School Districts are still in need of teachers and Senate Democrats hosted a press conference late last week, announcing a number of legislative measures that would help address these shortages. There are more than 4,000 unfilled positions according to the Illinois State Board of Education in Illinois schools and Senate Bill 3915, which would waive the application fee for short-term substitute teaching licensees when the governor has declared a disaster due to a public health emergency.  State Senator Doris Turner says that this is a common-sense solution.

Senate Bill 3907 will help keep kids in the classroom by allowing short-term substitute teachers to teach up to 15 days instead of 5. 

Turner continued by saying Senate Bill 3988 would lower the age requirement for teacher assistants from 19 to 18 for those who work in pre-K to eighth-grade classrooms.  Another bill would allow retired Chicago Public School Teachers to return to work without affecting their pensions.

Senator Turner says there is too much uncertainty in schools right now, and these bills will go a long way towards fixing that.

For a list of all bills in the Senate Democrats’ teacher shortage package, visit https://www.illinoissenatedemocrats.com/teachershortage.