Teacher certificates often span broad grade bands, such as K-5, K-6, or even K-8. To earn these certificates, teacher candidates often spend more time learning content designed for older children and less on early childhood development and early literacy and numeracy. This issue of "State Innovations" highlights the Michigan State Board of Education, which adopted new early childhood general and special education teacher preparation standards in January 2020, adding a birth-K certificate that better aligns with classroom needs and helps professionalize the early childhood workforce.