Illinois experiencing shortage of educators in Central and Southern regions

Posted on December 19, 2017
Regional Superintendent Mark Jontry says future teachers are leaving central and southern Illinois potentially leaving them at a disadvantage compared to the rest of the state. (Photo by WJEZ)

By Cythia Grau

PONTIAC – Despite record numbers of students graduating at Illinois State University with teaching degrees, there’s still a shortage of teachers and staff in central Illinois.

Based on state education statistics, Mark Jontry, Regional Superintendent of Schools in McLean, Livingston, Logan, and DeWitt counties thinks students are applying for positions in their hometowns, specifically in the Northeastern region of Illinois.

“We seem to be producing enough teachers according to data from the state board of higher ed. But I think what we’re finding is that since many of those candidates come from the northeast quadrant of the state, a lot of them want to go back and teach where they obviously grew up; in the northeast quadrant of the state for a variety of reasons,” said Jontry. “And so that is leading to a shortage in the rest of the state.”

Jontry made his comments during a community forum on our sister station, WJEZ.

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