GVSU Education Programs News
Education leaders share innovative teacher workforce solutions at national conference
July 21, 2026
Amy Schelling, CECI associate dean, and Adrianna Donahue, GYO graduate teacher certification program director, along with Mary Kay Murphy from the West Michigan Teacher Collaborative (WMTC), presented, "Pathways to Teaching: Establishing Partnerships that Recruit and Retain the Educator Workforce,” at the National Association of State Directors of Teacher Education and Certification (NASDTEC) annual conference in Indianapolis, IN, on June 16, 2026, where they showcased an innovative regional partnership designed to address the teacher shortage. Their presentation explored how co-design strategies, regional investment, and strong institutional partnerships help overcome barriers to teacher credentialing while creating sustainable solutions to meet workforce needs.
The session drew a strong audience that included state directors of educator preparation programs from across the country, as well as representatives from the Michigan Department of Education. Dr. Schelling said she appreciated the opportunity to share the impactful work taking place in West Michigan and the collaborative efforts that have made the partnership successful. The presenters were inspired not only to celebrate their collective accomplishments but also to encourage others to consider similar approaches in their own states.
"We appreciated the opportunity to share the exciting and impactful work we are doing to address the teacher shortage through a unique partnership with our regional PK-12 school districts," Schelling said.
"It was encouraging to be around so many people across the country working together to think through the complexities of teacher certification and preparation," Adrianna Donahue added. "Our aim was not just to celebrate our collective work but to inspire others to take action and do the same."
Beyond presenting, the conference provided valuable opportunities to connect with education leaders from across the nation. Dr. Schelling said one of the highlights was networking with state directors of educator preparation programs and learning about the unique challenges they face, as well as the innovative strategies they are using to address teacher shortages in their own states.
For Donahue, one of the most rewarding aspects of the conference was the opportunity to collaborate with colleagues who share the same mission.
"Having everyone together to share their successes and triumphs across the country regarding how to best support, recruit, train, and certify educators was amazing," she said. "The work can feel daunting and often like you're working in a silo, but attending this conference revealed that we have more in common than not."
The experience reinforced the importance of collaboration in addressing educator workforce challenges and highlighted GVSU's commitment to developing innovative, community-centered solutions that strengthen schools throughout West Michigan and beyond.