(WXYZ) — Teachers are in short supply these days, and as kids head out on summer break, school administrators are looking at ways to recruit and retain talented educators.
Michigan is struggling to fill gaps, just like a lot of schools across the country. Dozens of specialized teacher positions have been listed on the federal critical shortage list.
As for why they're leaving? It's different for every teacher. Some that we talked to say they've been thrust into school politics and feel little support from their administration.
One thing is clear – the teachers who do walk away tend to be conflicted.
That was the case for Susan Buffa, who was a Spanish teacher in Macomb County for 25 years. She imagined her retirement would come a few years from now.
"When I think about it, I get emotional and I'm sure tears will be shed this week because it is. Like anything else when you leave, you miss the people," Buffa said.
The Michigan Education Association (MEA), the state's largest teacher union, surveyed 2,600 members and found 20% of Michigan teachers expect to change careers in the next 2-3 years. 14% said they plan to retire.
View the critical shortage list below
Michigan critical shortage list by WXYZ-TV Channel 7 Detroit on Scribd
"We just don't have enough people coming through the college ranks to replace them," Thomas Morgan said. "We need to do a much better job as a state at attracting good educators in the classroom and holding on to the ones we have."
The Novi School District said luckily, they only have five teacher openings. Dr. Gary Kinzer said the school is in good shape for the fall, but things could change.
"When we have classrooms that are unfilled, that means we have teachers guest teaching on their planning time, or we have principals or in some cases central office administrators filling in in classrooms to help so again the entire system feels that pressure," Kinzer said.
Tara Roberts left her teaching job two years ago. She worked in special education, an area listed as having a critical shortage, according to the state.
"To walk away, even when it's the right reasons and possibly admittedly maybe selfish reasons for your own health and well-being both physically and mentally, you know it is the right thing to do, but it's hard," Roberts said.
She never imagined doing anything else with her life. She said her decision to leave Wyandotte Schools was based on a lack of support from administration, and feeling like students weren't being put first.
"When you just feel like what you do isn't valued and isn't respected, and you're being degraded for it even within your own profession, those who can get out I think are getting out," Roberts said.
Buffa said teachers need to be part of the conversation. Only then, she said, can state leaders begin to solve the problem.
"We all need to work together. Our kids are counting on us," Buffa said.
State Superintendent Michael Rice has been pushing the state to invest as much as $500 million in strategies to address shortages. Right now, there is a law in place allowing retirees to fill critical positions without losing retirement benefits.
