Illinois’ statewide teacher shortage is beginning to ease off as schools are making headway in filling vacant positions, according to a pair of new surveys. The Illinois State Board of Education and Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools each released findings Monday which showed, for the first time in several years, that the state is seeing some improvements in the number of educator hires. “The state has recognized the severity and urgency of this crisis and has made investments that have made a difference — from Teacher Vacancy Grants awarded to the most understaffed school districts to a successful statewide teacher recruitment marketing campaign,” State Superintendent of Education Tony Sanders said in a statement. “However, our highest need schools are still experiencing critical educator shortages, so we must keep building on the progress we see today.” Those vacancy grants, the largest-ever state investment in addressing teacher vacancies, included $45 million per year in fiscal years 2024 and 2025 issued to the 170 Illinois school districts with the greatest numbers of unfilled teaching positions. According to ISBE, Illinois saw a 5.6% decrease in the total number of unfilled teaching positions in the 2024-25 school year compared to the previous year, along with increases in filled positions and decreases in unfilled positions for school support personnel and paraprofessionals. The IARSS survey found that 87% of education leaders indicated they had a minor, serious or very serious problem with teacher shortages — which actually marks a decrease from 90% last year. Still, both studies made clear that teacher vacancies remain a serious challenge for school districts across Illinois. In all, 3,864 teaching positions were unfilled statewide as of Oct. 1, 2024, according to ISBE, along with 996 school support personnel, 2,415 paraprofessionals and 189 administrator positions. The IARSS survey also found that 71% of school leaders reported their teacher position needs increased since last school year, and 80% expect those needs will continue to grow over the next five years. Ninety-one percent of school leaders also said they have fewer than five — and sometimes as few as zero — applicants for their open teaching positions. “The latest report should again draw the attention across Illinois of educators, legislators and state officials on the progress we have been making to identify and rectify our shortage crisis, and the work we need to build on to help produce more qualified candidates to lead students in our classrooms,” IARSS Executive Director Gary Tipsord said in a statement.
