Pandemic worsening Michigan s teacher shortage
Retirements increased 44% between August and February
and last updated 2021-04-21 19:26:02-04
WXMI â Teacher shortages were already an issue in Michigan pre-pandemic, but exhaust from a year of coronavirus and virtual learning have skyrocketed educator retirements, exacerbating an already overwhelming problem for public, private and charter schools.
âNot just for teachers but for educators in general,â said Tina Kerr, executive director of the Michigan Association of Superintendents and Administrators. âWe have a staffing shortage with para-pros, bus drivers, administrators. The pandemic just exacerbated it; we already had a critical issue in the state.â
According to ChalkBeat, Michigan teacher retirements between this past August and February increased 44% compared to the same time period in 2019-2020. It represents just shy of 800 educators.