As reported in the recent Educator Shortage Report released by Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools and the State Board of Education, Illinois is making progress in growing its educator workforce, but shortages persist in critical areas. Indeed, the stopgap measures that are being used to fill those vacancies keep the education process moving forward for students but are not a sustainable approach to ensuring quality and equity for the long-term.
Bolstered by historic K-12 investments in the Evidence Based Funding Formula, Illinois districts have been investing in an increased number of teachers, administrators, and support staff. This growth was much needed after economic and budget challenges cut down the workforce in the 2010s, and it represents an important opportunity for smaller class sizes and more manageable caseloads for support staff, which come closer to recommended levels.
But this growth depends upon an adequate candidate pool, particularly for the roles where need is growing, but shortages are most severe: Bilingual and Special Education teachers, school support staff such as psychologists and speech-language pathologists, and paraprofessionals.
While enrollment in Illinois educator preparation programs has grown in recent years, recent data from the Educator Shortage Survey reminds us that in certain geographies, gaps in educator supply and demand contribute to unfilled positions and the hiring of uncertified staff. Such challenges ultimately harm student learning and disproportionately affect students from low-income households, students of color, rural students, English Learners, and students with disabilities – students who are all more likely to live in districts with high vacancy rates.
Findings from the survey also highlight how district leaders perceive the impact of recent state level statutory or regulatory changes on educator recruitment and retention. Of the five changes rated most impactful, three involve broadening the pool of eligible substitutes or the introduction of temporary changes to licensure that offer districts more flexibility. These actions are helping ease current pain points, but absent longer-term investments, they cannot address the deeper challenges laid out in the report. Sustainable change requires us to take a strategic long-term view.
So, what does it mean to think long-term about the educator pipeline?
Invest in addressing root causes. There is no silver bullet change that will solve shortage challenges. Short-term or temporary licensure strategies might help around the edges, but don’t address root causes. Fortunately, the state has been making key investments in the pipeline, chief among them being increased funding for Early Childhood Education and Care via Smart Start and K-12 schools via the Evidence-Based Funding Formula – investments that allow programs and districts to address underlying funding inequities and inadequacy in compensation and staffing.
Sustain investments long enough to know whether they actually work. In recent years, Illinois has stood up a teacher mentoring program, launched principal recruitment and retention efforts, and supported affinity groups for teachers. Starting in FY24, the General Assembly more than doubled investment in scholarship and preparation investments such as the Minority Teachers of Illinois Scholarship. These programs are getting promising early results in recruitment, preparation, and retention. But we have to continue investments long enough to know if they work. And we must commit to rigorous evaluation so that we understand the critical drivers of success.
Don’t lose sight of what makes a strong workforce: highly effective, well-prepared and diverse teachers. When we think about addressing shortages, we cannot lose sight of the elements that research consistently shows drive student outcomes. These objectives can and should work in harmony: strong preparation and early career support increase effectiveness and boost early career retention. Scholarships make the pathway into the profession more affordable, attractive and more diverse.
The factors impacting educator shortages are multifaceted, and solutions are not simple. But we cannot let our desire to find that one “quick fix” get in the way of a serious, strategic, and sensible approach. We need to act like our students’ future depends on building a strong diverse educator workforce — because it does.
Robin Steans is president of Advance Illinois, an independent, bipartisan education policy and advocacy nonprofit focused on creating a healthier public education system for Illinois.
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