Mark Haag: Talent Together offers opportunities to become a certified teacher
Though it is no secret Michigan is declining in the number of K-12 students, there is still a need for qualified educator professionals in many schools. Between 2008 and 2016, Michigan saw the nation’s second steepest decline (66%) in teacher education program enrollment. Additionally, it comes at a crucial time in Michigan as we have seen declining student performance in mathematics and reading proficiency statewide. The need for a strong, highly qualified talent pool is crucial.
There are several barriers for individuals who may seek a change of career roles, even if they currently possess a college degree. Some of those barriers include time and money, as very few can afford to abandon their current employment role to attend college in a traditional format as an adult. Another common barrier is proximity to educator preparation programs that match candidates’ needs in many Michigan communities.
There is an exciting opportunity coming to help remove these barriers and build the teacher workforce in Michigan. Talent Together is a consortium of 48 ISDs, including the Lenawee Intermediate School District in partnership with all 11 Lenawee County public schools, to provide multiple pathways into the teaching profession at no cost to candidates.
The Talent Together consortium — in partnership with nine Michigan-based universities and colleges (including Adrian College locally) — applied for the Michigan Department of Education Grow Your Own program grant to offer pathways to degree (where needed) and teacher certification in high-needs areas, including early childhood education, elementary, special education, English Second Language, and secondary science and math. Once Talent Together receives confirmation of funding, the consortium will offer opportunities for over 1,000 candidates statewide to earn initial teacher certification or add an endorsement to an existing Michigan teaching certificate. Participants will complete their programming while employed full-time in school-based roles. These opportunities will be at no cost to participants or districts and training for the first cohort will begin in August 2023.
Talent Together certification pathways have been designed for individuals with no college credits, some college credits, a bachelor’s degree or even for currently certified teachers who are seeking additional endorsements. Completion times for these programs range from as little as one year to as long as four or five years. Much of the college coursework is offered virtually or in a hybrid format, removing the proximity barrier for those interested. There will be embedded supports for individuals in the program in the format of success navigators and coaches to guide the participant’s journey to certification. Additionally, there will be a need for model teachers, who the apprentice teachers will be placed with, which will not only provide crucial support, but additional earning opportunities for current teachers.
The Talent Together consortium’s goals are to first and foremost improve education outcomes for Michigan students. By reducing barriers to teacher certification, the hope is to significantly reduce teacher vacancies and increase educator diversity across the state. Finally, the consortium believes this will help increase teacher retention of novice and experienced teachers through the development of professional learning experiences and career advancement opportunities. Economic mobility of current support staff individuals may also be achieved by providing paid, job-embedded opportunities for career advancement.
Individuals interested in more information about this program are encouraged to visit the Talent Together website (mitalenttogether.org) or contact Mark Haag, Lenawee Intermediate School District superintendent, at mark.haag@lisd.us.
Mark Haag is superintendent of the Lenawee Intermediate School District.
This article originally appeared on The Daily Telegram: Mark Haag: Talent Together offers certified teacher opportunities
