MPS challenged to have teacher for every classroom
School district needs more than 200 teachers
School district needs more than 200 teachers
School district needs more than 200 teachers
Having a teacher for every classroom is the challenge that Milwaukee Public Schools are facing as the new school year begins.
"We have a shortage of over 200 teachers," MPS Superintendent Dr. Keith Posley told WISN 12 News.
Posley said the teacher shortage is impacting both the early start schools, middle and high schools which opened this week and elementary schools set to start in September.
"Basically 100 teachers, roughly, in the early start schools that we're short and a little over 113 in the traditional (start-date schools)," Posley said.
Wendy Mesich, the parent of a recent MPS graduate, worries about what impact the teacher shortage will have on students inside the classroom.
"I mean, they're the ones that are going to suffer the most," Mesich said.
Posley indicated that MPS is doing a variety of things to try to ensure that all classrooms and students have a teacher in place.
That includes actively working to recruit new teachers, even at community events such as the Wisconsin State Fair, moving school support teachers and some district administrators into classrooms and continually looking to add potential substitute teachers.
WISN 12 News asked Posley whether he believes MPS is doing enough to meet the need for teachers.
"Well, the bottom line, this is a national crisis," Posley said.
Brian Holoubek is the father of two MPS students. When asked whether he is confident that MPS will have a plan in place to address the teacher shortage in a way that it does not impact negatively impact students, Holoubek said, "I hope so. I don't know if I have confidence, but I hope so, yeah."
