EMU also has 157 elementary mathematics majors and 125 secondary mathematics majors. The increase in demand for educators is due in part to an increase in teacher retirement. Approximately 5,000 teachers retire annually in Michigan. According to the Detroit News, Michigan school districts hire about 4,500 news teachers each year. The Michigan Retirement System in Lansing also reports an estimated 7,000 teachers will be eligible for retirement this year.
Increased enrollment is another factor in the demand for more teachers.
Public school enrollment in Michigan has grown three percent since 1991 and is expected to increase even more. Whatever the reason, Ypsilanti Public Schools are in need for teachers. About half of these opening are in elementary education, Fulton said. That's definitely positive news for EMU's over 800 elementary education majors. Fulton credits location for sending so many EMU students to the Ypsilanti Public Schools.