In 2021, the Michigan Legislature established the special education workforce task force that became OPTIMISE, giving it a statewide charge to identify what was preventing Michigan from attracting, preparing, and retaining enough qualified special education professionals.
OPTIMISE’s defining role was to turn that legislative charge into a statewide workforce strategy. It created a process that brought together educators, families, administrators, universities, professional organizations and other partners to identify barriers and develop solutions based on the experiences of people working within Michigan’s special education system.
The OPTIMISE Task Force identified 127 workforce barriers across 14 categories, providing a clearer picture of the issues affecting recruitment, preparation, and retention. Over 500 Michigan educators and parents contributed input within OPTIMISE’s Action Teams.
OPTIMISE then moved from identifying problems to developing solutions. Specialized Action Teams examined issues including early childhood services, paraeducators, school psychology, speech-language pathology, behavior support, paperwork, administrator preparation, and workload and caseload concerns.
Through this process, OPTIMISE transformed hundreds of individual experiences and concerns into specific statewide recommendations and strategies. The result was a framework Michigan leaders and education partners could use to strengthen the pipeline of professionals serving individuals with disabilities from birth to 26.
Continuing the Legislative Charge
OPTIMISE’s work was designed as a multi-year effort, not a one-time report. The framework established under the Legislature’s Section 94d charge provides the structure for that work to continue through the Task Force, Core Team and specialized Action Teams.
Going forward, OPTIMISE will use this framework to advance recommendations, track progress, study emerging workforce barriers and bring partners together around recruitment, preparation and retention. The Task Force provides statewide direction and reviews recommendations, the Core Team coordinates the work, and Action Teams develop solutions to specific workforce challenges.
The foundation is already in place. OPTIMISE continues to turn the Legislature-initiated strategy into action across Michigan’s special education system.
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About OPTIMISE
The Michigan Legislature funded a statewide initiative to strengthen special education and established the OPTIMISE Task Force to guide it.
OPTIMISE is working with hundreds of educators, education leaders and families to turn recommendations into action and improve special education across Michigan.
That work is already making a difference. It has helped expand training for educators and school leaders, streamline credentialing, introduce more people to special education careers and fill open positions in Michigan schools.
OPTIMISE continues to reduce barriers and strengthen Michigan’s special education workforce to better serve individuals with disabilities, Birth to 26 years.
OPTIMISE – Opening the Pipeline of Talent into Michigan’s Special Education
