Strong Start, Strong Teachers: Supporting Teacher Preparation Programs for a Brighter Future

As Michigan faces a teacher shortage problem in classrooms across the state, new analyses reveal a troubling gap in the rate of teachers who enroll in teacher preparation programs versus those who complete them. This finding follows an EdTrust-Midwest report that revealed particularly concerning disparities in enrollment and completion rates among teacher candidates of color. These gaps contribute to students’ inequitable access to strong and diverse teachers in Michigan’s classrooms, according to a new policy brief, Strong Start, Strong Teachers: Supporting Teacher Preparation Programs for a Brighter Future.

The brief by EdTrust-Midwest, which is the third installment of a series on strengthening Michigan’s teacher workforce, offers policy recommendations to strengthen and diversify the state’s teacher workforce by investing in innovative pathways for aspiring teachers. Researchers also spotlight innovative initiatives that are already in place.