There are few areas where American teachers are as united as they are in their dissatisfaction with their professional learning and advancement opportunities. The lack of meaningful offerings affects states' ability to attract, develop, and retain strong teachers, which in turn impedes schools' ability to help students fulfill their potential. There are evidence-based fixes, but they require major changes to policies and practices that dictate how schools are staffed and changes in expectations and school culture. If carefully harnessed, microcredentials are one tool that can help overcome these challenges. While they focus primarily on the assessment of competency rather than delivery of new information, high-quality microcredentials can significantly improve professional development (PD) quality, and hence, the quality of instruction. At least four states have, or are developing, programs that use microcredentials for teacher career advancement. In Arkansas and Louisiana, state-recognized teacher leadership roles can be earned in this fashion. Oklahoma is developing a similar system, and South Carolina is also experimenting with microcredentials for teacher leadership. The thoughtful incorporation of microcredentials can move human capital systems for educators away from bureaucratic compliance to demonstrated competencies and rehabilitate teachers' view of PD from a waste of time into a meaningful experience.