Senate Bills 161 and 162 passed both the Michigan Senate and House of Representatives with overwhelming bipartisan support
LANSING, Mich. (July 26, 2023) — Today, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed legislation to address the teacher and counselor shortage Michigan schools are currently navigating. The bills are sponsored by Sen. Sean McCann (D-Kalamazoo) and Sen. Erika Geiss (D-Taylor).
“I am grateful to Gov. Whitmer for signing these bills to provide an easier path for qualified teachers and school counselors who are certified in other states to come work in Michigan schools,” Sen. McCann said. “These experienced professionals are on the frontlines of providing critical instruction and guidance to our students.”
“I am thankful for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signing into law Senate Bills 161 and 162 to expand reciprocity to out-of-state teachers and school counselors. This transformative legislation will reduce barriers for experienced, out-of-state educators and counselors who want to continue working in their fields in Michigan,” said Sen. Geiss. “It’s no secret that Michigan has struggled to hire and retain educators in Michigan schools, then the shortage of professionals was only exacerbated by the pandemic. This expansion of reciprocity is essential to addressing the teacher shortage in Michigan by creating a clearer career pathway to experienced teachers and counselors previously hampered by former policies. As we celebrate the signing of Senate Bills 161 and 162, the work to improve education in Michigan continues. It’s bills like these, that will help everyone make it in Michigan.”
According to the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), in 2011, more than 23,000 individuals were enrolled in a teacher preparation program. In 2016, that number dropped to approximately 9,500. The most recent numbers have risen to 13,000 individuals, but those are still significantly below the 2011 numbers. The shortage of school counselors has a similar trend. MDE also indicated that over1,000 teachers in each of the last five years have been certified outside Michigan and then within the state. The department believes this number could be higher if the state could more easily hire more experienced candidates from other states.
The bill package to expand teacher and school counselor reciprocity includes:
- Senate Bill 161 (Geiss): Streamlines the process for local school districts in Michigan to accept teacher licenses from other states by: allowing for three years of experience in lieu of a certification examination, removing requirements to obtain an initial teaching certificate, and expanding reciprocity for teaching certificates to Tribes and other countries.
- Senate Bill 162 (McCann): Allows local school districts to hire experienced and certified school counselors from other states through the same mechanisms as SB 161.
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