JACKSON, Mich — East Jackson High School is saying goodbye to a longtime educator as the district confronts a growing math teacher shortage.
• East Jackson High School math teacher Joy Collier is retiring after 29 years of teaching.
• Michigan has seen a 700% increase in teacher vacancies over the last four years, particularly in math.
• Principal Joel Cook says the teacher shortage problem is expected to worsen in the coming years.
WATCH: East Jackson High School honors retiring math teacher amid statewide teacher shortage
I visited East Jackson High School during the first day of school and returned for the last week as Joy Collier prepares for retirement after 29 years of teaching mathematics.
When asked if she would miss teaching, Collier didn't hesitate. "I will miss most of it. I'll miss the kids and the teaching," Collier said. For Collier, mathematics represents more than just numbers and equations. "I see math as thinking activities. You have to think through problems and solve problems," Collier said.
Her passion for teaching is evident when she describes her favorite moments in the classroom. "Probably the aha moments kids have when you're working hard with them and they finally get it," Collier said.
As Collier prepares for retirement, East Jackson School District faces a significant challenge in finding her replacement due to a statewide math teacher shortage. Principal Joel Cook explained the situation facing schools across Michigan. "A lot of teachers went into education in the early 90s and early 2000s. Now, those programs aren't filling up like they used to. So those retirements are all happening now," Cook said.
Cook shared data from a 2023 State of Michigan study illustrating the severity of the problem. "The more green the map gets, the more teacher shortage you have, so right here is East Jackson Secondary School, where you can see we're starting to get a dark green area," Cook said.
Source: Education Policy Innovation Collaborative, Michigan Teacher Shortage Study: 2025 Report
The study reveals Michigan has experienced a 700% increase in teacher vacancies over the last four years, with mathematics positions being particularly difficult to fill. "This problem's only going to get worse with these few years having gone by," Cook said.
Despite the challenges ahead for the district, Collier hopes her replacement will bring the same dedication to students that she has maintained throughout her career. "I would like somebody with compassion, but also high expectations. They need to be able to push the kids and yet understand when the kids are having trouble being pushed," Collier said.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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