Full time classroom educators teaching in Illinois had a mean paid salary of $59,275 across the state for the 2006-2007 school year, which was a 2.7% increase over the previous year. Illinois teachers holding only a bachelor degree and working in public school districts experienced a median scheduled salary between $30,750 and $36,760, depending on their location in Illinois.
The Illinois State Board of Education Division of Educator and School Development is dedicated to implementing and monitoring educator and school compliance and development. This includes providing educators teaching in Illinois with continuing education opportunities, training and professional development.
Illinois is made up of diverse regions ranging from rural school districts to inner city, lower income environments. Because of this diversity and the need for qualified teachers across the state, there are several grassroots programs dedicated to teacher training and development, which broadens the opportunities for becoming a teacher in Illinois and ensures that qualified teachers with the training and willingness to work in a variety of environments will continue to be in high demand.
Illinois Teacher Requirements
Jobs are available for those who would like to be teaching in Illinois in the future. Illinois is a state that has many incentives and programs available to help new teachers become established members of the community with options on student loan forgiveness, scholarship plans for training, and reduced cost teacher housing.
Like many other states, Illinois has a shortage of qualified teachers for math, sciences, special education areas, and in bilingual talents needed for content areas with children who do not speak English as their first language. For teachers who would like to start teaching in any of these needed places in Illinois, lots of help is available.
One of the nice things about the future of teaching in Illinois is that plans are on the horizon to overhaul the American education system. As beneficial changes go into place through presidential mandates, teaching careers will begin to flourish for those who are involved as more programs are implemented to help the teaching community to prosper.