The Michigan Chronicle

The classroom has always been a battlefield for equity. Ask any Black parent who’s fought to get their child an Individualized Education Program. Ask any educator in Detroit who’s watched students fall through bureaucratic cracks because the system didn’t bend for their needs. For decades, special education in Michigan has come with barriers that kept good teachers out and left vulnerable students waiting. That wait may finally shift. Beginning next year, aspiring educators in Michigan will be able to pursue a standalone special education endorsement without first obtaining certification in a specific subject area. This change—approved this week by the State Board—removes a requirement that many educators and administrators say has contributed to a shortage of qualified special education teachers. The previous model demanded that special education teachers also hold content-specific credentials, often creating more red tape than results.