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September 30, 2024
LANSING – The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) received national recognition for its pioneering efforts in supporting aspiring teachers.
A Michigan case study is featured in the National Council on Teacher Quality’s new “Clinical Practice Action Guide.” The study details how the state raised the caliber of teacher preparation by setting robust requirements for clinical experiences such as student teaching. It also illustrates how the state addressed financial barriers to student teaching that have kept many aspiring teachers out of the profession.
“Michigan continues to be recognized for its efforts to improve the teaching profession,” said State Superintendent Dr. Michael F. Rice. “Quality, quantity, and diversity are all areas of focus.”
After setting a vision to prepare teachers in a clinically centered manner, similar to the way doctors are prepared, Michigan enacted that vision in 2018 through its rigorous clinical experience requirements. Teacher candidates are required to complete at least 600 hours of clinical experiences and complete a set of required activities during their time in the classroom.
Recognizing the hard work that this experience requires of teacher candidates, the state now offers teacher candidates stipends of $9,600 per semester of student teaching.
Other noteworthy efforts in Michigan to address teacher shortages include, but are not limited to, the following: Grow Your Own initiatives for students and support staff who aspire to become teachers, college scholarships and student teacher stipends for aspiring teachers, loan repayment and mentoring for current teachers and other educators, the Talent Together apprenticeship program for educators, and a rural credentialing hub. 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.
“Michigan students can flourish when they have access to high-quality instruction delivered by well-prepared and well-supported professional educators,” said Dr. Sean Kottke, manager of the Educator Preparation Unit in MDE’s Office of Educator Excellence. “We are honored by this national recognition of our collective efforts to strengthen the state-of-the-art of teacher preparation through rich opportunities for teacher candidates to practice the work of teaching throughout their preparation experience.”
National Council on Teacher Quality officials say work to support aspiring teachers is important because, across the country, too many new teachers are unprepared for the realities of the classroom because they haven’t had enough high-quality “hands-on” practice, which causes their students to lose out on learning. Additionally, stronger clinical practice partnerships between school districts and teacher preparation programs can address the hiring challenges that many districts face by creating a pipeline of teachers who have experience in the types of districts where they will eventually teach, which increases their effectiveness and likelihood of staying in the classroom.
Without quality student teaching experiences, new teachers are often left to learn on the job. Research shows that providing aspiring teachers with clinical experiences under an effective mentor can give first-year teachers the boost that they need to be as effective as teachers in their second or third year.
“Michigan is an excellent example of a state enhancing teacher quality by helping more aspiring teachers get a great clinical practice experience,” said Heather Peske, president of the National Council on Teacher Quality. “As a national leader on this front, Michigan is strengthening the teacher pipeline and laying the foundation for more effective teachers and better outcomes for students across the state.”
The National Council on Teacher Quality is a nonpartisan research and policy organization on a mission to ensure every child has access to an effective teacher and every teacher has the opportunity to be effective. The council believes a strong, diverse teacher workforce is critical for providing all students with equitable educational opportunities. For more information, visit www.nctq.org.
See the national council’s Clinical Practice Action Guide for more details about Michigan’s work on clinical practice and to see other ways states, teacher preparation programs, and school districts can strengthen the student teaching experience for aspiring teachers.
Efforts to increase the efficacy of Michigan teachers are related to Goal 7 of Michigan’s Top 10 Strategic Education Plan, to address the teacher shortage.
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