Michigan Teacher Licensure, Retention, and Effectiveness During the COVID-19 Pandemic

School closures and testing disruptions during COVID-19 prevented many teacher candidates from completing certification milestones, prompting many states to waive or alter licensure requirements to prevent losses of new teachers for the 2020-21 school year. Michigan allowed in-state candidates to teach under temporary certificates before passing licensure exams and granted flexibility in student teaching requirements. This study examines the impact of these changes on teacher supply, diversity, retention, and effectiveness. We find that Michigan succeeded in maintaining its total supply of new teachers, but that the composition of teachers differed from past cohorts. The 2020-21 entry cohort was more diverse, but this was true for all certification types including those unaffected by policy changes. Teachers with temporary certificates had similar effectiveness ratings and retention rates as those with standard certificates. Truncated or otherwise-modified student teaching experiences may have had a more prominent effect on special education teachers than those with other specializations.