With the exception of shortages in math, science, bilingual education and special education, Illinois is producing enough teachers to meet the needs of school districts from Cairo to Chicago, school officials say. The challenge for Chicago and other urban districts is recruiting, developing and retaining talented individuals. Through increased immigration and a baby boom echo, the state's public school enrollment is expected to increase through 2005-06, according to the Illinois State Board of Education. The Chicago school system is opening more preschool classrooms and, following a reduction in the mandatory attendance age, more kindergartens. In high schools, math and science course requirements are being increased, aggravating a long-standing shortage of math and science teachers.
Shortages also continue in bilingual and special education.
Under the Reform Board's promotion policy, some students will take an extra year to graduate. Further, meeting the goal of reducing dropouts would increase the demand for teachers. Under reconstitution, teachers who are not invited to remain at their schools could be bounced from the school system within 10 months. Last summer, seven reconstituted schools showed 174 teachers the door. As for the rest, the Chicago Teachers Union is poised to file a grievance the minute any of them loses a job.