Opinion: International teachers staff ESL classrooms. Now Illinois must keep grant
Illinois school districts continue to face severe teacher shortages in critical areas such as special education, math, science, bilingual education, and music. For districts like East St. Louis School District 189, these shortages are not simply staffing concerns — they directly affect students’ access to consistent, high-quality instruction and long-term academic success.
The Illinois State Board of Education’s Teacher Vacancy Grant has been transformational for our district and others across the state. Through this funding, School District 189 has strengthened recruitment efforts, expanded mentoring and professional development supports, stabilized classrooms, and developed innovative long-term staffing solutions.
One of our most successful initiatives has been our International Teacher Recruitment Partnership Program, which brought highly qualified educators from Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Thailand into our schools. These licensed professionals have provided stability in hard-to-fill subject areas while enriching our classrooms with diverse perspectives and strong instructional expertise. As a result, students now have greater access to certified teachers, and schools have significantly reduced reliance on long-term substitute coverage.
The impact of the Teacher Vacancy Grant is measurable. East St. Louis School District 189 reduced teacher vacancies by more than 80 percent — from 26 vacancies to just 5 — while successfully hiring 23 international teachers. Teacher retention has also dramatically improved, rising from 73.4 percent in 2017 to 90.1 percent in 2025, now exceeding the Illinois state average for the past two years. These gains are directly connected to mentorship programs, onboarding supports, stipends, and professional learning opportunities funded through the grant.
East St. Louis School District 189 has also reduced its percentage of educators teaching outside of their certification area to below the state average, demonstrating meaningful progress in ensuring students are taught by appropriately certified educators. Additionally, improved staffing levels have helped schools better address students’ academic and social-emotional needs through increased access to teachers and stronger instructional continuity.
Our work has gained statewide recognition, including being highlighted at the 2026 Illinois Large Unit District Association (LUDA) Winter Conference for innovative approaches to addressing teacher shortages through global recruitment partnerships and workforce development strategies.
While progress has been significant, it is imperative that Illinois continue the Teacher Vacancy Grant. Teacher shortages persist statewide, particularly in high-need subject areas and secondary settings. Illinois School Districts continue to rely heavily on external funding for mentoring, induction, recruitment, and certification support programs that help educators enter and remain in the profession long term.
The Teacher Vacancy Grant is more than a staffing initiative. It is an investment in students, school stability, workforce sustainability, and the future of Illinois communities. Continued support for this grant will allow districts like East St. Louis School District 189 to sustain progress, strengthen educator pipelines, and ensure students have access to qualified, highly effective teachers every day.
Arthur R. Culver, PhD, is the superintendent of East St. Louis School District 189.
