Education leaders around state talk need for Whitmer's proposed $2.3B proposal

FOX 2 - Today in a virtual roundtable, educators across SE Michigan reacted to Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s proposed budget plan to be presented on Wednesday to lawmakers.

"The governor, I think, is making some smart investments - and I’ll call it an investment because that’s how you have to look at this in terms of investment for education," said Michael DeVault, Macomb ISD superintendent.

"It is going to take a continuing effort to mitigate the many challenges caused by the pandemic, and we need funding commitments from Lansing, and we need them now," said Dr. Davida Colbert, Wayne RESA.

Educators admit the shortage of teachers and support staff did not start with the pandemic.

"It wasn’t caused by the pandemic it was just exacerbated by the pandemic," said Dr. Kevin Miller, St. Clair RESA.

Whitmer’s education budget proposal includes spending $2.3 billion dollars over four years to recruit and retain teachers and other school staff.

The proposed plan would also offer yearly  teacher bonuses which will jump from $2,000 to $4,000 by 2025

"We are competing against a private workforce when we’re looking at trying to get some of these professionals," said Ben Mainka, superintendent Swartz Creek Community School District. "So we need to know going into this next fiscal year what resources we’re going to have at our disposal."

Related: Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer proposes $2.3 billion to entice more teachers

These educators want lawmakers to approve the funding portion for education even if they have to do if before the entire budget is approved

Districts cannot move forward with guesswork we need concrete answers from Lansing to make the hiring and other budgetary decisions as needed

Educators believe it’s also time to look to long-term solutions to the teaching shortage crisis, such as compensating students when they do their student teaching.