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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 25, 2023

DETROIT, MI – To grow the number of qualified, certified teachers and improve student outcomes, the Detroit Academy of Arts & Sciences (DAAS) announced an ambitious innovation Thursday: Teachers in the district will be paid a $100,000 salary as part of its Best-in-Class program. The goal is to hire 18 teachers at the higher pay rate – among the highest teacher pay of any district in the state –  in time for the start of the 2023-2024 school year.

“Every child deserves to be taught by a best-in-class teacher,” Maurice Morton, CEO of the district, said during a news conference held at the school Thursday. “By creating strong criteria to measure excellence  for teachers and investing in their growth with a best in class compensation plan, we believe that we will have a profound impact on the educational outcomes for the children we serve.”

Teachers in the district currently earn anywhere from $49,000 to $72,000,  based on experience, level of education, and the grade level to which they teach. Funds for the higher pay will come from reallocation of portions of the district’s budget.

Krystal Thomas, a 7th grade science teacher  at DAAS, called the salary hike, “revolutionary.”

“When you give teachers a livable wage, it makes the profession important,” said Thomas, who plans to pursue becoming a model teacher. “I’m really excited about this opportunity.”

To qualify for the $100,000 pay, teachers must meet a strict criteria: They must have at least 5 or more years of experience in the classroom as a lead teacher/teacher of record, at least 2 years of a highly effective rating in the most recent 3-year period in the Michigan Online Education Certification System (MOECS), possession of valid Michigan Teacher Certification, and demonstration of an impact on scholar outcomes, professionalism, commitment to equity, and family and community engagement. If hired, the teacher would be eligible for a 3-year contract, and would be required to maintain the ratings.

“I think it is great that DAAS is committed to ensuring that our students have the best teachers in the classroom,” said Ja’Myrea Jones, an 8th grader at DAAS and the school’s valedictorian. “Having highly effective teachers will help us become stronger scholars and future leaders.”

DAAS Board Chair Sharon Weatherspoon said there was, “never any question,” about whether they’d find the funds to support the pay hike.

“I have 1,000 reasons why we’re going to do this,” explained Witherspoon, referring to the student population at DAAS. “We’re not only looking to support our teachers, but to make sure that everybody who walks in the door gets the best of the best (instruction).”

The district’s educator woes mirror similar certified teacher shortages impacting districts in Michigan and across the country. A 2022 study by the Economic Policy Institute found that districts are struggling to fill vacancies and retain certified teachers, and more than 300,000 teachers left the teaching profession between 2020-2022, in part due to the impact of COVID-19. Between the 2008-09 and the 2018-19 academic years, the number of people completing a teacher-education program declined by almost a third, according to the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education.

The district went from having 95 percent of its teachers certified seven years ago to that number now hovering around 35 percent, Morton said. Supporting teachers on pathways to certification has been a district goal prior to this announcement, and the district provides coaching and professional development for teachers.  Sixteen teachers are enrolled or are in the process of enrolling in a traditional or alternative certification program, and 5 additional staff members are working towards degrees.

“We believe the implementation of this program will enable us to recruit, retain, and develop the highest quality teachers so that we can provide a best in class education for all children in the city of Detroit,” says Dara Klein, Talent Development & Recruitment Specialist at DAAS. “Our ultimate goal is to grow this program over time so that every single child is served by a transformational teacher.”

ABOUT DAAS: Founded in 1997 by Rev. Jim Holley, the Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences serves K-8 grades. Its mission is “to provide a high quality, holistic education anchored in the arts and sciences that prepares our students to compete in a global society.”

For more information, go to https://daasdistrict.org/.