Who We Are

Talent Together is a consortium of 56 Intermediate School Districts (ISDs) and Regional Educational Service Associations (RESAs). The consortium has committed to working closely together and with key partners, including colleges and universities, the Michigan Department of Education, the Department of Labor, and the Michigan Educator Workforce Initiative to design and implement a suite of programs that provide pathways into the teaching profession.

Talent Together seeks to provide equitable access and opportunity to the teaching profession by eliminating barriers and providing multiple levels of support to ensure candidates can complete a high-quality teacher preparation program. We acknowledge and respect participants’ diverse identities, cultures, and traditions and create environments where participants feel a sense of belonging so that, ultimately, children across Michigan learn from a more diverse and well-prepared teacher workforce.

The Talent Together consortium has pledged to significantly increase access to the teaching profession by innovating to overcome common barriers such as the cost of coursework and the need to earn a living wage while seeking certification. By creating a Registered Apprenticeship Program that includes job-embedded coursework and comprehensive on-the-job support and learning from expert teachers, our consortium will create more opportunities for people in communities across our state, many of whom are already working and serving students in our schools, to successfully join and remain in the teaching profession.

Model teachers are skilled teachers and learners. They will host Teacher Candidates in their classrooms (referred to as Lab Classrooms) in person and/or virtually to support Apprentices and Teachers of Record.Model teachers are excellent teachers that weave content knowledge, methods, and pedagogy. They study the shifts in MDE standards, Talent Together Teaching Framework, and Common Core State Standards. Model teachers collaborate with Educator Development Specialists. They study andragogy and know that adult learning must be rooted in what is happening in real classrooms and reflect real student and teacher needs. Model Teachers will play a critical role in supporting Talent Together teachers to develop into excellent educators.

What are labs?

Lab classrooms are a research proven way to transform instructional practices, pedagogy, and content knowledge for educators. Lab experiences typically work in a cycle: We set up the lab, We watch classroom instruction , We debrief what we observed, We apply what we learned. We engage in this practice because, “We do not learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience,” (John Dewey). Teacher Candidates will notice a lot through labs: small ways that model teachers frame questions, an attention getter designed to bring calm and focus to students , a faster way to transition from whole group to small groups, or have a passion sparked for numbers talks. After each lab cycle, participants are invited to continue their learning through focused application planning, collaborative practice with fellow participants, and deeper exploration of the content, pedagogy, and instructional methods experienced during the lab.

• Bachelor’s degree (or higher) from an accredited college or university
• Valid credential and at least 3 years teaching experience in applicable content area(s) and/or grade level(s)
• Deep understanding of the Michigan Standards for the applicable content area(s), including highly aligned assessment(s), and curriculum
• Summative evaluation rating of effective or highly effective on your two most recent teacher evaluations
• Recommendation from building principal or direct supervisor
• Demonstrated success impacting student achievement gains
• Previous experience designing and facilitating adult learning including professional development
• Able to commit 10-15 hours per month outside of school for role responsibilities, as well as several days
• Approval of school leader to have 15-20 Talent Together Teaching Candidates in their classroom
• Permission to record Model Teacher labs, occasional lessons, and professional learning, for use within Talent Together learning spaces and marketing purposes.

• In collaboration with the Talent Together Facilitator, design and facilitate up to 3 model classroom lab days for cohort of 15-20 participants (in-person) or up to 50 (online), demonstrating classroom management, use of high-quality instructional materials, high expectations for student learning, cycles of planning, and student work/assessment data analysis during the school day.
• Incorporate adult learning principles into facilitation, including providing choice and voice to participants in their learning, opportunities to build connections between their own experiences and the concepts being modeled, and opportunities for authentic practice
• Host live, recorded, and hybrid-lab model classroom visits to demonstrate MI Core Teaching Skills and research-based instructional strategies
• Create resources for Talent Together participants (Videos, guides)
• Maintain strong record keeping for federal and state programs and grants
• Travel for in-person study days
• Support Talent Together Teacher Candidates in small groups or 1:1 10-15 hours monthly anticipated time commitment outside of school contract hours
• Participate in the Model Teacher Onboarding Meeting in August

Talent Together Model Teachers will be paid a stipend of up to $3,500/year, paid in three installments. Professional Learning Sessions are eligible for SCECH credits.

Contracted dates: August 17, 2026 - May 30, 2027.