One Kalamazoo Public School official says the future of public education in Michigan will continue to be grim even after the Covid crisis eases, unless changes are made.
KPS Operations Director Jim English says Michigan schools are underfunded. While Governor Gretchen Whitmer is proposing increases, other state’s are investing more. English says enrollments have been declining for a while, but he says the decline in students at Michigan’s teacher colleges has dropped even faster, a problem now that will only get worse.
“I don’t have a crystal ball, but I feel like this is perhaps your number one choice as we look at the next decade. We have got to think differently as we think about recruitment, retention and how we’re going to be an employer of choice”
English says for the next couple of years at least, districts will have Covid dollars to address the fallout from the pandemic. But he says they will likely still struggle to find the staff.
KPS Administrators are proposing to beef up courses that will introduce students to teaching as a profession, and begin them for the first time in the Middle schools this coming year.
