More teachers work outside areas of expertise in high-poverty Mich. districts

• A larger share of teachers instruct outside of their certification areas in high-poverty districts, a new analysis finds
• The analysis adds new insight for a state struggling to recruit and retain enough teachers
• Michigan lawmakers have invested heavily in teacher training efforts but it will take several years for current college students to become full-time teachers

Michigan’s teacher shortage is so bad that instructors are leading classes they aren’t trained to teach — and the problem is far worse in schools with more students in poverty.

Researchers with the EdTrust-Midwest, a research and advocacy education organization, found that in districts with the most students in poverty, it’s four times more likely that the person leading the class isn’t certified in the subject or grade level they are teaching. 

Teachers say the staffing challenges have affected student learning, teacher morale, course availability and student behavior.

Not only are teachers more likely to be instructing out-of-field, meaning they aren’t certified to teach the subject or grade they are assigned, they’re also more likely to have a temporary or emergency credential compared to wealthier districts, according to the EdTrust-Midwest analysis, called “Closing the Opportunity Divide: Addressing Michigan’s Teacher Shortage Problem for Students Most in Need.” 

Generally, the state offers these permits for short-term or long-term situations where someone will teach a class that they otherwise wouldn’t teach. 

Researchers grouped districts based on the “opportunity index,” which measures what proportion of students in a given district are considered economically disadvantaged. 

“What happens very basically, is that students get subpar instruction by no fault of the teacher in front of them,” said Elizabeth Toye, a ninth grade math teacher at Detroit Public Schools Community District. “They are trying their best but they are literally not trained.” 

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Toye told Bridge Michigan that some of her current students were taught in middle school by a long-term substitute. This makes it “impossible to teach grade level content because they are missing the foundations of algebra.”  

The report also addresses teacher turnover and teacher pay.

“The reality of Michigan’s teacher shortage problem — and all the factors at play — are undoubtedly troubling,” the report states. “They build upon opportunity gaps that exist in the public education system, particularly for Black and Latino students and students from low-income backgrounds. The result is that too many Black and Latino students, students from low-income backgrounds, and students living in rural and urban areas systematically do not have the same access to teachers who are likely to be well-prepared and effective in the classroom.”

The state has made progress on increasing certified teachers, State Superintendent Michael Rice told Bridge in a statement. 

“That said, the state has much more work to do to strengthen funding and by extension staffing, particularly in the state’s highest poverty schools and districts, whose staffs are often the hardest hit initially and the last to rebound from the inadequate funding of Michigan’s public schools prior to the historic increases in funding in recent years.” 

Money and training

The research adds another layer to the complicated picture of teacher recruitment, training and retention in Michigan. 

In recent years, school superintendents cite several factors for it being harder to staff schools: fewer students are pursuing a teaching degree in college, teaching is less flexible than many other professionals and the pay can be low.

The state Legislature, under both Republican and Democrat leadership, has supported efforts to increase the teaching workforce, including scholarships for those training to be teachers, stipends for student-teachers and funds for nonprofits to help connect adults with bachelor’s degrees to teacher training programs. 

Districts with the highest concentration of poverty receive a larger boost in state funding than those with less students in poverty. EdTrust-Midwest advocated for this funding structure in 2023. Lawmakers agreed in 2024 to add some flexibility so districts could use part of these funds to retain teachers and reduce turnover.

It’s often unclear just how many vacancies there are across the state at any given time. On top of that, some districts may have enough teachers to fill their classrooms but not enough teachers so that each person is placed in a subject area and grade they are certified in. 

Researchers also found that teachers with less than three years of experience make up 27.9% of the teachers in the group of districts with the highest concentration of poverty. That’s compared to 11.4% in districts with the lowest concentrations of poverty.

Not only might students learn less about a given subject, they also may not have as much social and emotional support if they aren’t being taught by certified teachers, said Curtis Lewis, the founder and CEO of the Black Male Educators Alliance. 

What can be done to fix this?

EdTrust-Midwest recommends several policy changes to improve the teacher workforce in the state. 

One idea is to give schools with the highest concentrations of poverty more of a funding boost. The group also advocates for stronger support for school administrators and opportunities for professional development. 

Jen DeNeal, director of policy and research at EdTrust-Midwest, said it’s important to ensure principals can provide feedback to teachers on teaching methods and help lead a “high-performing school culture.” 

Under current law, new teachers are required to be mentored. The state offers a competitive grant program so that districts can pay mentor teachers. EdTrust-Midwest recommends making the funding permanent and ensuring all mentors get paid.