How to Become a Principal in Michigan

Michigan principal requirements, step by step

School Administrator Certificate with PK-12 building (Elementary & Secondary Admin K-12 / ES) endorsement. Each requirement is stated as Michigan Department of Education publishes it, with the governing source cited.

1. 1

   Confirm the role requires a School Administrator Certificate

   Michigan Compiled Law 380.1246 requires a valid School Administrator Certificate for administrators whose primary responsibility is administering instructional programs. Building-level PK-12 work uses the Elementary & Secondary Admin K-12 / ES endorsement.

   Source: michigan.gov

2. 2

   Meet the traditional-route degree and program requirements

   Hold a master’s or higher from an institution recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation or the U.S. Department of Education. Complete a Michigan-approved traditional administrator program that includes a supervised internship, then obtain the provider’s recommendation.

   Source: michigan.gov

3. 3

   Pass the state-approved school administrator examination

   Earn a passing score on the state-approved school administrator exam when applying on or after the date the rule’s examination subdivision takes effect. Confirm current exam instructions on the MDE administrator-certification pathways page.

   Source: michigan.gov

4. 4

   Consider the alternative route if you already hold advanced credentials or service

   The alternative route accepts a master’s or higher, or a bachelor’s degree plus three years as a school administrator. It is a separate pathway from the traditional internship program, not an informal waiver.

   Source: michigan.gov

5. 5

   Do not use the experience-based EZ pathway unless employed before January 4, 2010

   The experience-based EZ option is available only to individuals employed as administrators before January 4, 2010. Later hires cannot use EZ as a substitute for the traditional or alternative routes.

   Source: michigan.gov

6. 6

   Apply in MOECS, or request a permit if not yet certified

   File for the School Administrator Certificate and the PK-12 building endorsement through the Michigan Online Educator Certification System. MDE also describes a permit option for administrators who are not yet certified.

   Source: michigan.gov

Michigan’s legal hook is not a Department handbook line; it is MCL 380.1246. Administrators whose primary responsibility is administering instructional programs must hold a valid School Administrator Certificate. That statute is why a district cannot permanently park an uncertified teacher-leader in a principal’s chair and call the work “instructional coaching.” The certificate itself carries endorsements. Building-level PK-12 work uses the Elementary & Secondary Admin K-12 / ES endorsement. Applying in MOECS for a central-office endorsement when the job is a K-8 principalship is a mismatch the Department’s pathways page is written to prevent.

The traditional route is a graduate-degree-plus-internship model. The master’s or higher must come from an institution recognized by CHEA or the U.S. Department of Education, the program must be Michigan-approved and include a supervised internship, and the provider must recommend the candidate. On or after the rule’s examination subdivision, applications also need a passing score on the state-approved school administrator exam. Candidates who finished older programs before that subdivision should read the current pathways page rather than assuming their cohort is grandfathered without checking.

Two other doors exist, and both are easy to misuse. The alternative route is either a master’s or higher, or a bachelor’s degree plus three years as a school administrator—not three years as a teacher. Classroom seniority does not convert into the alternative route. The experience-based EZ pathway is narrower still: it is only for people actually employed as administrators before January 4, 2010. Post-2010 assistant principals who hear “EZ” in a faculty lounge are usually hearing a route that closed before they were hired.

MDE also publishes a permit option for administrators who are not yet certified. A permit is a temporary authorization, not a School Administrator Certificate, and it does not replace the traditional or alternative pathway for someone whose primary duty is administering instructional programs over the long term. File the certificate or permit in MOECS. Keep the statutory duty, the endorsement code, and the correct pathway (traditional, alternative, EZ-if-eligible, or permit) aligned before a district board votes on an administrative contract.

Required exams and fees

Michigan uses State-approved school administrator exam. Fees and cut scores appear only when published by the cited source (as of September 2026).

Institutions with educational leadership programs

The table lists educational leadership CIP codes and award levels from IPEDS. This extract reported no completion counts, so none are shown. An award conferred does not mean the program is approved to recommend candidates for School Administrator Certificate with PK-12 building (Elementary & Secondary Admin K-12 / ES) endorsement. Verify approval with Michigan Department of Education.

Moving an administrator credential to Michigan

Confirm out-of-state administrator evaluation rules directly with Michigan Department of Education. This site does not republish NASDTEC interstate-agreement text.

Michigan Department of Education