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Lawmakers on the Michigan House Education Committee heard testimony from educators earlier this month regarding , which would modify the requirements to become a substitute teacher in hopes of addressing the ongoing shortage.

Rep. Nate Shannon (D-Sterling Heights), who sponsored the bill, testified in its support alongside Sheryl Kennedy of the Michigan Department of Education.

The proposed changes to Michigan鈥檚 school code would allow for anyone over age 21 with a high school diploma to substitute teach in classrooms for grades 9 through 12, and allow anyone over the age of 18 also enrolled in a teacher preparation program to substitute teach in kindergarten through eighth grade.

Shannon said that the changes to eligibility requirements, while 鈥渦ncomfortable鈥� for many educators, would be a temporary solution to Michigan鈥檚 shortage of substitute teachers that accelerated during the pandemic. The bill, which has yet to be voted on by the committee, would include a sunset clause expiring the eligibility changes in June 2025.

鈥淲e have a problem, and we鈥檙e doing things that maybe not necessarily all of us are comfortable with,鈥� Shannon said. 鈥淏ut we have to do something in the meantime.鈥�

Rep. Jaime Churches (D-Wyandotte) voiced concerns that the bill would make it too easy to become an educator, even for a short period of time. She said that her own experience as a teacher showed her that students require highly qualified substitutes in order to continue their learning and to allow permanent teachers to take time off.

鈥淵ou can鈥檛 put any substitute in an emotionally impaired classroom,鈥� Churches said. 鈥淎nd I could argue you can鈥檛 put any substitute in just a fifth-grade room like mine easily.鈥�

Kennedy and Shannon noted that the bill would not apply to special education teachers and classrooms.

Rep. Brad Paquette (R-Niles) argued that changing the requirements for substitute teachers could provide necessary work opportunities for young Michiganders. He said that he 鈥渇ell into teaching鈥� in his own career and hoped the bill would help others do the same.

鈥淭his is going to open the door for a lot of people,鈥� Paquette said.

Kennedy said one goal of the legislation would be to connect young people who are undecided about their career path to school districts and the communities they reside in, ideally encouraging them to pursue long-term careers as teachers.

鈥淥ne of the things that we hope this bill will do is build those relationships,鈥� Kennedy said. 鈥淎nd perhaps one of those young people that are substitute teaching, or a 21-year-old who鈥檚 maybe done a little college, they have an experience and then they say, 鈥極h wow, this is what I was meant to do.鈥欌��

Various incentives have been adopted at the state and school district level to attract teachers to Michigan鈥檚 public schools, but Shannon said the state won鈥檛 see the effects of those programs for a few years. In the interim, he said that HB 4549 would help ease the strain on school districts.

鈥淲e want to be able to solve the problem in a systematic way,鈥� Shannon said. 鈥淏ut we need to have a little time to figure this out.鈥�

is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Michigan Advance maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Susan Demas for questions: [email protected]. Follow Michigan Advance on and .

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