Members of the education community, both on and off campus, have been saying it for years, that a shortage of teachers is coming and when it gets here, districts and classrooms are going to feel the pinch.

Certainly, a good many school systems are already reporting teacher shortages, a trend that many expect will continue into the forseeable future.

We’re pleased to report that state government was listening and is pivoting to respond with a program that should help student teachers, the people who are training to be teachers but aren’t quite there yet.

The initiative is called Future Educator Stipend and it provides up to $9,600 per semester to support student teachers, who are tyically unpaid but are still obligated to pay tuition to their home college or university.

It’s through the Michigan Department of Education with the funds originally a part of federal COVID-19 relief.

“To have $9,600 to support someone during their student teaching is amazing. It takes pressure off of the student as far as work goes and some of those financial obligations,” Joseph Lubig, a professor and associate dean in the School of Education at Northern Michigan University, said for a story that appeared in The Mining Journal Thursday. “When they’re student teaching, they are living the life of a full-time teacher.”

It should be noted that stipends are available to students who qualify based on financial need, much like need-based scholarships are.

Many applicants don’t receive the full $9,600 because they already get some sort of assistance or scholarship that covers the rest of their tuition, but they still may receive a partial stipend.

Students can check whether they qualify and can apply on the Michigan Student Aid website.

Applications for the current school year are open and applications for the 2023-24 school year will open in May.

We like this program. It helps student teachers at a time when they need it the most. It supports school districts by making things better for incoming professionals. And it’s good for the discipline overall because it should improve retention, which is the bottom line.