Starting next year, people studying to become teachers in Michigan will be able to get a standalone endorsement in special education, thanks to new standards the state board of education approved this week.
Currently, Michigan special education teachers must have an endorsement in a specific content area. Many school administrators and educators say that’s too restrictive, especially given the ongoing shortage of special ed teachers.
Michigan Department of Education consultant Gina Garner said the new standards will allow teachers to take on a wider range of responsibilities, assisting more students in general education classrooms in core content areas like math and reading.
“The new special education teacher endorsement would have the flexibility of being assigned across several special education programs meeting a wider range of student needs,” Garner said.
Aspiring teachers who want more specialized special education certifications can still pursue them, Garner told board members. And teachers who work with students on the autism spectrum and some other disabilities would still need certification in those specific areas.
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Michael Rice said a more generalized approach to special education is needed at a time when some districts can’t find enough credentialed educators to put in classrooms. “This is an effort to get beyond the non-certified teaching our young people, not simply in this space, but in other spaces as well,” he said.
Teacher preparation programs will start implementing the new standards in the fall of 2026.
