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Superintendents’ study finds growing teacher shortage problem

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Illinois

* From an Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools press release…

Five years after its debut, Illinois’ pre-eminent study finds the statewide teacher shortage problem continues to grow – accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic – and school districts overwhelmingly expect it to get even worse in the near future.

* Top results…

Illinois school districts report the teacher shortage problem has worsened from last year in virtually all major areas:

• 88 percent of schools say they have a teacher shortage problem, and 77 percent report the shortage is getting worse
• 93 percent of districts expect the shortage will worsen over the 2023 and 2024 academic years
• More than 2,000 positions are either not filled or filled by someone not qualified to teach there – more than double the amount reported from the last school year
• 96 percent of schools report a substitute teacher shortage problem
• More than 400 classes were canceled, and nearly that many sent online because schools simply had no one to teach them in person
• While administrator shortages are much less severe, schools report they’re having a harder time finding qualified candidates amid retirements and are more and more concerned those struggles will grow over time

* COVID-19 impact…

As students returned to classrooms, schools have struggled to fill needed gaps in educator availability during the pandemic. More than 70 percent say the pandemic has created budget or logistical challenges increasing hiring needs. Nearly 60 percent of districts report increased hiring of teachers and paraprofessionals during the pandemic.

But the actual effects of COVID-19 on day-to-day school instruction goes much deeper. Administrators report their teachers and staff are burned out, their substitute teacher pools are bare as more educators choose to retire or not return to the classroom, and very public battles over mask and other education mandates are taking a heavy toll.

“Anyone ‘on the fence’ about becoming or staying an educator is likely not going to be around,” reported one elementary school leader in northwest Illinois.

* Where it’s worst…

While shortage problems are evident in all parts of Illinois, rural school districts report the most significant problems and the worst outlook ahead. The most severe shortage problems are found in west central and east central Illinois – each region has more than 90 percent of schools reporting shortages. Shortages are also most extreme in unit districts.

* What’s next…

Policy recommendations included in the 2021 study include:

• Increased funding throughout the teacher pipeline: enticing more young people to go into the field and better supporting those who start but can be tempted to leave
• Streamlining restrictive requirements to get into teaching and substitute teaching
• Expanding programs that recruit and support minorities and those who teach in high-need subject areas
• Helping schools find more candidates to meet short-term educator shortage needs

* Capitol News Illinois…

The survey results paint a different picture than the most recent state report card from the Illinois State Board of Education, which indicated the teacher workforce has been growing, due in large part to the additional funding districts have received from both state and federal sources.

“We are encouraged by a lot of what we can see at the state level in terms of growth overall in the number of full-time teachers,” Jen Kirmes, ISBE’s executive director of teaching and learning, said in an interview. “We’re also encouraged by what we see in terms of educator preparation, programs, enrollment and completion. And so there certainly are reasons to be optimistic.”

“We also know that there are great needs in places still for classroom educators,” she added. “But also, we’re hearing from districts about the need for other really critical support professionals who make school work for students like bus drivers, substitute teachers, paraprofessionals. And of course, especially during a pandemic, school nurses.”

Klaisner said IARSS does not dispute the data from ISBE, but he said 2020-21 findings were skewed by the pandemic and the fact that most districts were operating entirely remotely.

* Capitol News Illinois also has a few regional stories about the study…

* Northwest Illinois school districts struggle with teacher, substitute teacher vacancies

* West central Illinois communities struggle with lack of teachers

* Teacher shortage at crisis level in east central Illinois

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 12:38 pm

Comments

Vilifying teachers while constantly threatening their pensions has caused a number of qualified people to say “no thanks”?

Let’s all act surprised by these findings.

Comment by Flying Elvis'-Utah Chapter Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 12:44 pm
There are a large number of stay-at-home parents with college degrees that could provide a huge boost to the teacher shortages if they would streamline a process of getting them certified as teachers. The process now is way too cumbersome.

Comment by Smalls Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 12:48 pm
I am a substitute teacher but the pay is really poor for the responsibility. At this point I no longer sub for public schools just due to the fact I am not sure what is right or wrong. It seems if a teacher makes a statement anything can be said that would be used against them. I would say in general at least in Central Illinois the kids are fine but one wrong taken word or opinion on a subject could get the teacher in a problem. I could work everyday if I wanted as a sub but they need to pay more than the $85-95 a day pay.

Comment by clec dcn Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 12:49 pm
===Streamlining restrictive requirements to get into teaching and substitute teaching===

A cynic might say this could result in less skilled teachers. There are some hurdles that future teachers need to overcome. Some are for good reason, some are just barriers to access.

Another way forward might be to have the various colleges of education around the state offer satellite courses at local community colleges with tuition subsidized by the sponsoring school district. Education is portable, as they say.

The bigger problem is the continued depopulation of rural Illinois. The teacher shortage is a symptom, but it’s not the disease.

Comment by 47th Ward Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 12:50 pm
My school district is now offering pay raises from $110 to $130, daily pay rate for substitutes. They’ll receive a $25 bonus for working Monday or Friday, and a $100 bonus for working every day, Monday thru Friday.

Permanent staff giving up lunch and plan periods to work for absent teachers in grades 6-12 are offered nothing extra, though many are doing this every day.

Comment by Wensicia Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 1:07 pm
I have to believe that the Tier II pensions, although helpful to the unfunded liability, are steering youngsters away from the education field in Illinois.

Comment by Diver Down Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 1:08 pm
Observed the drama over the weekend at my alma mater where the English teacher quit after a group of extremists tried to ban “The Hate U Give” from her classroom. I wouldn’t want to teach the kids of book burners either

Comment by SWIL_Voter Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 1:13 pm
- Flying Elvis’-Utah Chapter - Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 12:44 pm:

The pension issue was mentioned on the Capitol News Illinois podcast by one of the reporters who did a regional story on this shortage issue. Superintendents said the reduced pension has hurt recruitment because it was a big plus that downstate districts could offer, especially if they weren’t very competitive on other areas such as class size, pay, etc.

Comment by Google Is Your Friend Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 1:13 pm
Credit where it’s due but teacher retention and hiring seems to be one of the areas where Chicago Public Schools are doing pretty well, at least as of this fall.

https://chicago.chalkbeat.org/2021/9/10/22666840/covid-stress-chicago-public-schools-teachers-stay-put-vacancies

Comment by ChicagoBars Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 1:15 pm
While Illinois has its problems with retention, it appears there may soon be a large influx of teachers coming from Indiana.

There’s some full on fundamentalism coming into the teaching profession, in regard to new and proposed legislation being applied to it by the state of Indiana.

Illinois is not perfect by a long shot, but what’s going on in our neighboring areas often makes Illinois seem like a utopia in comparison.

I don’t know if teachers moving out of other states into Illinois are going to be moving into the rural areas where they would be most needed, but it seems like with a bit of a carrot(income tax credits/incentives, loan forgiveness program expansion to more rural areas, etc) there could be an opportunity to improve the situation for residents of Illinois.

Comment by TheInvisibleMan Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 1:17 pm
This is shocking. I suppose next you’re going to tell me that Trump doesn’t always tell the truth.

Comment by filmmaker prof Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 1:18 pm
A 28 year teacher I know well left after winter break. She had it. Done with parents, done with bratty kids, done with lack of staff and support. Left for a job that pays 15-20% less and is at peace.

Perhaps years of dragging teachers, complaining about public education, not paying them well and a world wide pandemic that has only made people angrier has an impact. Who knew.

Comment by Cool Papa Bell Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 1:31 pm
Maybe a sweetener loan forgiveness (20% per year so if you work for 5 years you are completely debt free). It could lead to a flood of books telling coming of age stories about college grads who moved to hard luck rural areas and taught the student for a few years. At least fresh college grads don’t usually have spouses that need to find jobs, too.

Comment by cermak_rd Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 1:38 pm
We ask our teachers to do so much more than teach. I observed classrooms for a few weeks when considering returning to teaching a few years ago. The juggling of multiple IEPs, discipline issues, social needs (as teachers are first line to ensure child Is fed), addressing ACEs. All of this in addition to preparing lesson plans. Many teachers I knew did not have time to eat lunch let alone go to washroom. Now we throw in the insane parents. Teachers who are able to retire will do so. Many retires served as substitutes and that is out with the virus.

Comment by illinifan Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 1:39 pm
Smalls,

How many of those stay at home parents have degrees in education (for K-8) or degrees in a taught subject at HS? If we are not going to require the education to fit the subject area then why require a college education? Why not just promote the teachers aides?

Comment by cermak_rd Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 1:40 pm
illinifan,

Yes I would guess the pandemic has had a large effect on subs and likely will continue to do so. That genie (unfortunately) isn’t going back in the bottle so as folks approach their mid sixties it will become a serious threat for them, too. Meaning, few new subs from new retirees either.

Comment by cermak_rd Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 1:43 pm
I know data shows CPS is doing an OK job with teacher retention but there are so many unfilled positions across the district. As someone who works in CPS I can say that pretty much everyone I know feels unsupported during this difficult time. A lot of burnout. Also a lot of anger with much of that anger directed at Lori.

Comment by Common Sense Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 1:55 pm
As was previous noted, the elephant in the room … Tier II pensions.

Comment by Anyone Remember Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 1:57 pm
=The juggling of multiple IEPs, discipline issues, social needs=

This is a massive part of why teachers are leaving. And it’s making hard for students to learn too.

It’s a hard line to walk, but the kids that are now left in school and in classrooms that are nothing but disruptive and occasionally dangerous is endlessly frustrating. My son’s Jr. High has a student that is allowed to disrupt class with outbursts, wander the halls for hours and fight with police when they are called. He slapped a teacher a month or so ago and was back in school two days later. And locally to Springfield, this is a “good district”. We’ve got a ton of problems and I sure want a few of them fixed at somepoint.

Comment by Cool Papa Bell Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 1:57 pm
The change to tier2 caused a lot of students to not consider going into teaching as a career. The pipeline of future teachers coming from the colleges and universities thinned out, and it no longer is worth it.

Comment by DuPage Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 1:58 pm
I’m making a career pivot right now, and I would seriously consider teaching (and I have five years’ experience as a college professor, from before I went into the private sector; I know I’m a good teacher, and I know I like to teach). But I am absolutely not paying to retrain. If the state or a district wanted to pay me to get certified, I’d do it. But I’m not paying more tuition to take a job that pays less than my current one.

Sub pay is so appalling. You can make more driving for DoorDash.

There’s also the issue that a lot of the college-educated mid-career professionals or stay-at-home parents who might be willing to go into teaching and might not need as much retraining are probably much LESS willing to move. My kids have friends and activities. My spouse has a career. I would be happy to serve in an underresourced school, or a school struggling with staffing … but I’m not going to commute an hour a day, or uproot my whole life and move.

===degrees in a taught subject at HS?===

I mean, I have three degrees and college teaching experience in qualifying areas for HS social studies. But I haven’t done professional teacher preparation, so I would have to do that and student teach and pay all that tuition before I could teach in an Illinois high school. Which I do not object to! But I’m not going to pay for that. If the state followed a model like Alliance for Catholic Education, where you get your M.Ed and student teaching all done in a fairly short period of time, while receiving a stipend, I’d happily jump right in.

Comment by Suburban Mom Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 2:06 pm
How much of this is generational? When I was in school (I’m early GenX) education (along with social work) was still one of the Mrs degrees. I doubt anyone (aside from some niche subcultures) thinks that away anymore.

Comment by cermak_rd Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 2:07 pm
I read somewhere teachers are like lawyers. They’re useless and overpaid…until you need one.

As others have said, you’ll have a tough time convincing someone in their mid-twenties to survive this angry, anti-intellectual climate until they turn 67.

Comment by Jocko Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 2:25 pm
Like others have said, it’s a Tier II problem.

IL State agencies are having the same exact problem, but you won’t find an agency director who will admit it, because the first step to fixing a problem is admitting there is one.

Comment by Scooter Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 2:29 pm
-More litigious society.
-Demanding parents.
-Expectations that teachers be responsive/available 24/7, via email
-Widespread feeling that admin doesn’t have our back-Diminished autonomy in preparing units/lessons
-Increased high stakes tests - which students hate, doesn’t serve learning well, not beneficial
-For prospective and newer teachers, the dawning awareness that tier 2 pensions will lead to near-impossible retirement

Comment by Ashland Adam Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 2:34 pm
Years ago, women who attended college were encouraged to pursue education. Fields of study like law, medicine, research, and finance were never considered options for women. The women who graduated with degrees stayed in the profession for thirty plus years and then retired.

Today women have many options in fields of study and build remarkable careers with compensation that is commensurate with their responsibilities.

Many in education today pursue the administrative track after a few short years in the classroom as teaching can be challenging.

There are no easy fixes for the empty classrooms everywhere.

Comment by Rudy’s teeth Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 2:35 pm
Between 2012 and 2016 the number of people taking educator licensure tests (of any kind including admin) dropped by 75%. Seventy-five percent. Anyone with eyes could see big problems coming.

What happened at that time? Tier II took effect 1/1/11. The school funding crisis began with Quinn and only got worse. Continued bashing of teachers and administrators.

Not hard to connect the dots.

Fast forward to 2020-2022 and we find that education is the new attack point for the radical right. Morale is awful. Teachers are divided over masking and vaccinations (thanks ILGOP) and we have nobody to fill absences or vacancies.

If this was your field, you would be miserable too. I cannot wait until retirement.

=But I am absolutely not paying to retrain.=

Teaching college is not the same as p-12 schools. Not even close and I have done both.

We all have to invest in the training required for our career choices, but more and more schools are paying for people(all or part) to get their teaching licensure. Call your local schools and ask. We pay to get people licensed,

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 2:48 pm
Some of the teacher places that need to be filled are for Montessori programs that are in the public schools.(Yes, there are several in Illinois). If the Illinois teaching certificate recognized Montessori teacher training there would be applicants qualified to fill the Montessori positions and the teachers who had been in the Montessori classes could be hired for other spots. Many states have already adopted this approach including Wisconsin. MACTE is the organization that approves Montessori teacher training programs.

Comment by ward requirements adnilsivad Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 2:51 pm
I will add a plus 1 to Flying Elvis. Hard to do the job when everyone thinks you are the problem. Also, there have been massive cuts to state universites who educate new teachers over the years. This was done to save money. You won’t get more teachers unless you invest in higher education. Everyone can compain about high taxes but there is no such thing as a free lunch.

Comment by Publius Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 2:58 pm
===Teaching college is not the same as p-12 schools. Not even close and I have done both.===

I know it (my mom is a public school teacher), and I don’t object to DOING the retraining, I just object to having to PAY for retraining after finally paying off my student loans. I’m never paying to train again.

And just from a policy perspective (not a personal perspective), I think the feds and the states need to be looking at paying for at least parts of the professional training for essential workers whose professions have been hit hard by Covid — teachers, nurses, etc. Pulling in career-changers is great, because they may need less retraining, depending on their educational background and professional experience. But making opportunities available to low-income and disadvantages populations is even MORE important. There are tens of thousands of people in Illinois who would be GREAT teachers — if they could afford to get the college degree. (And student loan payback incentives don’t cut it. The loans need to be sidestepped in the first place. Stipends would help.)

Comment by Suburban Mom Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 3:08 pm
According to ISBE:
700,000 licensed k-12 educators
250,000 currently working
450,000 not teaching or working in schools

4,120 Openings - per ISBE’s Unfilled Positions page.

So, almost half million licensed educators in Illinois who don’t want to teach? Why?

Address that question, and we’ll be further down the road to a long-term solution (and not just bringing more young people in, who’ll leave anyway).

Comment by Ashland Adam Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 3:17 pm
JS Mill says it all.

Comment by Norseman Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 3:18 pm
=450,000 not teaching or working in schools=

Many retirees still have current licenses.

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 3:30 pm
Many universities encouraged teachers to obtain a master’s degree in education. This resulted in a permanent life license with no requirement for continuing education throughout the years. Those licenses are valid today even though staff is long retired.

Comment by Rudy’s teeth Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 3:41 pm
The # from ISBE on unfilled positions - 4120 - sounds low; I wonder if CPS #s are folded in? CPS’s vacancy pages are somewhat confusing; CPS lists vacancies one at a time. You can scroll through and view individual positions, but no (readily available) number of total vacancies.

“Many retirees …”

This number - 450k - is active licenses. Some recent retirees may still have an active license, but they’ll go into lapsed mode eventually. So…even if it’s half this # - 250k active licenses - and holders of those licenses have left the profession?

Points to all the comments above, re: why teaching is no longer a desirable or satisfying career.

Comment by Ashland Adam Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 3:52 pm
Holders of Masters’ in Education must still go through license renewal, professional development, payment of fees.

No one is exempt. Nationally Board certified get some additional years before renewal, but it’s not permanent.

Comment by Ashland Adam Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 3:54 pm
=This resulted in a permanent life license with no requirement for continuing education throughout the years.=

Not in Illinois.

See Ashland’s comment for the facts.

Comment by JS Mill Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 4:13 pm
Each state has different requirements for life licensure. Once we completed a master’s degree, no additional PD was required. We’d have workshops for staff but no trudging back to campus for additional classes.

During a master’s class, I thought this professor wouldn’t last one week in my building. Pontificating at its best.

Comment by Rudy’s teeth Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 4:42 pm
Both my daughter and her future husband teach- 3rd grade and 6th grade English.

She is very frustrated. “I don’t teach. All I do is break up fights.”

They have fights before school. Then the parents encourage the kids to “stand up for themselves” and the next day it’s worse. Then the parents get involved. Parents fighting with other parents on school grounds.

Social media fuels this baloney.

They are both getting out asap. They actually have a brilliant education related endeavor that will help them exit the free for all.

My daughter has an awesome principal who she greatly admires, so not leaving because of bad management.

She seems to be barely aware that she is working toward a pension at this point. I doubt she knows it’s Tier II.

She’s satisfied with her pay.

She’s leaving because she isn’t able to do what she loves- which is teach children

We need to get the true problems into sharp focus here, and they probably aren’t what we think they are.

Comment by Occasionally Moderated Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 6:45 pm
===We need to get the true problems into sharp focus here, and they probably aren’t what we think they are.===

What are the true problems?

Don’t hide your light under a bushel…

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 7:02 pm
The fact that student teaching is unpaid and unsupported is also an issue. I have a student teacher this semester that’s driving roughly 75 miles a day (round trip) to get to his placement. That gas cost is on top of tuition payments for the right to student teach. A per diem or placement closer would certainly help some student teachers feel like this is a career they’re excited to join.

Comment by Merle Webb’s Jump Shot Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 7:16 pm
@Merle
Very true. That hurdle almost kept me out of the profession.
Illinois does allow student teachers to get paid but I doubt many districts offer it right now. https://casetext.com/statute/illinois-compiled-statutes/education/chapter-105-schools/subchapter-common-schools/act-5-school-code/article-24-employment-of-teachers-tenure-duties-of-teachers/section-105-ilcs-524-85-student-teacher-salary

Comment by Proud Papa Bear Tuesday, Jan 18, 22 @ 7:53 pm
O.W.

I don’t understand what you are driving at. The problem is violence in and around the school that prevents learning.

And what -isn’t- a problem causing two highly qualified Illinois teachers from moving on is management, salary or pension.

Comment by Occasionally Moderated Wednesday, Jan 19, 22 @ 3:03 pm
===The problem is violence in and around the school that prevents learning.===

“Parent on Parent” violence?

===They have fights before school. Then the parents encourage the kids to “stand up for themselves” and the next day it’s worse. Then the parents get involved. Parents fighting with other parents on school grounds.===

Comment by Oswego Willy Wednesday, Jan 19, 22 @ 3:07 pm