Reading the cover story about this year’s NEA Foundation Award for Teaching Excellence winner prompts two thoughts:

First – East Jordan’s Matt Hamilton is a truly exceptional educator.

And – every student, no matter where they live, deserves a Matt Hamilton in their life.

Matt’s work both in and outside of the classroom is more than worthy of the prestigious acknowledgment he received from NEA. He is an amazing teacher who nurtures young people’s talents and confidence, providing them with valuable tools to face the world and become productive members of society.

But we know Matt isn’t alone. Educators like Matt Hamilton work in public schools across Michigan, constantly inspiring students, parents and their communities to create a brighter future.

We need to publicly celebrate our successes, reminding everyone that great things happen every day for students in public schools. MEA is committed to lifting up these stories, as you’ll see in the four standout educators honored with our statewide Excellence & Human Rights awards.

By celebrating each other and our passion for student learning, we can recruit the next generation of exceptional educators to join our ranks in Michigan.

Too many schools continue to struggle with a shortage of qualified educators, especially in rural and urban areas. As local, state and federal policymakers examine various education proposals, they must prioritize educator retention.

The recipe for attracting and retaining great educators isn’t complicated – as Michigan Teacher of the Year Kelley Cusmano has championed during her tenure this past year. Read more about Kelley’s message on teacher retention.

To get and keep the best and brightest working in our kids’ schools, elected leaders must dramatically increase educator compensation, listen to the voices of frontline school employees when crafting education policies, and respect educators for the professionals they are.

Fixing Michigan’s educator shortage is not only possible — it’s essential for our children’s future. That starts by honoring all of the Matt Hamiltons who dedicate their professional lives and devote their many talents to educating our students.

In Solidarity Always,

Chandra Madafferi, MEA President and CEO

Brett Smith, MEA Vice President

Aaron Eling, MEA Secretary-Treasurer