SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) today announced approximately $4.3 million in state funding for the Career and Technical Education (CTE) Education Career Pathway Grants. The grant marks the fourth round of funding for the CTE Education Career Pathway Grant program, which has provided $5.6 million to date and served nearly 12,000 Illinois high school students across 212 school districts and three community colleges.  

The grant provides funding to prepare current high school students in Illinois for careers in teaching and aims to address the teacher shortage in Illinois by recruiting diverse students into the field of education. Participants are equipped for success in college-level teacher preparation programs through tailored coursework, field experiences, and work-based learning opportunities. 

“In Illinois, we're investing in dynamic, locally designed career pathway programs to strengthen and diversify our teacher pipeline," said Governor JB Pritzker. “I highly encourage school districts to apply to the CTE Education Pathway Grant program to inspire future educators to pursue a career in their hometown." 

“Teaching is not only a career; it's a calling," said State Superintendent Dr. Tony Sanders. “Early teaching experiences can ignite the passion to pursue a career in education. It's essential for students to encounter the transformative magic of teaching firsthand to feel inspired. These grants not only provide that initial spark but also equip students with the skills, preparation, and clear pathways needed for successful entry into the teaching profession." 

ISBE recently released unfilled positions data that shows that initiatives like this are paying off, resulting in year-over-year growth in the teaching profession for the past seven years. The number of teachers in the profession increased again in 2023, compared to 2022. However, the demand for teachers also grew, and supply has not kept pace. Illinois districts reported 4,096 teaching vacancies as of October 2023 – a 15% increase in unfilled positions over the previous year. 

Research underscores the effectiveness of career pathways in alleviating teacher shortages by offering diverse entry points into the profession, providing hands-on experience with teaching, and giving candidates a head start on meeting the requirements for licensure by earning college credit or early career credentials.  

“By investing in the Education Career Pathway, we are not just solving an immediate workforce need; we are nurturing a culture of lifelong learning and commitment to education within our community," said Nancy Awdziejczyk, executive director at the Northwest Educational Council for Student Success, a grantee of the program. “This strategy not only benefits our schools and students, but also strengthens the fabric of our society by ensuring that our educators reflect the diversity and values of the communities they serve."  

“The Education Career Pathway Grants have been essential to the development and growth of the future teacher programs in our region. This grant empowers districts to create high-quality teacher talent pipelines that allow students the opportunity to explore the field of teaching through hands-on experiences and mentorship from experienced teachers," said Kaleb Smith, director of Madison County CTE, a grantee. “The program facilitates dynamic partnerships with post-secondary partners, fostering student leadership development and community engagement through service projects leadership that serve their school and community."  

"The Southern Illinois Future Teachers Coalition (SIFTC) has mentored 20 high schools in rural southern Illinois, establishing Education Pathways through initiatives such as future teacher organizations, dual credit classes, and career exploration," said Brooke May, education and career pathway coordinator for the SIFTC, a grantee. "The grant is expanding the number of high schools offering the College and Career Pathway Endorsement in education. Nearly 150 students have graduated after participating in the program, with nearly half of them choosing education as their college major." 

The CTE Education Career Pathway Grant program complements the state's nation-leading efforts to address teacher shortages, including the Teacher Vacancy Grant program launched last year with $45 million in state funding from Governor Pritzker's fiscal year 2024 budget. Grant funding has been allocated to 170 districts with the highest need and vacancy rates to tackle local recruitment and retention challenges. 

ISBE's commitment to bolstering the teacher pipeline extends across multiple initiatives, including Educators Rising student leadership groups in high schools for students pursuing careers in teaching and recruitment and retention plans for diverse teacher candidates at all education preparation programs. Illinois invested federal pandemic relief funds to create affinity groups to support the retention of educators of color, which resulted in a 98% retention rate among participants. The state also has focused on teacher and principal mentoring and grant programs to recruit and retain bilingual and special education educators. 

Priority points in the CTE Education Career Pathway Grant application will be given to applicants who meet one of the following criteria: serve rural districts, have funding adequacy at or below 70% according to the Evidence-Based Funding formula, exhibit a high teacher vacancy rate of 5% or more in high schools, or have a student population where the percentage share of students of color exceeds the percentage share of teachers of color by 25% or more. Grantees will receive funding for four years to design, implement, and sustain the program. The Request for Proposals is available in the electronic Grants Management System. Proposals are due by 4 p.m. on May 3. 

A recording of the technical assistance webinar is available on the CTE grants webpage. Interested applicants can ask additional questions by emailing CTE@ISBE.NET.  ​