:

1. Degree Path

• Hold an associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree in Early Childhood Education (ECE) or a related field

2. CDA / Alternative Path

• Hold a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential and
• Complete 10 additional hours of MiRegistry-approved training in:
  • Standard 8: Leading High-Quality Early Childhood Programs
  • Standard 9: Promoting the Well-Being of Early Childhood Educators

3. Training Path

• Complete 150 total clock hours of documented training in MiRegistry aligned to the following:
  • 60 hours in Competency 1 (Standards 1, 3, 4, 5, and 7)
  • 15 hours in Competency 2 (Standards 2 and 8)
  • 15 hours in Competency 3 (Standards 6 and 9)

Note: Applicable trainings can be found in MiRegistry by searching for the corresponding standards.

All employment and training requirements will be verified through MiRegistry Learning Records.

The credential is built across four key competency areas:

Competency 1: Teaching and Learning with Children (Completed before entering the Mentor Teacher Credential program) 

Focuses on child development, intentional teaching, assessment, and supporting children’s health and well-being. 

Aligned to:

• Standard 1: Child Development and Learning in Context
• Standard 3: Child Observation, Documentation, and Assessment
• Standard 4: Developmentally, Culturally, and Linguistically Appropriate Teaching Practices
• Standard 5: Knowledge, Application, and Integration of Academic Content in the Early Childhood Curriculum
• Standard 7: Promoting Child Health and Well-Being

Competency 2: Partnerships and Program Leadership (Completed before entering the Mentor Teacher Credential program) 

Focuses on collaboration with families, colleagues, and systems to support high-quality programs. 

Aligned to:

• Standard 2: Family–Teacher Partnerships and Community Connections
• Standard 8: Leading High-Quality Early Childhood Programs

Competency 3: Professional Growth and Well-Being (Completed before entering the Mentor Teacher Credential program) 

Centers on reflection, ethics, advocacy, and supporting educator well-being. 

Aligned to:

• Standard 6: Professionalism as an Early Childhood Educator
• Standard 9: Promoting the Well-Being of Early Childhood Educators

Competency 4: Mentoring Essentials (Completed during the Mentor Teacher Credential program) 

Focuses on coaching, communication, adult learning, and problem-solving grounded in the “why” behind best practices.

The Mentor Teacher Credential is designed to support working educators through a flexible and supportive learning experience.

Step 1: Apply and Join a Cohort

Eligible educators submit an application. If selected, educators are placed into a program cohort.

Step 2: Attend Virtual Orientation

Participants learn about program expectations, timelines, portfolio requirements, and available supports.

Step 3: Complete Self-Paced Learning Modules

Participants complete online training in the Michigan AEYC Knowledge Center focused on mentorship, coaching, and leadership.

Step 4: Meet with a Coach

Three virtual coaching sessions help participants set goals, reflect on progress, and prepare their credential portfolio.

Step 5: Submit a Portfolio

Participants demonstrate their learning through a portfolio that includes guided reflections, knowledge checks, and mentoring competency self-assessments.

Step 6: Earn the Credential

After successful completion, the credential is awarded through MiRegistry and participants receive a $3,000 completion stipend. Participants will also earn 30 hours of MiRegistry training credit.

Participants will complete the program over approximately 6 months, following a structured sequence of training, coaching, and reflection.

Pilot Cohorts:

• September 2026 - March 2027 (August orientation required)
• October 2026 - April 2027 (September orientation required)
• November 2026 - May 2027 (October orientation required)

Participants must meet all of the following requirements:

• Be employed in a licensed early childhood setting, or support its staff
• Be in a role where they guide—or could guide—another educator
• Have a minimum of 2 years of experience in an ECE setting within the last 10 years 
• Have completed one of the pre-credential paths
  • Degree Path: associate, bachelor's, or master's degree in ECE or related field
  • CDA/Alternative Path: CDA Credential plus additional hours of MiRegistry-approved training in:
    • MiPSC Standard 8: Leading High Quality Early Childhood Programs (10 hours required)
    • MiPSC Standard 9: Promoting the Well-Being of Early Childhood Educators (10 hours required)
  • Training Path: 90 clock hours of documented training in MiRegistry aligned to competencies 1-3.

Employment, education, and training requirements will be verified through MiRegistry Learning Records. 

Thank you to everyone who submitted an interest form for the Mentor Teacher Credential Pilot Program. We are excited to share that the official application window is now open.

Please note that the interest form was used solely to gauge interest in the pilot program. Interest forms are not applications and will not be considered as part of the participant selection process. To be considered for the program, all interested individuals must submit an official application.

Applications must be completed in full in order to be processed. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed and will be excluded from consideration. To support applicants through the process, we are providing a short tutorial on how to complete the application.  Please note that you will need to download your Learning Record from MiRegistry and upload it to your application as a single pdf file.

The application window will remain open through June 5, 2026. Late applications will not be accepted.

Please note that submission of an application does not guarantee acceptance into the pilot program. Due to the high level of interest and limited number of pilot spots available, selected participants will be notified by July 30, 2026.

If you have any questions, please contact us at training@miaeyc.org.

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