Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer will propose spending $2.3 billion over four years to recruit and retain teachers and other school staff, enticing them with annual $2,000 bonuses that would grow to $4,000 by 2025.

Starting in the fall, all full-time K-12 PUBLIC employees would get $2,000, with part-timers receiving less based on their hours worked. They would get an additional $2,000 if they come back to their district in 2023. Teachers and other certified staff such as counselors, social workers and nurses would qualify for $3,000 in 2024 and $4,000 in 2025.  First-year teachers hired in coming years would be eligible for the bonuses, too. So would teachers who change districts and move to a high-poverty building.

I work at a Catholic School in Michigan, and have been teaching in-person since August 2020, during the height of the pandemic. While thousands of public schools went virtual, my school was open, and we never closed to go virtual.  I continued to show up daily for my students and provide the best education, despite COVID.  My students continued to excel and not fall behind because they were in school. 

During the pandemic, the state of Michigan allowed full-time teachers in public and private school to apply and receive a $500.00 stipend for teaching at home during COVID from March to June 2020.  I received that stipend from the state of Michigan.  Why am I being left out of qualifying for the retention bonus?  A teacher is a teacher, no matter what type of school they work at!   

Governor Whitmer needs to allow private school teachers to receive the retention bonus!  

Please sign, share, and help support private school teachers in Michigan!  

Thank you, 

Jennifer