Macon Reporter

COVID-19 has made the teacher shortage in Illinois worse, and the growing education issue has spurred lawmakers to find a solution. 

Rep. Sue Scherer (D-Decatur) is the chief sponsor of legislation that eliminates the requirement for potential teachers to pass the educative teacher performance assessment to receive their license. The Decatur lawmaker said requiring candidates to focus on passing a performance assessment diverts attention away from the essential aspect of teaching: learning how to teach.

"We have to do everything possible to get more teachers and keep those we have," Scherer said in an April Facebook post.

According to Dr. Meghan Kessler, an assistant professor of teacher education at the University of Illinois Springfield, the teacher shortage isn't just an Illinois issue; shortages have been recorded across the country, particularly in the Midwest.

Additionally, both Scherer and Kessler said that low wages, high expectations, a lack of appreciation for the profession and the high cost of mandatory exams also contribute to teacher shortages.

Although House Bill 655 is still awaiting an initial vote, a separate bill that would repeal the current requirement for teaching candidates to document themselves in the classroom with students, Senate Bill 808, passed the Senate and is also now awaiting a vote in the House.