Policy, Criteria, and Procedures for School
Social Worker Approval
Temporary, Continuing Temporary, and Full Approval
Last updated: 8/29/17
Michigan Department of Education
Office of Special Education
Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special Education Page 2
Table of Contents
Policy, Criteria, and Procedures for School Social Worker Approval ....................... 3
Policy and Criteria .................................................................................. 3
Temporary Approval Policy and Criteria ................................................. 3
Continuing Temporary Approval Policy and Criteria ................................. 3
Full Approval Policy and Criteria ........................................................... 4
Michigan Education Information System (MEIS) Requirements .............. 5
Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS) Access ............ 5
Intermediate School Districts Requesting Approval ............................... 6
Step 1 for ISD: Initiate and Approve the Request ................................... 6
Step 2 for ISD: Download the Approval Letter ........................................ 7
School Districts Requesting Approval ..................................................... 7
Step 1 for School District: Initiate the Request ....................................... 7
Step 2 for ISD: Approve or Deny the Request ........................................ 8
Step 3 for School District: Download Approval Letter .............................. 9
Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special Education Page 3
Policy, Criteria, and Procedures for School Social
Worker Approval
School social workers must meet the criteria below and in the Michigan
Administrative Rules for Special Education (MARSE).
Policy and Criteria
Temporary Approval Policy and Criteria
1. The candidate must possess a master’s degree from a graduate school of social
work program approved by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE). This
includes a minimum 500-clock-hour supervised social work practicum.
2. The candidate must have received a recommendation for temporary approval
from a Michigan school of social work training program by obtaining an SSW-
310 form.
3. Temporary approval is granted to the requesting school district or intermediate
school district (ISD) for a time period of not more than one school year.
4. A request for approval must be received by the Michigan Department of
Education, Office of Special Education (MDE, OSE) during the school year (July 1
to June 30) in which the effective date applies.
5. Temporary approval is granted from the beginning of the school year in which
the request was initiated or the candidate’s date of employment as a school
social worker, whichever is later. Approval is granted any time throughout the
school year for which the approval is effective, but no later than June 30.
6. A previously approved school social worker who has not been employed by a
public school in Michigan for five or more consecutive years shall seek
recommendation from a Michigan institution of higher education to obtain re-
approval from the MDE, OSE as a condition of reemployment.
7. Temporary approval is transferable from one school district to the next.
Continuing Temporary Approval Policy and Criteria
1. A candidate for continuing temporary approval must have received temporary or
continuing temporary approval as a school social worker in the previous school
year.
Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special Education Page 4
2. Continuing temporary approval is granted to the requesting school district or
intermediate school district (ISD) for a time period of not more than one school
year.
3. The employer must request continuing temporary approval for each consecutive
year the candidate continues to be employed as a school social worker but has
not completed the required one school year of full time successful employment
under the direction of a fully approved school social worker.
4. A request for approval must be received by the Michigan Department of
Education, Office of Special Education (MDE, OSE) during the school year (July 1
to June 30) in which the effective date applies.
5. A previously approved school social worker who has not been employed by a
public school in Michigan for five or more consecutive years shall seek
recommendation from a Michigan institution of higher education to obtain re-
approval from the MDE, OSE as a condition of employment.
6. Continuing temporary approval is transferable from one school district to the
next.
Full Approval Policy and Criteria
1. The candidate must have a master’s degree from a graduate school of social
work program approved by the Michigan Department of Education (MDE).
2. The candidate must have received school social worker temporary and
continuing approval prior to applying for full approval. The required one year of
full time successful employment must be completed while working as a school
social worker under temporary or continuing approval.
3. A request for approval must be received by the Michigan Department of
Education, Office of Special Education (MDE, OSE) during the school year (July 1
to June 30) in which the effective date applies.
4. Full approval is granted from the beginning of the school year in which the
request was initiated or from the date that the candidate completed one school
year of full time successful employment under the direction of a fully approved
school social worker, whichever is later.
5. Full approval does not expire as long as the candidate remains employed as a
school social worker. A previously approved school social worker who has not
been employed by a public school in Michigan for five or more consecutive years
Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special Education Page 5
shall seek recommendation from a Michigan institution of higher education to
obtain re-approval from the MDE, OSE as a condition of reemployment.
6. Full approval is transferable from one school district to the next.
Michigan Education Information System (MEIS) Requirements
The Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special Education (MDE, OSE)
uses the Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS) to process special
education personnel approvals.
Before logging in to the MOECS, requesting districts must have both of the
following:
• A MEIS account. To create a MEIS account, visit the
Create a New MEIS Account
page (mdoe.state.mi.us/meis/createnewaccount.aspx).
• A completed and approved MEIS security agreement. Complete the applicable
agreement below.
o School District Security Agreement Form to Access Approvals [PDF]
o Public School Academy Security Agreement Form to Access Approvals
[PDF]
o Teacher Preparation Institution Security Agreement Form to Access
Approvals [PDF]
Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS) Access
After obtaining a Michigan Education Information System (MEIS) account and
approved security agreement, access the MOECS in one of two ways:
• Visit the MOECS website
(mdoe.state.mi.us/moecs/login.aspx) directly.
• Access the MOECS via the Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special
Education (MDE, OSE) website.
o Visit the MDE, OSE website
(michigan.gov/specialeducation).
o Scroll down below “Special Education” from the left-hand menu of the
page and choose Special Education Personnel Approvals (Figure 1).
o Choose Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS)
underneath “Approvals Online System.”
NOTE: Each candidate must have a Personal Identification Code (PIC).
Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special Education Page 6
Figure 1. Special Education Personnel Approvals menu item on the Michigan Department of
Education, Office of Special Education website.
Intermediate School Districts Requesting Approval
Follow the steps below in the order they appear.
Step 1 for ISD: Initiate and Approve the Request
• Initiate the request by logging in to the MOECS.
• Select Apply/Process Approval from the left-hand menu (Figure 2).
• Enter the candidate’s PIC. Select the Other category from the drop-down menu.
Choose from one of three approval type options:
o Temporary Approval for School Social Worker
o Continuing Temporary Approval for School Social Worker
o Full Approval for School Social Worker
• Click Next.
• Complete all applicable information, including the appropriate district, approval
program category, and effective date (date of hire).
o Review and check the assurance and validation statements.
o Type the name as it appears to the right of the electronic signature box.
o Click Submit. The application is now approved, and the ISD will receive
an email confirmation.
Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special Education Page 7
Figure 2. Apply/Process Approval menu item on the MOECS home page for the intermediate
school district.
Step 2 for ISD: Download the Approval Letter
• After approving the request, choose Manage Approval from the left-hand
menu.
• Find the candidate using the search parameters at the top of the page.
o Click the radio button next to the candidate’s name.
o Choose Download Approval Letter from the drop-down list below the
table.
o Click Go.
o Download and distribute the letter. The candidate’s employer is
responsible for distributing the letter to the candidate.
School Districts Requesting Approval
Step 1 for School District: Initiate the Request
• Initiate the request by logging in to the MOECS.
• Select Apply/Process Approval from the left-hand menu (Figure 3).
• Enter the candidate’s PIC. Select the Other category from the drop-down menu.
Choose from one of three approval type options:
o Temporary Approval for School Social Worker
o Continuing Temporary Approval for School Social Worker
o Full Approval for School Social Worker
• Click Next.
Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special Education Page 8
• Complete all applicable information, including the approval program category
and effective date (date of hire).
o Review and check the assurance and validation statements.
o Type the name as it appears to the right of the electronic signature box.
o Click Submit. The request will then go to the intermediate school district
(ISD) to approve or deny.
Figure 3. Apply/Process Approval menu item on the MOECS home page for the school
district.
Step 2 for ISD: Approve or Deny the Request
• Log in to the MOECS.
• Select Apply/Process Approval from the left-hand menu, and then choose
Process Approval (Figure 4). A table of candidates who are in the approval
process will appear.
o Click on the candidate’s application number to process the request, or
search for a specific candidate using search parameters at the top of the
page.
• Review the candidate’s information. The ISD has the ability to change the school
district or effective date if necessary. Select Approve or Deny from the drop-
down menu near the bottom of the page.
o If approving, check the validation statement, type the name as it appears
to the right of the electronic signature box, and click Approve.
o If denying, provide a reason for the denial and click Submit.
• If the application is denied, the school district will receive an email notification
and may resubmit the request. If the application is approved, the school district
will receive an email confirmation.
Michigan Department of Education, Office of Special Education Page 9
Figure 4. Process Approval menu item under Apply/Process Approval on the MOECS home
page for the intermediate school district.
Step 3 for School District: Download Approval Letter
• Log in to the MOECS.
• Select Apply/Process Approval from the left-hand menu, and then choose
Manage Approval.
• Find the candidate using search parameters at the top of the page.
o Click the radio button next to the candidate’s name.
o Choose Download Approval Letter from the drop-down list below the
table.
o Click Go.
o Download and distribute the letter. The school district is responsible for
distributing the letter to the candidate.
