TeachMichigan Research and Learning
We believe in a future where every Michigan child has access to a high-impact educator and leader. We have partnered with Michigan State University’s Education Policy Innovation Collaborative as our leading research team. Please refer to our research and learning glossary for a comprehensive list.
Teach For America’s Semi-Annual Reports
Twice yearly, TFA submits reports to the Michigan Department of Education sharing our learning to date and recommendations to scale similar programs statewide.
Within this report, we share key findings from our continued execution and evaluation, including: 1) strategic investments in educator compensation increase satisfaction and strengthen retention in high-poverty schools, 2) high-quality, contextually relevant professional learning builds educator skill, leadership, and instructional impact, 3) school and district conditions significantly shape the extent to which educator learning translates into practice, and 4) intentional clustering of high-impact educators within schools strengthens collaboration, trust, and the spread of effective practices across school communities. This report also reflects an updated TeachMichigan Theory of Change, incorporating emerging evidence on selection, clustering, and aligned supports to strengthen system-level impact.
This report shares key findings from our second year of statewide implementation. TeachMichigan increases fellow satisfaction, develops educator skills and leadership, and reduces turnover risk. When fellows are clustered within schools, trust, collaboration, and shared learning are strengthened. To scale impact, we recommend sustained, multi-year investments in proven educators in high-poverty schools, with targeted supports and clustered investments to drive broader school-level change.
Eighteen months into statewide implementation, this report explores the effect of improved compensation on retention in hard-to-staff schools, what it takes to deliver game-changing professional development, and the importance of district and school-level support to make lasting progress on talent initiatives.
Our first-year findings highlight the importance of intentionally recruiting and selecting high-impact, high-potential educators, designing programs around essential core components, and ensuring stipends help fellows meet their basic needs—reducing stress and improving their ability to focus on teaching.
This report offers design recommendations for statewide programs, emphasizing the need to understand why educators stay or leave, tailor supports to meet their needs, and intentionally target those with the highest potential for impact. It also outlines criteria for selecting strong district and school partners.
EPIC Learnings about TeachMichigan Highlights
EPIC provides ongoing reports to inform our research and learning.
Teacher Compensation in Michigan: 2025 Update
This is an updated report from fall 2024 that examines Michigan public opinion on teacher pay, focusing on perceptions of current compensation levels, support for policy changes, and priorities for state investment in teacher pay. It explores how public opinion varies across demographic groups and provides implications for shaping teacher compensation through state policy.
Mapping State Approaches to Teacher Pay: Implications for Michigan
This report analyzes state-level teacher compensation policies across the US, situating Michigan within the national landscape. It explores how different policy approaches, including salary schedules, performance pay, and differential pay affects recruitment, retention, and educational equity and identifies strategies that could inform Michigan’s future reforms.
TeachMichigan Fellow Perception of Their Learning
This report answers the questions: 1. What are fellows’ perceptions of the professional development (PD) and coaching they receive from TeachMichigan? 2. How do these perceptions differ across the Early Career, National Board Certification, and Aspiring Leader fellowship cohorts?
Fellows Perspectives on Short- and Medium- Term Outcomes
This report shares findings from surveys of TeachMichigan fellows, school managers, and district leaders to understand fellows’ learning experiences and program impact. It examines the conditions that support educator growth, retention, and leadership, and the ways in which fellows apply their learning to benefit schools and students.
Critical Mass in TeachMichigan's Clustering Strategy for School Improvement
This report explores how the concentration and composition of TeachMichigan fellows within schools shape educator leadership, school culture, and the conditions that support sustained improvement.