School district asks parents to let teachers move in as rents soar

Ten teachers quit their jobs at a San Francisco Bay area school district when the academic year ended in June, the superintendent told school board members last month. They didn’t burn out, switch careers or decide to stay home with their families. The teachers left because they couldn’t afford to live near their schools — so they moved to places where they could. Their exodus led school district officials in Milpitas, Calif., to ask students’ parents for help.

The district sent a message to parents this week, urging them to fill out an online form if “you have a room for rent at your home and would like to share the housing opportunity with our Milpitas Unified School District educators.” The message, which links to the form, asks parents how many rooms they have available and how much they would charge for rent.

Dozens have responded in a few days, Scott Forstner, a district spokesperson, told The Washington Post in an email. “With 53 responses to our call for Rooms for Rent for [district staff] in such a short time, this is evidence that our entire [team], which includes our teachers and classified support staff, is valued by our Milpitas community members, parents and caregivers,” Superintendent Cheryl Jordan wrote in an email to The Post.

It’s a new approach to an ongoing problem in California, especially the Bay Area, where teacher pay hasn’t kept pace with the cost of living, particularly when it comes to housing.

Would you let a teacher move in with you?

Article Source: The Washington Post