This article originally appeared in The Detroit News May 7, 2024. 

The recent NFL Draft was a massive success for Detroit, with the city earning praise from celebrities, sports figures and elected officials for its energy and hospitality.

What’s not to love? Fandom, buzz about top players, highlight reels with gravity-defying plays and intense scrutiny of players’ skills.

The draft represents opportunity, with the hope that this player will forever change our franchise. The best players go early, but we could get a sleeper pick. Maybe our team will select the next Tom Brady!

Which made me wonder: What if public schools selected teachers like NFL teams draft their players?

The superintendent of schools stands at a podium: “With the first pick of the draft, Pontiac Middle School selects …”

The task of educating the next generation is noble. An excellent education gives children the knowledge and skills to succeed, while also strengthening our communities. Student achievement should be celebrated like it’s the Super Bowl.

But the conversation around education in Michigan is one-dimensional and gloomy.

The dominant narrative isn’t excellence. It’s money. From the Detroit school superintendent to K-12 advocates to the teacher's union, reform ideas are usually calls for more funding. You wouldn’t know Michigan school funding is at an all-time high.

School administrators cite the challenges of recruitment, perceived shortages and acrimonious labor relations.

Meanwhile, teachers feel underpaid and undervalued. (You can look up salaries with the Michigan Government Salaries Database.) Their loss of joy can be measured by departure rates. A Wall Street Journal analysis of 10 states found that teacher attrition is higher than it was before the pandemic. According to a recent Merrimack College Teacher Survey, 35% of teachers are likely to leave the profession within two years.

Rigid salary schedules dictate teacher pay. This offers predictability; the tradeoff is a hard cap on compensation. Private schools, by comparison, have flexibility to attract top talent for in-demand subjects.

Tenure laws make it difficult and expensive to remove an ineffective teacher. Seniority could cost good teachers their jobs simply because others have been there longer.

So back to the NFL draft: Imagine that schools identify their needs and seek out the right fit. Teachers are evaluated for their effectiveness. Schools compete for top teachers and work hard to retain them. Excellent teachers are rewarded for their accomplishments.

Some educators might disagree with this idea. I can think of sincere objections. One, a draft is fine for football, but teaching is a calling, not entertainment. Two, teachers deserve professional autonomy. Three, we’ve never tried that, and implementation would be complex. Four, teacher evaluations are difficult, subjective and incomplete.

All are fine points to discuss. Our schools should innovate and borrow good ideas from many fields. Teachers already work within numerous mandates thanks to union contracts and state laws. Each teacher’s autonomy would increase if schools competed for the best of the best. The draft itself might be unworkable, but how do we accomplish the conditions it would create if we could have one?

Teacher excellence is only possible when employment — a spot on the roster — is coupled with accountability. Underperforming teachers may need to leave the profession. But think about it: Every year lots of teachers leave the classroom. Who would we rather have stay: the top teachers or the ineffective ones?

Excellence and accountability are markers of professionalism. Michigan, unfortunately, just weakened teacher evaluations, making it difficult for school leaders and parents to identify and reward top-performing educators.

Al Davis, famed owner of the Oakland Raiders, liked to say, “Just win, baby!”

Education isn’t about a win or loss record. But it should prepare each child for the future. Let’s get creative as we recruit, retain and reward great teachers.

Permission to reprint this blog post in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided that the author (or authors) and the Mackinac Center for Public Policy are properly cited.