Michigan Merit Curriculum

Michigan Merit Curriculum

In January 2007, the Michigan legislature passed laws related to new high school graduation requirements for students in public high schools. These new requirements are called the Michigan Merit Curriculum (MMC). The MMC contains more rigorous standards for graduation with a high school diploma. The MMC must be followed beginning with students who were in the 9th grade in the fall of 2007.

Note: In December 2008 Public Act 316 modified some provisions of the MMC, including aspects of the Personal Curriculum (PC). The modifications necessitated changes to the PC Forms and PC Parent Letter in the bulleted list on the right side of this screen (Kent ISD Resources)  Click here for the MDE PC update memo 3-2-09

Educational Development Plan

An Education Development Plan (EDP) provides ongoing documentation of an individual’s career and educational decisions and a plan of action that guides the learner in accomplishing these goals. Normally considered as early as the 7th grade, and completed no later than the 8th grade, the EDP helps the student prepare for decisions and choices in their high school course of study. For more information, click here to go to the Kent ISD EDP page. 

Personal Curriculum

We hope that the new MMC requirements will improve the quality of education for ALL Michigan public high school students. We are also aware that some students have special talents and interests that warrant additions to the curriculum. Other students may have disabilities that require some accommodations to keep the MMC meaningful and fair. If you believe your son or daughter needs a Personal Curriculum, you must make a request for consideration of a PC, then a team is formed to determine what curriculum changes are appropriate. The new MMC law requires the following when considering a Personal Curriculum:

  • The PC may be requested by school staff or the parent
  • The PC may not be needed if the MMC for the student can be addressed with other reasonable arangements
  • When needed, the PC is written by a group of knowledgeable people that includes the parent and school staff.
  • The PC must adhere to the MMC content standards as much as is possible for the student. In other words, the essential content expectations for graduation must still be met.
  • The PC may exceed the requirements of the Michigan Merit Curriculum.
  • The PC may contain some special provisions for students with documented disabilities.
  • A PC may be needed when a student transfers into a Michigan public high school from a nonpublic school, or from an out-of-state school. 
  • The PC must be approved by the Superintendent of the school district.
  • The PC may be adjusted during the course of the student's high school education using the same process, as appropriate.        

National Career Readiness Certificate

The National Career Readiness Certificate is a work skills credential obtained by students who take three work-skills assessments published by the ACT company.  The certificate validates that an individual has certain essential skills important across a range of jobs. Two of the three ACT assessments are already part of the Michigan Merit Exam normally taken by students in the 11th grade.   For more information, click here to go the Kent ISD Career Readiness Certificate page.