On any given school day, Indiana’s educators can be found leading larger classrooms with limited resources, many of them substantially underpaid. It’s a formula that’s causing many of our quality teachers to leave and turning the next generation of educators away from one of our nation’s most noble professions.

With any complex problem, there is never a one-size-fits-all solution. And while the ongoing teacher shortage is an issue as complex as any, state leaders in Indiana have made one thing clear: When we prioritize the wellbeing of K-12 teachers, it is our children, the communities we call home and our workforce that ultimately thrive.

In Indiana, lawmakers are taking measures to do exactly that, starting with the 2024-2025 Indiana state budget, which earmarked $2.9 billion in state funding for K-12 education. Among that amount is $1.5 billion specifically aimed at supporting teacher pay and benefits, as Gov. Eric Holcomb aims to raise the state’s average teacher salary above $60,000 per year. This investment is not only about retainment, but also recruitment. The message is loud and clear for Hoosiers – our classrooms need quality educators right now and in the long run.

House Bill 1528, known as the Next Generation Hoosier Educators Scholarship Program, was signed earlier this year by Holcomb. The program is designed to lessen the state’s teaching vacancies, which hovered around 1,800 as of July. Also known as the ‘Transition to Teaching’ bill, the program awards up to $10,000 toward tuition for Indiana residents who already have a bachelor’s degree and agree to teach at a public school for at least five years after earning their teaching license.

We have seen efforts such as fast-track credentialing, for example, across the country as a Band-Aid solution to address the teacher shortage. As admirable as it may be that there are individuals willing to transition into teaching, it too often leaves schools and classrooms with under-qualified teachers and high turnover. While this is one way to quickly fill vacancies, in the long run, children continue to be impacted by these short-term solutions to a much broader problem.

The needs specific to school districts across the country are varied and complex, but the efforts and initiatives set forth by Indiana’s state leaders are a step in the right direction. Fortunately, Indiana is just one example of state and local leaders acknowledging this issue with urgency. In 2022, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer worked with state legislators to dedicate $575 million of state budget toward increasing a teacher pipeline. Specifically, $175 million of that amount is allocated to the state’s Grow Your Own program that provides a pathway for school staff members to become teachers.

2023 teacher shortages: What to know about vacancies in your region.

As mothers of children who are enrolled in and are a product of public schools, it’s imperative that we continue to invest in the well-being of our current educators and endeavor to reduce the stress of being overworked and underpaid – to eliminate the strain that accompanies leading a classroom without the adequate resources and support necessary to set our children up for success.

The quality of our children’s education forms the foundation for their unique futures. We live in a fast-paced, ever-evolving world, and for today’s children, receiving an amazing education from amazing educators will put them on a strong pathway to achieve anything that they put their minds and hearts toward. As parents, we put our children first, and want them to grow and thrive in a better place than us. So do our nation’s teachers, who put our children first every day at school.

It’s time that we, as a country, always support our teachers every day and in every way imaginable.

Dr. Stacey Ludwig Johnson is the senior vice president of Western Governors University and executive dean of the School of Education, where she leads the academic and operational strategy for WGU. Stacey has invested more than 24 years envisioning, creating and implementing academic services, including faculty and clinical experience models, that optimize student progress and retention, attainment and career success.

Alison Bell has more than 20 years of higher education leadership experience and is the regional vice president of Western Governors University, overseeing Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Michigan and Kentucky. WGU currently has more than 140,000 students and more than 335,000 alumni nationwide.