Illinois

Statewide

Reporting from in and around Illinois.Listen to Statewide on WNIJ Saturdays 6-7 a.m. and Sundays 6-7 p.m.

Statewide: Schools struggle to fill positions, but is there a teacher shortage?

NPR Illinois | 91.9 UIS | By Sean Crawford

Published September 1, 2022 at 7:21 PM CDT

A new study shows Illinois schools are unable to fill one out of every 100 teaching positions. While there are concerns about turnover and fewer people entering the field, some of the biggest challenges with filling teacher jobs are in specific subjects and locations.

Listen to this episode of Statewide.

* WGLT's Eric Stock talks with the Illinois Legislative Inspector General Mike McCuskey about his job and what he says are some misconceptions about the role.

* Shahla Farzan reports on a program to help the incarcerated in Missouri learn computer programming.

* WNIJ's Peter Medlin takes a closer look at school staffing and the idea of a teacher shortage.

* Peter Medlin continues his coverage with the story of a school district trying to erase its shortage with homegrown educators.