Michigan Schools Continue to Address Teacher Shortages

State Board of Education Gets Update on Progress

LANSING – Local and state educators and teacher preparation providers such as colleges and universities have made great progress in recent years in addressing teacher shortages in hard-to-fill subjects and specialties, Michigan Department of Education (MDE) officials shared during a State Board of Education meeting.

The number of certified early childhood teachers jumped 171% from the 2017-18 school year to 2023-24, while the number of certified teachers increased 60% for math, 53% for English as a Second Language and bilingual education, and 31% for science. Literacy-related teaching endorsements increased 28% during that period.

“Efforts by local educators to address the challenge of teacher shortages are paying off,” said State Superintendent Michael F. Rice. “This work has been supported with increased funding from the legislature and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer that has been advocated for by the Michigan Department of Education and State Board of Education. Increasing the number of certified teachers in areas of shortage is a priority of Michigan’s Top 10 Strategic Education Plan.”

The presentation on Michigan’s progress in addressing teacher shortages was during Tuesday’s State Board of Education meeting.

After decreasing 59% from 2011-12 to 2016-17, enrollment in teacher preparation programs in Michigan has rebounded with an increase of 56% from 2016-17 to 2021-22.

In addition to attracting more prospective teachers in general, multiple educator preparation providers have increased access to students from historically underrepresented populations through focused scholarship and fellowship programs.

Over the last seven years, Michigan has attracted more Black or African American and Hispanic or Latino teachers to the profession. The number of Black teachers has increased by the equivalent of 1,317 full-time teachers. The number Hispanic or Latino teachers has increased by the full-time equivalent of 216 positions.

“Research shows that all students – particularly students of color – benefit socially, emotionally, and academically when their schools have a diverse teacher workforce,” said Dr. Michele Harmala, deputy superintendent, Educator Excellence, Career and Technical Education, Special Education, and Administrative Law for the MDE. “I’m pleased by the progress we’ve made in this area, but we still have a lot of work to do in having a teacher workforce that’s as diverse as the students in our classrooms.”

Michigan’s state school aid budgets illustrate the focus on increasing the number of certified teachers.

In fiscal year 2020 and earlier, there was $0 in state school aid act funding to address the teacher shortage. That increased to $5 million for early career retention bonuses in fiscal year 2021 and then by less than $2 million for Grow Your Own programs in fiscal year 2022. In fiscal year 2023, there was $575 million in funding for a range of efforts to address the teacher shortage, many of them initially recommended by MDE. Fiscal year 2024 funding to address the teacher shortage totaled over $448 million, while funding for fiscal year 2025 decreased to more than $100 million.

Efforts have included:

• The MI Fellowship program, which provided $10,000 scholarships to 750 future educators in 2022-23 and to 2,447 prospective teachers in fiscal year 2023-24.
• Stipends of $9,600 apiece to 2,342 student teachers enrolled in eligible Michigan educator preparation programs in the 2022-23 academic year and to 2,667 student teachers in the 2023-24 academic year.
• Student loan repayments that so far have awarded more than $19 million in reimbursements to 9,571 eligible participants in 546 school districts.
• Reimbursements totaling $736,592 to 8,098 first-time takers of the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification.
• Tuition reimbursement to 211 special education teachers in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

• The Future Proud Michigan Educator EXPLORE grants for school districts and charter schools to assist students who are interested in careers in education. Earlier this year MDE awarded $747,227 to 25 school districts.
• Several Grow Your Own programs that assist local schools in encouraging their students to pursue careers in education and help noncertified school staff become certified educators. This includes $$129.8 million in grant funds from MDE to provide a no-cost pathway to reduce barriers and increase opportunities for support staff to obtain certification, with more awards pending.

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