For Immediate Release
August 20, 2004
Retention rates for Illinois public school teachers remain
high
State Board releases annual educator report
Springfield, Ill.—Illinois will need nearly 40,000 regular
teachers and more than 9,000 special education teachers through
2007. This and other information is included in the “2003
Annual Report of Educator Supply and Demand" just released
by the Illinois State Board of Education.
In its fifth report - which is required by Illinois law –
ISBE outlines the supply and demand for teachers, administrators
and other certified personnel by field, content area and levels.
Additional data in the report shows that the demand for teachers
is currently tempered by the increases in the number of certificates
issued, the retention rate remains stable and the number of
students enrolled in college education programs.
“These data trends are important for all of us in education
as well as for policy makers and universities that offer teacher
preparation courses,” said State Superintendent of Education
Robert Schiller. “This report is also something that
those who aspire to teach can review to determine where the
greatest needs are.”
The report includes statistical information on “demand”
for teachers, or the needs of districts for educational personnel
and services. Supply information includes all educational
personnel available to schools - regardless of whether or
not they are currently employed by schools.
Summary highlights – supply of teachers:
Retention rates remain high
The largest supply of educators is the previous year's workforce.
In 2003, 138,119 educators or 93% of the previous year's total
workforce were retained to work in Illinois public schools.
There has been an increase in the number of certificates
issued over the last four years
The second largest source of supply is newly certified of
"first-time" teachers. Over the last four years,
new certificates issued to teachers and school service personnel
have increased 11% a year, and administrative certificates
have increased 8% per year. Undergraduate and graduate students
enrolled in education programs showed a 7% average increase
from about 40,000 in 1999 to 48,500 in 2002.
The number of re-entries hired has rebounded
The third major source of supply includes educators returning
to the profession. Between 1997 and 2001, the number of re-entries
hired increased 67%, from a low of 3,172 to 5,301. The number
of re-entries hired decreased over 30% in 2002 but increased
by 28% in 2003.
Summary highlights – teacher demand:
K-12 student enrollments are expected to continue growing,
but only at the secondary level
Illinois public school enrollments have been increasing since
1990 and that overall trend is expected to continue through
2007. But all of the growth in the next few years will be
at the secondary level. Elementary enrollments are expected
to decline.
There was a rebound in educator workforce growth
Since 1998, the total educator workforce grew by only 2%
a year. But in 2002, the overall workforce increased by only
205 educators or 0.1%. In 2003, however, the trend rebounded
with the administrator workforce growing by less than 1%,
the teaching force increasing by 2.6% and other certified
staff growing by 2.8%. Taken together, the overall educator
workforce increase was 2.5% over the previous year.
Areas of highest demand
The positions with the most severe shortages remained the
same as the previous year, with special education topping
the list. However, the number of districts reporting shortages
dropped by an average of 122 for these areas. Rank ordered
by the number of districts reporting shortages, the positions
most needed are:
Special Ed-Speech & Lang. Impaired, Special Ed-Behavior
Disordered, Special Ed-Learning Disabled, Special Ed-Cross
Categorical, Mathematics, Foreign Lang.-Spanish, Special Ed-EMH,
Psychologist, Science-Physics, Science-Chemistry, Guidance
Counselor and Librarian/Media Specialist.
The full report is available at:
http://www.isbe.net/research/pdfs/supply_demand_03.pdf
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