Requirements/Michigan
Lower Elementary Teacher (PK-3) in Michigan.
Four subtests, and one of them you may already have.
- Exams
- 4
- Passing
- 220
- Certificate
- Lower Elementary (PK-3) Education, ZO endorsement
The exams you have to pass
In the order most candidates take them.
01
MTTC Lower Elementary (PK-3): Literacy118
Pass220
02
MTTC Lower Elementary (PK-3): Mathematics119
Pass220
03
MTTC Lower Elementary (PK-3): Science and Social Studies120
Pass220
04
MTTC Professional Knowledge and Skills117 or 121
Any one of the four Professional Knowledge and Skills subtests (117, 121, 135, 136) satisfies this. You never take more than one.
Pass220
What people get wrong
Each of these costs a candidate either money or a test date.
- Michigan states it exactly: to obtain the ZO endorsement you pass 118, 119, 120, and either 117 or 121. The Professional Knowledge subtest is a choice, not a fourth separate hurdle.
- If you already passed 121 for an upper elementary or secondary endorsement, it counts here. You do not retake it as 117.
- Michigan retired the old K-8 elementary certificate. Elementary Education 103 belongs to the previous structure, so a new candidate does not take it.
- Each subtest is passed separately at 220. Passing three of four does not pass the set.
Required, but not an exam
- A bachelor’s degree
- A Michigan-approved educator preparation program, traditional or alternative
- Application through the Michigan Online Educator Certification System (MOECS)
Now go pass them.
Knowing the list is the easy part. Built To Pass teaches the strategy layer that works on any of these, aimed at the domains where you are actually losing points.
Start with your examVerified 2026-08-04 against Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (mttc.nesinc.com). Certification rules change by state board vote. Confirm with the state before you register for a test.