Roughly one in eight U.S. teaching jobs are unfilled or filled by under-credentialed teachers, and about 5% to 8% of teachers leave the profession annually, according to data from the Learning Policy Institute. (Adobe Stock)
Michigan is certifying more new teachers than at any point in the past decade, according to a new report, but high turnover continues to drain classrooms.
The research comes from the Education Policy Innovation Collaborative at Michigan State University. It shows recruitment gains are being offset by thousands of teachers leaving the profession each year.
Tara Kilbride, associate director of the collaborative and the report’s lead author, said the gap is wide.
“We have more than 5,000 teachers becoming certified each year, but 8,000 teachers leaving,” Kilbride reported. “We’ve been able to make up some of that difference with teachers who aren’t fully certified filling a lot of vacancies.”
In response, Michigan is advancing its Top 10 Strategic Education Plan to increase the number of teachers in shortage areas. The state is also partnering with five universities to launch the Educator Preparation Program Collaborative, which focuses on aligning teacher preparation with district needs, from classroom readiness to long-term support.
Officials said the focus of the collaborative includes expanding hands-on experience and improving retention, particularly among early-career educators. Kilbride noted data show early-career teachers are the most likely to leave the profession and it is critical to understand why they are exiting.
“These early career teachers make up a bigger part of the workforce than before,” Kilbride observed. “This is a group that we know is a higher risk of leaving – and that points to a need for more and better supports for those early-career teachers.”
Researchers said turnover remains especially high in special education roles, as well as positions in urban and rural districts. They warned without stronger retention strategies, Michigan’s teacher shortage could take years to return to pre-pandemic levels.
Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.
