By Jennifer Pignolet, jpignolet@detroitnews.com
New Michigan teachers will soon have additional support to try to find success in their classrooms thanks to $12.1 million in state grants to local and intermediate school districts.
The Michigan Department of Education announced this week the allocation of state aid grants to 121 districts to provide support to new teachers, school administrators and school counselors. The areas of targeted support include mentoring, programming and professional development and can help teachers with instruction or classroom management. The money can be spent on resources like books or trainings, or time for other staff to provide mentoring and support.
The dollars, according to a release from the state, aim to address Michigan’s teacher shortage by helping support inexperienced teachers and limiting turnover.
“As new educators enter the profession, we must make sure they have the support they need to help students learn,” Interim Superintendent Sue C. Carnell said. “Mentoring and induction programs help to improve student achievement and teacher retention.”
The districts in the Detroit area receiving money include the Detroit Public Schools Community District, Ferndale Public Schools, L’Anse Creuse Public Schools, Troy School District, Grosse Pointe Public School System, Novi Community School District and Hamtramck Public Schools.
Carnell said the state has seen improvements in its supply of teachers, including increased numbers of students enrolled in teacher preparation programs.
The state saw an 87% increase in teacher preparation program enrollment over a seven-year period. In the 2016-17 academic year, just 9,512 students were enrolled. In the 2023-24 year, the number jumped to 17,780. Still, that number is down from a peak of 23,203 enrolled students in 2011-12.
A 2023 report from the Michigan Alliance for Student Opportunity found that staffing shortages were a significant problem affecting student learning and school operations, particularly for schools in economically disadvantaged districts.
The report found that in the wake of the COVID pandemic, vacancies in the K-12 workforce have increased while the number and quality of applicants for open positions have declined. The shortages were severe for special education and STEM teachers, substitute teachers, paraprofessionals and bus drivers.
