Editorial: How to get, keep teachers when fewer are around?

At the June 28 school board meeting, Human Resources Director Abdul Madyun gave a long report on hiring and produced examples of what other districts are doing to get teaching staff during what he said is the current teacher shortage.
He showed a chart that indicated how fewer and fewer students are training to be teachers at the various colleges and universities in Michigan. He played a television news clip announcing how Jackson is offering a $10,000 bonus for teachers agreeing to serve three years. They get $5,000 the first year, $2,500 the second year, and $2,500 the third year, with $500 for moving expenses. He said Detroit is giving salary steps as part of its enticement of teachers, which is working.
Van Buren Public Schools have hired 20 new teachers for the upcoming school year so they are OK for now, but negotiations with the teachers’ union will start up again in August and studies Madyun made show VBPS ranks three out of five in pay to comparable school districts. He wants to raise teacher pay, but be fiscally responsible.
Madyun said teachers are now shopping for jobs and are comparing one district’s pay and benefits with another’s.
He also said the district needs 10 bus drivers for next school year and 15 paraprofessionals. Just ask business owners about employees being hard to find. They will agree.