Prairie State Wire

The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) has announced the allocation of $7.4 million in state funding for Career and Technical Education (CTE) Education Career Pathway Grants. These grants have been awarded to 18 entities that serve 39 school districts, aiming to address the ongoing teacher shortage by equipping high school students with necessary skills and experience for college-level teacher preparation programs.

State Superintendent Dr. Tony Sanders stated, “Teaching is a career that changes lives. A career in education allows teachers to shape the future while finding deep personal fulfillment. These grants are ensuring that our students are not just prepared but inspired to step into the classroom and make a difference for generations to come. We encourage high school students in participating districts to explore this incredible field.”

The grant also aims to increase diversity among future teachers. Illinois faces a persistent shortage of educators of color, with its teacher workforce being significantly less diverse than its student population. The demographics of participants in ISBE’s CTE Education Career Pathway Grants reflect the broader student population.

Previously, ISBE provided $24.8 million through earlier rounds, benefiting nearly 12,000 Illinois high school students across 212 school districts and three community colleges.

Research indicates that building local pipelines of teacher talent is effective since over 60% of teachers prefer working close to where they grew up. Students involved in the Education Career Pathway or Program of Study gain hands-on experience through field experiences and work-based learning, earning dual credit and industry certification such as paraprofessional licensure.

Despite initiatives like these showing results with growth in the teaching profession over seven years, Illinois still started the 2023-24 school year with more than 4,000 teaching vacancies, particularly in special education. To combat this shortage, ISBE has launched several initiatives including the Teacher Vacancy Grant which provided $45 million for fiscal years 2024 and 2025, as well as "The Answer is Teaching" recruitment marketing campaign which began in July 2024.

Grantees will focus on program planning during Year 1 of the grant with implementation set for fiscal years 2026-28. Priority was given to entities serving rural districts, understaffed high schools, underfunded districts, and those lacking teacher diversity.

For more information about CTE Education Career Pathway Grant, visit ISBE’s College and Career Grants webpage​.