Legislation signed into law in 2003 requires that teacher candidates complete courses in first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) prior to being recommended for an initial teaching certificate. Michigan State University, and all other Michigan teacher preparation institutions, must confirm that this requirement has been met before a recommendation for the Provisional Teaching Certificate is sent to the Michigan Department of Education (MDE).
Please check the list of courses and providers approved by the Michigan Department of Education and note that you must take a course or courses that result in Child and Adult CPR and First Aid certification. The MDE will no longer make exceptions for CPR and First-Aid courses not included on its list of “Approved First-Aid and CPR Providers.” If a course is not listed on the MDE’s “Approved First-Aid and CPR Providers” list, it cannot be used to obtain the Michigan Provisional Teaching Certificate. For example, CPR for Professional Rescuers is not listed as an approved course; therefore, the MDE will not accept it as fulfillment of the course required for the Michigan Provisional Teaching Certificate. Students who are certified in First-Aid and have been certified in CPR may update their credentials by taking only the CPR review course offered by an approved agency.
Students who apply for the initial (Provisional) teaching certificate through MSU must include copies of both sides of their course completion cards in their certification application package. CPR/First Aid certification must be valid from the time they apply for certification through the time the recommendation for certification is made. MSU interns apply as early as April and are recommended sometime between mid May and late August, so certification must to be valid during that time period.
An individual who has physical limitations that make it impractical to earn CPR/First Aid certification should indicate that on the application for Provisional Certificate.
More Information
Please see the list of
Approved First Aid & CPR Providers. The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) will no longer make exceptions for courses not included on the Approved First-Aid and CPR Provider list. If a course is not listed on the MDE’s list, it cannot be used to obtain the Provisional Certificate (for example, CPR for the Professional Rescuer is not included on the list of MDE-approved courses; therefore, it cannot be used to obtain the Provisional Certificate).