Page 17 - FOCUS February 2020

FOCUS ON TALENT

Teacher Shortage Creates Problems: Let’s Focus on Solutions

BY JASON MELLEMA, INGHAM ISD SUPERINTENDENT

WITH THE ECONOMY ROARING
AND UNEMPLOYMENT AT
HISTORIC LOWS, many
industry sectors are
struggling to find great
employees. The education
community has been hit
with the same challenges. year – a stunning tenfold increase in just five years.” to get to this point, and it will take a concerted
Also, the pipeline for Many of these long-term subs aren’t highly qualified effort and time to improve. The issue becomes
future educators – teacher Mellema or certified, but instead people who are interested focusing on what we can control. K-12 public
preparation programs – have in helping kids. This makes a difference in the school districts have been partnering with higher
seen a dramatic decrease in student enrollment. quality of education our students are receiving. education institutions and research partners to help
Data from the U.S. Department of Education with preparation for those coming into the field.
shows Michigan has had an over 70% decrease Unlike the private sector, education cannot increase Within Ingham Intermediate School District and
in enrollment in teacher preparation programs pay by producing more widgets, nor raise prices on throughout the state, conversations are happening
between the 2008-2009 and 2016-2017 school our product – the student and their families – to about how to improve onboarding programs and
years. To be blunt, we have a teacher shortage reflect high demand. Instead, funding is tied to the retention of staff. We continue to reach out and
problem. per-pupil aid determined by our legislators and the encourage our legislators to help find solutions to
number of students we are serving. allow retirees back into the profession, especially
In a 2017 white paper published by the Michigan in critical shortage areas like special education and
Department of Education, Trends in Michigan Further complicating the matter are changes our math. Finally, if we can all agree on the goal of our
Teacher Certification, 9,964 initial certificates were legislators made to overall benefits, restrictions on children having a world-class education that allows
issued for teachers during the peak school year of school retirees entering the classroom, approximately them to reach their dreams, we must recognize that
2003-2004. By 2015-2016, the number of initial 100 new public school academies/charters since improving perception around public education is
certificates had dropped 62% to 3,696. According 2003-2004, competition between districts for staff about us – all of us – within our community.
to count data on MISchoolData.org, the student and those educators that have left the profession.
population dropped approximately 11% during Noting the challenges impacting the ecosystem, Collectively, we can make a difference. Drop a
the same time period. This has led to a significant waiting for the dust to settle seems like professional note of thanks to teachers who work tirelessly, a
increase in long-term substitutes in the classroom malpractice as current students are stuck. simple thank you to the staff who work to keep
with a cost to the quality of education for students. the building and grounds clean, or a handshake to
A recent long-term substitute study by Bridge SO, HOW DO WE SOLVE THIS? the administration are all ideas to help educators
Magazine reports that, “more than 2,500 Michigan know that you appreciate what they do. Please join
classrooms were led by long-term substitutes who While the teacher shortage has been exacerbated in me in recognizing the educators who are making a
weren’t certified teachers in the 2018-2019 school recent years, the reality is that it has taken us years positive impact on students every day. n

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