Working for Illinois Caucus

SPRINGFIELD, ILL (WICS/WRSP) — A bill is making it’s way through the statehouse that would make it easier to become a teacher in Illinois and combat the teacher shortage.

State representative Sue Scherer has been working to pass this bill for over a decade and says this aims to address the teacher shortage.

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She said data from the Illinois State Board of Education shows that exam passing rates for young people looking to become teachers is staggering.

Under the legislation, ISBE would create a licensing test for teachers, specifically for teachers looking to be licensed to test 1st through 6th grade.

Applicants would also be able to retake portions of the test where they fail, instead of having to retake the entire test.

She said current rules for the exam create barriers.

“There’s so many people wanting to become teachers, and they do everything they’re supposed to do and then the one thing they don’t do is maybe pass that content test. So this will hopefully remove that final barrier," said Rep. Scherer (D)-Decatur.

Rep. Scherer said these changes will improve the pass rate for the test and college graduates are more than qualified to be a teacher.