Highlighting ongoing educator shortages during Teacher Appreciation Week

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) ---- During Teacher Appreciation Week, hometown educators are bringing awareness to the challenges they face each day, including an ongoing teacher shortage.

"We need to just take a moment to sit back and recognize our teachers and say thank you because they have stepped up, they're taking care of our babies in every school across the district," said Michael Harris, senior director of talent management for Milwaukee Public Schools.

Harris has more than two decades of experience in education. "I became a teacher through the Compton Fellowship Program. It was really a program back in the late 90s that wanted to pull people of color with non-teaching degrees, and they wanted us to come in and work specifically in middle schools," he said.

Harris later went on to become a principal and now works to bring passionate educators to Milwaukee Public Schools. "We know that we have to go out where the folks are. We can't expect them to come over to us or wait for a posting. We want to go out. We want to talk to individuals within the various communities because we want to bring in a diverse workforce," he said.

MPS has been holding career events to bring in talent. This comes as many school districts across the country say teacher shortages are at crisis level.

"Not only does the staffing crisis cause disruptions for our students, but the educator shortage puts additional stress on our colleagues as we’re in the classroom," said Peggy Wirtz-Olsen, teacher and president of the Wisconsin Education Association Council.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, nationally, the U.S. will be short more than 300,000 teachers by 2024.

"Now, more than ever, it's crucial to support our teachers and to help create environments in which they not only want to stay in the profession, but we are encouraging young educators to come into the field and provide support for our profession," said Nicki Ells, president of the Association of Wisconsin School Administrators.

Harris says he hopes future educators discover the same passion for the job that he did when he started.

Upcoming MPS Career Fairs:

Tuesday, May 9, 2023

Job Fair Cycle C - Classified (5:30 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.)

Milwaukee School of Languages
8400 West Burleigh Street
Milwaukee, WI 53222

Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Career & Resource Fair (9 a.m. - 1 p.m.)

Ross Innovative Employment Solutions
7800 West Brown Deer Road
Milwaukee, WI 53223