State Superintendent Flanagan Says There Are Ways to Address

Teacher Shortage
Contact: Martin Ackley, Director of Public and Governmental Affairs (517) 241-4395
Agency: Education


September 29, 2014
LANSING State Superintendent Mike Flanagan today says there are ways to address the dramatic
teacher shortages that are causing large classroom sizes at Detroit Public Schools, and he is calling
on the Legislature, businesses, and career professionals to help.
There are ways in place now that can bring in teachers to fill the vacancies at Detroit Public
Schools, Flanagan said. I think its an easier transition than most people think.
Flanagan was responding to a media story over the weekend that reported Detroit Public Schools
(DPS) having over 100 teacher vacancies that are resulting in classroom sizes of up to 45-50
students.
Getting retired teachers back into the classrooms; encouraging outside career professionals to
transition into teaching; having businesses allow their highly-skilled employees to do teaching
sabbaticals; and bringing this issue to the attention of certified teachers currently out of the
profession to return.
Teaching is the most noble and important of professions and I have no doubt there are people out
there who are willing to make a difference, Flanagan said. There are alternate routes for quality
people to step up, step in, and teach our kids.
Ideally, every student needs the highest-quality teacher, Flanagan said, adding: There is an urgent
need here and now, and no child deserves to be in a classroom with 45 other kids trying to learn.
Flanagan is calling on the state Legislature to pass Senate Bill 907, which would continue to allow
retired teachers in critical shortage subject areas to return to the classroom without jeopardizing their
retirement benefits.
Individuals with Bachelors degrees also can utilize several options in order to become a teacher in
Michigan.
Those who wish to change careers and teach full time can apply to a state-approved alternate route
program in order to gain certification. Alternate route programs are approved through Davenport
University; Schoolcraft College; University of Michigan-Ann Arbor; and University of Michigan-Flint.
People who hold Bachelors degrees who wish to work part-time, or for a short duration, can take
advantage of a variety of permit options. These permits are issued by the MDE to a local school
district after the district has verified the teaching position is unable to be filled otherwise.
These other teacher permit options include:
EXPERT-IN-RESIDENCE: This permit can be utilized for a maximum of two hours a day and is valid
for the entire school year once issued. Individuals must demonstrate expertise in the field being
taught.
FULL-YEAR PERMIT: Appropriate for core subject areas; individual must have either a degree in the
subject area or demonstrate content knowledge through testing.
EMERGENCY PERMIT: Appropriate for non-core subject areas and non-Special Education
assignments; individual must have a degree in the subject area or currently be enrolled in an
approved teacher preparation program leading to certification.
1233b PERMIT: Appropriate for grades 9-12 in the subject areas of computer science; foreign
language; mathematics; biology; chemistry; engineering; physics; and robotics. The individual must
have a degree in the field of specialization in which he or she will teach, plus recent and relevant
work experience in the content area (exception made for foreign languages).
Details about teacher certification and permits can be found
here: http://www.michigan.gov/mde/0,4615,7-140-5683_14795---,00.html
MDE also is developing a Michigan Teacher Corps program, a new initiative to select, train, and
provide highly-skilled teachers and teacher leaders for Michigans lowest-performing schools.