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At the beginning of 2020, the number of Illinois teachers opting for retirement was down from previous years, but after schools shut down in the spring because of the COVID-19 pandemic, those numbers climbed.

Typically, the “retirement season” for teachers is between January and June, according to Dave Urbanek, director of communications for the Teachers Retirement System of Illinois. In 2020, though, there was a spike of out-of-season retirements in July, August and September after many districts started announcing their return to learn plans for the fall.

August 2020 saw a 67% increase in teacher retirements from the two Augusts prior, with 217 teachers retiring across the state. In August 2019, 174 teachers retired, and in August 2018, 140 did. July 2020 showed a 38% increase in retirements from the two years prior, and September 2020 had a 34% increase.

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Statewide, more teachers have retired in 2020 than in 2019 or 2018, but the year-to-year difference is not as stark. In 2020, 4,059 Illinois teachers retired, compared to 3,699 in 2019 and 3,869 in 2018.

Compared to the 2018–2019 average, total retirements have risen 7% in 2020.