The “Respecting Educators” package of legislation – proposed by the Michigan House Democrats – would implement a variety of ideas to help fight the educator shortage, including:

• Offsetting student loan debt,
• Incentivizing districts to improve educator pay and lower class size,
• Reducing the cost of health care benefits,
• Amending the third grade reading law,
• Removing student test scores from educator evaluations,
• Reimbursing educators for out-of-pocket supply expenses,
• Improving professional development, and
• Creating a paraprofessional-to-teacher pathway and other ideas to bring more educators into the pipeline.

Learn more about this legislation – and contact your State Representative and urge them to take up the Respecting Educators bills in the State House.

Related:

– MEA President Paula Herbart in Detroit News – Labor Voices: Respect is real cure for educator shortage

– Michigan House Democrats Propose Comprehensive Solution to Michigan Teacher Shortage

– Check out the Michigan Educator Project to hear from educators about what’s driving the educator shortage.