SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — From hiring retired educators to adjusting class offerings, Illinois schools are relying on a variety of short-term, innovative measures to cope with a prolonged and critical statewide teacher shortage.

The most recent survey of education leaders from the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools, or IARSS, shows overall shortage percentages similar to pre-pandemic levels, yet school districts are still struggling to ease less-than-optimal student-teacher ratios.

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