A shortage of teachers and substitutes is nothing new for Illinois classrooms, but top officials say the pandemic has made it a crisis.
The Illinois State Board of Education now looking for creative solutions to get more bodies into schools.
Dr. Meghan Kessler, who teaches future teachers at the University of Illinois Springfield, says working on teacher retention is another way to lessen the crisis.
"We should be thinking more about favorable working conditions for educators, which could mean smaller class sizes, or better professional learning opportunities..." Kessler said.
This story appeared on WICS Newschannel 20 on Jan. 19, 2022.