Press Release

Students from low-income backgrounds, Black and Latino students, and students from rural and urban areas often face the highest rates of teachers who are teaching out-of-field, have less experience or emergency credentials, new data shows.

DETROIT, January 14, 2025 – Michigan’s students who are the most underserved face the highest rates of inexperienced teachers, teachers who have emergency or temporary credentials, and educators who are teaching classes that are not in their field of expertise, according to troubling new analyses and data released today.

For instance, in 2022-23, more than 16.5% of teachers in high-poverty school districts were teaching out-of-field – twice the state average. And students in school districts with the highest concentrations of poverty are sixteen times more likely to learn from a teacher with temporary or emergency credentials than their peers in Michigan’s wealthiest school districts, a new EdTrust-Midwest analysis revealed.

In districts where a majority of children are Black, students are nearly four times more likely to learn from an out-of-field teacher. They are also four times more likely to learn from a teacher with emergency credentials and nearly twice as likely to learn from a beginning teacher than in districts serving primarily white students, EdTrust-Midwest researchers found.

The uneven distribution of effective, experienced, highly qualified teachers contributes to troubling and persistent disparities in reading and math outcomes for Michigan’s students who have long lacked access to strong educational resources. These new findings, along with other troubling research and data, are being released in a report by EdTrust-Midwest, Closing the Opportunity Divide: Addressing Michigan’s Teacher Shortage Problem for Students Most in Need. Importantly, the report also includes five priority solutions to begin addressing the crisis.

“Michigan is facing a teacher shortage crisis that is far worse for our students who have been the most underserved by the educational system,” said Amber Arellano, executive director of EdTrust-Midwest, a nonpartisan nonprofit organization that seeks to close opportunity gaps for students. “Too many students from low-income backgrounds, Black and Latino students, and students living in rural and urban areas systematically lack access to strong teachers who are well-prepared and effective in the classroom. That leaves them at a significant disadvantage in their school journey.”

“Addressing the educator shortage requires a statewide approach beyond recruiting and one that ensure all educators are supported, valued, and compensated equitably for the students’ lives that they impact each day,” said Maegan Frierson, KConnect director of system building.

The report is a result of two years of research, analysis of hard-to-access data, interviews with community partners, and educator focus groups.

“Local districts are being asked to do more than ever while school funding remains largely insufficient,” said kyle lim from Urban Core Collective, a racial justice organization that supports the self-determination and agency of historically marginalized communities in Grand Rapids. “Most urban public schools do not have the funds to increase pay immediately. As a state, we need to pressure our legislators to increase education revenue for schools. We cannot simply ask schools to provide the level of service our students deserve if they do not get more money.”

To address the crisis and provide a roadmap for policymakers, the report includes five key priorities to address Michigan’s inequitable teacher shortage problem. EdTrust-Midwest is also launching a new campaign called #TeachersWeNeed to uplift the voices of educators, parents, and students across the state. The goal is for Michigan to become a Top 10 state for education, which has long been one of EdTrust-Midwest’s top priorities.

Among the other findings and research cited in the report:

  • Students who learn in school districts with the highest concentrations of poverty are nearly three times more likely than their peers in low-poverty districts to learn from a beginning teacher with fewer than three years of teaching experience.
  • Districts with the highest concentrations of poverty only employ 13.5% of all the teachers in the state, yet they account for 38% of all teachers with emergency credentials in Michigan.
  • Districts with the highest concentrations of poverty accounted for more than a third – 33.5% – of all out-of-field teachers in the state despite only employing 13.5% of all teachers in the state.
  • Teacher attrition in Michigan is worse than the national average, and teacher turnover is far higher for students living in concentrated poverty. While all districts are having a harder time retaining teachers following the pandemic, the challenges remain most acute in high-poverty districts. These factors can inhibit student growth.

Despite progress at the state-level and new initiatives to combat shortages, many factors contribute to teacher turnover, attrition, and retention challenges. That includes lack of high-quality professional development and support, low teacher salaries, and challenging working conditions, according to research and interviews from educator focus groups. Districts serving high populations of students from low-income backgrounds and Black and Latino students – particularly districts in urban and rural communities – face far greater challenges recruiting and retaining top educator talent for their children, researchers noted. For instance:

  • Low teacher salaries are a challenge for high-poverty districts, making it difficult to compete for talent with peer districts.
  • Research shows that Michigan is at the bottom among Great Lakes states for pay for first-year teachers. “Why would you go and spend $50,000 to $80,000 to go in student loan debt to become a teacher when you qualify for the Bridge Card?” asked one teacher in a focus group. “Growing up, teaching was always an esteemed career, and it was something that you could look forward to being able to provide yourself with the middle-class experience in terms of living.”

However, data on several key facets of the teacher shortage problem are hard to access for the public or nonexistent. For instance, until recently, Michigan school districts were not required to report vacancy data, and many chose not to.

“While troubling, these problems are not insurmountable,” Arellano said. State leaders have already begun making significant efforts and investments in Michigan educators through innovative programs like the MI Future Educator Fellowship and the MI Future Educator Stipend, along with mentoring and induction programs, and a state funded student-loan repayment program.

“It is up to all of us – advocates, community leaders, parents, educators and especially policymakers – to ensure that we close the divide in our classrooms so that every student has the opportunity for success in school and a bright future ahead. Our report and new #TeachersWeNeed campaign provide a roadmap to address the crisis, starting with fair and adequate school funding.”

RECOMMENDATIONS
Closing the Opportunity Divide: Addressing Michigan’s Teacher Shortage Problem for Students Most in Need

Priority 1: Fair and Adequate Funding Now
To improve teacher attraction and retention, Michigan needs to support competitive salaries for teachers, especially for those working in districts with higher concentrations of poverty. Fair funding leads to better outcomes for students: a 10% increase in per-pupil spending across 12 years of education results in a lower adult poverty rate, higher postsecondary earnings, and up to four additional months of school completed.

Priority 2: Improve State Education Data Systems
Policymakers cannot begin to solve teacher shortage issues without meaningful, timely, and accurate data. Importantly, clear and effective data reporting helps parents easily access information about their district and make informed decisions about their children’s education.

Priority 3: Prioritize Making Teaching an Attractive and Competitive Career Choice
Increasing the number of highly qualified teachers in the workforce begins with making the career a more attractive option that young people are excited to explore. When a career in education is associated with financial stability and robust professional growth opportunities, more bright, talented people will be drawn to the profession and compelled to stay in the field.

Priority 4: Invest in and Prioritize Supports for School Administrators, Which Will Improve Their Ability to Evaluate Teachers and Offer Effective, Actionable, Student-Centered Support for Staff Development
To support and grow teachers, administrators need the capacity to be fully present and equipped to conduct classroom observations and provide meaningful feedback. Administrators are often overburdened, and observations can become an exercise in compliance rather than opportunities for actionable feedback and professional growth.

Priority 5: Increase Access to High-Quality Professional Development for Educators
Educators, like many professionals, seek opportunities for professional growth and advancement. It is up to both the state and local districts to provide relevant, high-quality programming for teachers to learn new skills and increase career advancement opportunities.

Read the full report and detailed recommendations here.