Work-based learning for credit in Michigan

Credit for the experience

A school board grants high school credit to a student in grades 9 to 12 for an internship or work experience when the student attends at least 4 hours per week, for as many weeks as a traditional course takes to earn credit. The board cannot require more than 10 hours per week.

Who decides

The board grants credit when the weekly hours condition is met. It may deny credit on the grounds the statute lists, such as a pupil who has a history of course failure or whose experience is not consistent with the pupil's educational development plan. A denied student can appeal to the superintendent of the intermediate school district.

Time out of class

When the board or its designee finds an experience academically appropriate and a parent or guardian grants permission, the board or its designee ensures the student is excused from at least 1 period of instructional time on each day the student attends.

Paperwork by count day

The district needs a written training agreement and a written training plan in place by the pupil membership count day.

Monitoring and insurance

A professional employee visits the placement every nine weeks for a general education student. The district verifies the employer's general liability insurance, and workers' compensation insurance for a paid placement.

The state-approved CTE route

For a paid experience tied to a state-approved career and technical education program: grades 11 and 12, concentrator status in that program, an average of at least 10 hours per week during the agreement, and a weekly 40-minute session with a CTE-certified teacher.

Sources: Michigan Compiled Laws 380.1279h(1), (2), (4)(a) to (g) and (6), Revised School Code, effective September 11, 2018. Michigan Department of Education, 2025-26 Pupil Accounting Manual, Section 5-P, page 5-P-1. Michigan Department of Education, Work-Based Learning Experiences, Apprenticeships, and Internships: Program-Level Requirements, pages 1 to 4.

1. In-district placements are limited.

   A work-based learning experience for a general education student cannot be an in-district placement, with two exceptions.

   “Work-based learning experiences must not include an in-district placement unless it is a work-based learning experience related to a state-approved CTE program or it is related to the postsecondary career and employment goals and objectives in the pupil’s transition services plan developed for a pupil receiving special education services.”

2. The student has to ask for credit early.

   A board can deny credit when the request comes after the schedule is set.

   “The pupil failed to request credit for engaging in an internship or work experience before the pupil's school schedule for the current term was determined.”

3. Incomplete paperwork becomes an audit finding.

   An incomplete training agreement or training plan produces a general finding.

   “If the pupil membership auditor finds that components of the training agreement or training plan are incomplete, a general finding will be issued, and the Department will be notified.”

4. Unpaid experiences are capped at 45 hours each.

   The cap applies per specific training experience. The Department's companion document says so for the unpaid traditional experience.

   “If unpaid, the training experience must not be for more than a total of 45 hours per specific training experience”

5. Work happens during scheduled class time.

   Anything outside it needs a documented exception.

   “The work experience must occur during scheduled classroom time unless a special exception is documented.”

Sources: Michigan Department of Education, 2025-26 Pupil Accounting Manual, Section 5-P, pages 5-P-2 and 5-P-3. Michigan Compiled Laws 380.1279h(4)(c), effective September 11, 2018. Michigan Department of Education, Work-Based Learning Experiences, Apprenticeships, and Internships: Program-Level Requirements, page 3.