Hope in the Halls: Why We Must Reinvest in Teachers as the Heart of Public Education in Ohio
- Dr. Renée T. Willis, Martha Holden Jennings Foundation
Across Ohio — and across our nation — public education stands at a crossroads. Much of the conversation focuses on test scores, funding formulas, and workforce readiness. Yet at the heart of every great classroom and inspired student stands a teacher.
If we want to strengthen public education, we must begin by reinvesting in the people who make learning possible.
Honoring a Legacy Rooted in Teachers
Since its founding in 1959, the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation has upheld a clear belief: teachers matter most.
Our mission has always been to foster the development of young people by encouraging creativity and excellence in teaching. We have supported Ohio’s educators by:
Funding innovative classroom projects that advance deep learning, like Michael Triska of the Educational Service Center of Lorain County and his Empower AI project.
Supporting personalized teacher learning experiences across the U.S. and abroad, like Daneé Pinckney, the 2025 Teacher of the Year and an English teacher at Twinsburg High School whose journey through the Jennings Fund for Teachers took her to Africa.
Honoring outstanding teachers each year through awards nominated by their district superintendents, like Christopher Monsour, a science teacher at Columbian High School, who won Ohio’s 2026 Teacher of the Year.
These initiatives reflect what our founders knew to be true — teaching is both an art and a calling.
The National Challenge: Teacher Shortages and Shifting Realities
Across the country, districts are confronting a growing teacher shortage. Retirements accelerated after the pandemic, and fewer graduates are entering teacher education programs. In Ohio, the shortage is felt deeply in areas like math, science, and special education.
This is not only a workforce concern, it is a societal one. When we lose teachers, we lose mentors, institutional knowledge, and continuity for children who rely on trusted adults.
Reinvesting in teachers is not simply about recruitment, it’s about renewal.
Teachers: The Heartbeat of Public Education
Public school teachers hold a sacred responsibility. They do not choose who walks through their doors each morning. They teach every child, regardless of circumstance.
In an era of division, teachers quietly model inclusion, patience, and resilience. They are builders of community and cultivators of potential.
Their work is not transactional; it is transformational.
They teach children to think, to imagine, and to persist. They teach courage, empathy, and hope, skills that outlast any test or trend.
A Foundation of Hope
At the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, we see hope in the halls of Ohio’s schools every day:
In teachers who stay late to tutor students
In principals who protect planning time
In districts that prioritize professional learning despite fiscal challenges
Our mission is to amplify that hope. To invest in programs that give teachers the resources, networks, and confidence they need to thrive.
When we invest in teachers, we invest in our shared future.
Moving Forward Together
If we are to preserve the promise of public education in Ohio, we must continue to lift up those who lift others.
This is not the time to lose faith in the teaching profession. It is the time to champion it. The Martha Holden Jennings Foundation invites educators, community partners, and citizens across Ohio to join us in this shared mission: To ensure every teacher feels seen, supported, and celebrated.
Because when teachers thrive, students flourish. And when students flourish, Ohio’s future shines brighter.