"I need Sherrard gear, and I’m happy to get it because then I can say, 'Okay, kids, I’m here for you even more than I already am,’” said Madison Elliott, third grade teacher at Winola Elementary.
The Sherrard School District has been chosen as one of 170 districts state-wide to participate in the Teacher Vacancy Grant Pilot Program, a three-year initiative aimed at addressing the nationwide teacher shortage. The district will receive $92,000 annually, of the $45 million disbursed state-wide, to fund creative solutions for both teacher recruitment and retention.
"We're going to create pathways so that people who are not teacher-certified can pursue a master's degree for alternative certification,” said Superintendent Dr. Carl Johnson
Additionally, with the grant, the district is able to double tuition reimbursement for teachers seeking to expand their certification, offer attendance incentives with bonuses, and establish a mentoring program modeled after the State Board of Education's guidelines.
"We’ve had several people take advantage of the alternative certification program and the new spirit wear initiative for incoming teachers," said Dr. Johnson, adding that the attendance incentive, implemented in the third quarter, has already seen success.
Joe Veronda, Junior High history teacher, retired investigator and former police officer, expressed excitement about the opportunity to pursue alternative teacher certification through the program.
"I was pretty thrilled, I'll be honest… When you look at how much it costs to get the degree and what they’re going to pay you to be a teacher, the math says it’s a good deal."
Veronda also recommended substitute teaching as a great entry point for others.
"The benefits are amazing, and the things you get from these kids are really amazing. It’s actually a lot of fun," he added. For Veronda, the financial incentive made the decision to enter teaching "a no-brainer."
Elliott appreciated the new spirit-wear gear as a first year teacher. "I have no money, so I think it's awesome. I can't go out and buy new clothes, so this is great.”
She also praised the district's attendance incentives, which encourage teachers to avoid calling for substitutes.
"They’re acknowledging the fact that I’m here every day, which is nice," she said, adding, "I love what I do because I feel thankful. I’m grateful."
The following is a press release from the Illinois State Board of Education
EARLY RESULTS FROM $45 MILLION STATE INVESTMENT SHOW IMPROVED RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION IN STATE'S MOST UNDERSTAFFED SCHOOL DISTRICTS
SPRINGFIELD—
Data is still being collected to assess the full impact of the funding, but ISBE and IWERC announced today that school districts participating in the Teacher Vacancy Grant Pilot Program have hired nearly 5,400 new teachers and retained approximately 11,000 additional educators with the funds so far. The districts receiving the Teacher Vacancy Grant collectively serve approximately 870,000 students.
“It's a great time to be a teacher in Illinois," said State Superintendent of Education Dr. Tony Sanders. "The funds provided by the state's Teacher Vacancy Grants are empowering school districts to provide new financial incentives, special pipeline programs, and other supports to recruit and retain teachers. Illinois is leading the way in investing in education, making our state the best place for educators to build their careers. I applaud Governor Pritzker and the General Assembly for investing in the Teacher Vacancy Grant and supporting evidence-based strategies to uplift the teaching profession."
"Illinois districts used strategies to address teacher vacancies that matched the root causes they were seeing on the ground," said Dr. Meg Bates, director of IWERC, which is part of the University of Illinois System. "Our analysis uncovered the diverse array of strategies districts used, all of which were aligned to their unique contexts."
The funding empowers districts to implement strategies locally tailored to address the root causes of teacher shortages. Districts are required to base their spending decisions on data, ensuring that the strategies are evidenced-based and aligned with their specific needs. As a result, in the program's first year, more than 51% of districts receiving Teacher Vacancy Grant funds saw a decrease in unfilled positions from school year 2022-23 to 2023-24, compared to only 17% of districts not receiving the grant.
ISBE partnered with IWERC to evaluate the grant program and today released two studies. The first study 
analyzed district applications to identify key factors, such as compensation, lack of qualified applicants, attrition, and competition, that result in teacher shortages. Districts used funding for compensation, tuition support for licensure or endorsements, and professional learning. The second study examined short-term outcomes, revealing that districts hired 5,387 new full-time teachers. These new hires represent 10% of the total teacher workforce in those districts, highlighting a significant boost in staffing levels where shortages were most acute. Additionally, 10,700 employees, including teaching and non-teaching staff, participated in grant-funded programs that targeted decreased attrition.
The Teacher Vacancy Grant Pilot Program intends to provide participating districts with three years of funding, pending appropriations. Governor JB Pritzker and the General Assembly continued funding the second year of the program with $45 million in fiscal year 2025. The multi-year grant supports districts in employing long-term strategies to cultivate a future workforce. For example, the grant has supported coursework and licensure for approximately 1,500 non-certified staff pursuing licensure and 450 certified staff pursuing further endorsements.
The Teacher Vacancy Grant is the cornerstone of ISBE's robust portfolio of initiatives aimed at tackling the teacher shortage. Other initiatives include Career and Technical Education Education Career Pathway Grants that have equipped nearly 12,000 high school students to pursue careers in education; the teacher recruitment marketing campaign, The Answer is Teaching, which has generated more than 5,000 inquiries from prospective future teachers since it launched in July; and the new Teacher Apprenticeship Program, which, in partnership with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, will upskill paraprofessionals for successful placement into the teaching profession.
Please visit the ISBE Teacher Vacancy Grant Pilot Program webpage for more information.
