This report summarizes key characteristics of Illinois' PreK-12 educator workforce between 2002 and 2014.

1. Melissa Steel King, Leslie Kan, and Chad Aldeman
July 2016
Illinois’ Educator Workforce: Changes
from 2002-2012

2. 2
Overview
An earlier version was presented to the Illinois P-20 Council in March 2016.
Thanks to Advance Illinois for providing regular feedback, to George Mu and
Sarah Kramer for their help in creating the visual content, and to the Joyce
Foundation for their generous support of this work. The views and analysis in
this report are the responsibility of the authors alone.
Data Sources and Analyses
Findings
• Supply and Demand
• Racial Demographics
• Level of Education
• Experience Levels
• Retention
District Pipelines
Looking Ahead
Contents
This report summarizes key characteristics of Illinois’ Pre-K
through 12 educator workforce between 2002 and 2014.

3. 3
Key Findings
• Hiring rates in Illinois fluctuate over time, but remain within a
relatively small band.
• Overall, the supply of new teachers has consistently been greater
than demand, but this varies by subject area.
• Illinois’ educator workforce does not align with the racial
demographics of its students, and those disparities are not
improving.
• High-poverty districts are less likely to hire experienced teachers.
• Retention rates vary across districts and demographic groups.

4. Data Sources and Analyses

5. 5
We used publicly available data from the state of Illinois.
Illinois Teacher Service Record (TSR) database*
• Annual summary of educators employed by Illinois public school districts
• Data available for 2002-2012**
• 296,251 unique educators in dataset
• Teachers make up 85 percent of the sample (also includes administrative
and other support personnel)
Illinois Educator Supply and Demand Reports***
• Summary of certifications by Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE); issued
annually 2001-2008 and every three years thereafter
• Information compiled from all available reports from 2002 to 2014
* Available at http://www.isbe.net/research/htmls/educator-
employment.htm.
** In the TSR and throughout this report, “2002” refers to the 2001-
02 school year, “2003” refers to the 2002-03 school year, and so on.
*** Available at
http://www.isbe.net/research/htmls/supply_and_demand.htm.

6. 6
We summarized statewide trends on overall supply and demand, and
educators’ race, years of experience, level of education, and retention.
(See Appendix for additional detail.)
For some analyses, we compared different categories of districts:
We analyzed the data in a number of ways.
Poverty Quintiles: All Illinois districts were divided into quintiles based on ISBE’s
poverty data from 2012.
• Poverty Quintile 1: 0-20 percent low income (lowest poverty)
• Poverty Quintile 2: 20-33 percent low income
• Poverty Quintile 3: 33-44 percent low income
• Poverty Quintile 4: 44-58 percent low income
• Poverty Quintile 5: 58-100 percent low income (highest poverty)
Sample Large Unit Districts: We identified a sample of five of the state’s largest
districts for comparison.
• Plainfield (Poverty Quintile 1)
• Indian Prairie (Poverty Quintile 1)
• Elgin (Poverty Quintile 4)
• Rockford (Poverty Quintile 5)
• Chicago (Poverty Quintile 5)

7. Findings: Supply and Demand

8. 8
Hiring rates fluctuate but have stayed within a relatively small band.
New hires made up 3 to 6 percent of the total workforce each year.
*Evidence of discrepancies in data on new Chicago hires in
2007
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
201220112010200920082007*20062005200420032002
Percentage of New Hires in Total Workforce Over Time (%)

9. 9
* Data compiled from ISBE Educator Supply and Demand
reports. Data for the 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013 fiscal
years were not available.
Overall, supply exceeds demand.
0
2
4
6
8
10
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Actual
Ratio
ISBE’s
“Ideal”
Ratio
Ratio of Certificates Issued to First-Timers Hired, Over Time

10. 10
Although overall supply is high, this varies significantly by subject.
Special education, bilingual education, math, music, and P.E.
supplies are tightest.
* Data compiled from ISBE Educator Supply and Demand reports. Data for the 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013 fiscal years were not
available. Early Childhood first appears as a separate certificate category beginning in 2006 and onward.
20
50
0
30
10
40
60
70
80
Math
0.3
4.7
Health
ForeignLang.
-Other
0.5 1.4
5.5
ForeignLang.
-Spanish
1.9
Music
13.0
4.5
Physical
Education
6.8
3.0
9.7
5.4
Early
Childhood
0.91.8
EnglishLang.
Arts
6.9
34.9
Elementary
79.5
Bilingual
1.83.9
20.4
1.2
4.2 3.9
39.6
3.2
Special
Education
14.9
Science
SocialScience
12.0
2.5
Art
Comparison of Certificates Issued to First-Timers Hired, 2002-2014*(K)
2.2 2.5 2.4 2.3 1.5
Certs:Hired Ratio, tightest supply
3.3 12.4 5.83.9 5.0 3.8 4.0 8.63.6
Certs:Hired RatioFirst Certificates Issued
First-Timers Hired

11. 11
Each year from 2002 to 2014, there was consistent overproduction
in some subject areas and consistent underproduction in others.
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Ratio of Supply of Teaching Certificates Issued to Demand for
Selected Subjects
“Ideal” Ratio
Total Instructional
Social
Science
Special Education
Bilingual

12. 12
Illinois districts hired a higher percentage of teachers from in-state
baccalaureate colleges in 2012 than in 2002.
0
20
80
60
40
71
2002 2012
75
Percentage of Total New Hires From In-State Institutions (%)

13. Findings: Racial Demographics

14. 14
Illinois has not increased the diversity of its workforce. From 2002 to
2012, a large majority of Illinois school staff members were white.
7
10
4
8485
0
20
40
60
80
100
2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
White
Hispanic
Black
5
All Illinois Educators by Race, Over Time (%)

15. 15
The vast majority of the state’s black and Hispanic school staff
members work in Illinois’ highest-poverty districts.
20
40
60
80
100
0
2002
86
6
3
2
3
2012
76
9
4
4
6
4
5th Quintile
– Highest Poverty
3
2
1st Quintile
– Lowest Poverty
Distribution of Black and Hispanic Staff by District Poverty Quintile (%)

16. 16
The demographics of new hires differ across districts. For example,
Chicago new hires are more diverse than in neighboring New Trier.
014
12
19
60
00211
95
0
20
40
60
80
100
OtherAmerican
Indian or
Alaskan
Native
BlackWhite Hispanic Asian
New Trier Township
Districts
Chicago
SD 299
Racial Breakdown of New Hires, 2002-12 (%)
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100 percent due to
rounding.

17. 17
There are significant gaps between the percentages of students and
staff of color. The largest gaps are in low-income districts.
Gap Between Student and Staff Demographic Makeup (Percentage Points)
by Race and Poverty Quintile (2012)
(6) (5)
(9)(9) (10)
(13)
(20)
(30)
(19)
(4)
(11)
(18)
-35
-30
-25
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
5th Quintile
Highest
Poverty
4th3rd2nd1st Quintile
Lowest
Poverty
State Total
Hispanic staff/student gap
Black staff/student gap

18. 18
The disparities vary across districts and race.
(15)
(24)
(8)
(6) (4)
(11)
(29)
(22)
(19)
(7)
(32)
(19)
-35
-30
-25
-20
-15
-10
-5
0
Elgin
SD U-46
Indian
Prairie
CUSD 204
Plainfield
SD 202
Rockford
SD 205
Chicago
SD 299
State Total
Black staff/student gap
Hispanic staff/student gap
Gap Between Student and Staff Demographic Makeup (Percentage Points)
by Race and District (2012)

19. Findings: Level of Education

20. 20
More Illinois educators have master’s degrees. That shift was driven
by changes in both the existing workforce and in new hires.
58
52 50 46 47 50
72 68
62 60 62 65
0
20
40
60
80
State Total5th Quintile
Highest
Poverty
4th3rd2nd1st Quintile
Lowest
Poverty
2002
2012
Percentage of Staff With a Master’s Degree, by Poverty Quintile (%)

21. 21
The percentage of new hires with master’s degrees increased
across the state, especially in Chicago.
Percentage of New Hires With a Master’s Degree, Across Large Unit Districts (%)
15
22
27 25
2219 20
25 28
41
30
24
0
10
20
30
40
50
+16%
State TotalChicago
SD 299
Indian
Prairie
CUSD 204
Plainfield
SD 202
Rockford
SD 205
Elgin
SD U-46
2012
2002

22. Findings: Experience Levels

23. 23
The Illinois educator workforce experience profile has changed over
time.
State Experience of All Illinois Educators

24. 24
Changes in the experience profile do not show up in averages. The
median educator had similar levels of experience in 2002 and 2012.
11
12
13 13
12 12
11
12 12 12
10
11
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
State Total5th Quintile
Highest
Poverty
4th3rd2nd1st Quintile
Lowest
Poverty
2012
2002
Illinois Median Years of State Experience for All Staff (Years)

25. 25
Many districts hired educators with prior state experience. That
mobility primarily benefits lower-poverty districts.
55 52 53
45
29
4544 46 46
41
28
39
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
State Total5th Quintile
Highest
Poverty
4th3rd2nd1st Quintile
Lowest
Poverty
2002
2012
Percentage of New Hires With More Than Two Years of State Experience (%)

26. 26
Chicago, in particular, did not hire staff with prior experience. They
were likely exporting rather than importing educators.
42
55
31
52
8
45
54
29
38 37
8
39
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
State TotalChicago
SD 299
Indian
Prairie
CUSD 204
Rockford
SD 205
Plainfield
SD 202
Elgin
SD U-46
2012
2002
Percentage of New Hires With More Than Two Years of Experience (%)

27. Findings: Retention

28. 28
Approximately two-thirds of staff in each cohort of new hires were
still working in Illinois schools five years after first hired.
Retention Rates of School Staff Entering Workforce from 2002 to 2012
School Staff
Entering
Workforce in:
N
Still Teaching in Illinois
After 1
yr
After 2
yrs
After 3
yrs
After 4
yrs
After 5
yrs
After 6
yrs
After 7
yrs
After 8
yrs
After 9
yrs
After
10 yrs
2001-02 9.7K 86% 76% 71% 67% 63% 61% 59% 58% 54% 52%
2002-03 9.2K 85% 79% 73% 68% 66% 63% 62% 56% 55%
2003-04 8.3K 88% 81% 73% 69% 67% 65% 59% 56%
2004-05 9.4K 89% 79% 74% 72% 69% 63% 60%
2005-06 10.2K 86% 80% 75% 73% 66% 63%
2006-07* 7.8K 89% 82% 78% 70% 66%
2007-08 10.0K 82% 77% 67% 62%
2008-09 8.0K 84% 71% 64%
2009-10 6.4K 79% 67%
2010-11 5.5K 81%
Note: Evidence of discrepancies in data on new
Chicago hires in 2007

29. 29
Retention rates differ across race. White and black educators had
comparatively higher long-term retention rates, state-wide.
72 69 69 68 71
54
49
40
33
52
0
20
40
60
80
AsianHispanicBlackWhite State Average
3-Year Retention
10-Year Retention
Three- and 10-Year In-State Retention Rate by Race (%)
2002 cohort

30. 30
Retention rates were lowest in the highest-poverty districts.
76 74 71 70 68 71
58 57 55 54
46
52
0
20
40
60
80
State Total5th Quintile
Highest
Poverty
4th3rd2nd1st Quintile
Lowest
Poverty
3-Year Retention
10-Year Retention
Three- and 10-Year In-State Retention Rate by Poverty Quintile (%)
2002 cohort

31. 31
Retention rates also vary by district. Chicago in particular had a very
low retention rate, even compared to other large districts.
68
84
70 73
66 71
52
62
53 54
39
52
0
20
40
60
80
100
State TotalChicago
SD 299
Indian
Prairie
CUSD 204
Rockford
SD 205
Plainfield
SD 202
Elgin
SD U-46
10-Year Retention
3-Year Retention
Three- and 10-Year In-State Retention Rate by Large Unit District (%)
2002 cohort

32. District Pipelines

33. 33
Overview of Selected District Pipelines
The TSR dataset did not include information on where school staff received
their certifications, but it did identify each individual educator’s baccalaureate
institution.
Although not a complete list for any district, this section shows the top five
baccalaureate-granting institutions reported by new hires in the following
districts:
• Chicago Public Schools
• Elgin District U-46
• Plainfield District 202
• Indian Prairie District 204
• Rockford District 205
• New Trier Township Districts

34. 34
Chicago Public Schools: Illinois universities and other midwestern
states were among the top five producers of new hires, 2002-12.
Top 5 Baccalaureate Institutions of Chicago New Hires, 2002-12
Institution
Number of New
Hires
Percentage Out of
Total New Hires (%)
University of Illinois,
Chicago
1,175 7
Northeastern Illinois
University
1,111 6
Unknown Illinois
institution
958 5
Indiana 880 5
Michigan 814 5

35. 35
Elgin District U-46: Eleven percent of new hires from 2002 to 2012
came from international universities.
Top 5 Baccalaureate Institutions of Elgin New Hires, 2002-12
Institution
Number of New
Hires
Percentage Out of
Total New Hires (%)
Northern Illinois
University
374 15
Outside U.S.A. 267 11
Illinois State University 237 10
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign
109 4
Wisconsin 84 3

36. 36
Plainfield District 202: The top five producers of new hires from
2002 to 2012 were in-state universities.
Top 5 Baccalaureate Institutions of Plainfield New Hires, 2002-12
Institution
Number of New
Hires
Percentage Out of
Total New Hires (%)
Illinois State University 371 14
Northern Illinois University 250 9
Eastern Illinois University 172 7
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign
137 5
North Central College 107 4

37. 37
Indian Prairie District 204: Illinois universities were the top five
producers of new hires, 2002-12.
Top 5 Baccalaureate Institutions of Indian Prairie New Hires, 2002-12
Institution
Number of New
Hires
Percentage Out of
Total New Hires (%)
Illinois State University 311 15
Northern Illinois University 191 9
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign
188 9
North Central College 99 5
Eastern Illinois University 90 4

38. 38
Rockford District 205: Twelve percent of new hires earned their
baccalaureate degrees either in Wisconsin or outside the country.
Top 5 Baccalaureate Institutions of Rockford New Hires, 2002-12
Institution
Number of New
Hires
Percentage Out of
Total New Hires (%)
Northern Illinois
University
372 22
Rockford College 239 14
Illinois State University 142 8
Wisconsin 109 7
Outside U.S.A. 80 5

39. 39
New Trier Township Districts: A substantial proportion of 2002-12
new hires in New Trier earned their degrees in nearby states.
Top 5 Baccalaureate Institutions of New Trier New Hires, 2002-12
Institution
Number of New
Hires
Percentage Out of
Total New Hires (%)
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign
185 11
Indiana 145 8
Ohio 131 7
Wisconsin 119 7
Michigan 106 6

40. 40
Across the state, certain institutions produce disproportionate
shares of black teachers.
Top 5 Producers of Newly Hired Black Teachers — Statewide, 2012
Institution
Total Market Share of
All New Illinois
Teachers
Total Market Share
of New Black
Teachers
Chicago State University 1% 10%
Unknown Illinois
institution
4% 9%
University of Illinois,
Urbana-Champaign
7% 5%
Northern Illinois
University
5% 4%
Governor’s State
University
1% 4%

41. 41
The same is true for Hispanic teachers. Certain institutions produce
disproportionate shares of Hispanic teachers.
Top 5 Producers of Newly Hired Hispanic Teachers — Statewide, 2012
Institution
Total Market Share of
All New Illinois
Teachers
Total Market Share
of New Hispanic
Teachers
Northeastern Illinois
University
2% 11%
Outside U.S.A. 1% 9%
Unknown Illinois
institution
4% 9%
DePaul University 2% 6%
Northern Illinois
University
5% 6%

42. Looking Ahead

43. 43
Policy Recommendations
• Be cognizant of cyclical fluctuations in supply and demand.
• Collect and track data that can provide insight into how to attract and
retain teachers in specific shortage areas.
– Newly certified staff: What regions/districts do newly certified staff
gravitate toward? How many leave the state? How many do not
teach at all?
– Experienced teachers: Track movement across districts. Do
experienced teachers move to lower-poverty districts? To urban vs.
rural districts? Out of the profession?
• Use data to target strategies to specific subject areas and regions
where shortages exist.

44. 44
Data Recommendations
• Since the time period studied, ISBE has created a new database,
called the Employment Information System (EIS). The EIS includes
changes to data collection and management designed to address
many problems with data consistency and ease of analysis found in
the TSR. Ongoing monitoring and efforts to solicit feedback can help
ensure continued improvement to the quality of the data. Additional
recommendations include:
– Investigate which aspects of the data would be most useful to
districts (such as information about mobility) and to institutions of
higher education (such as information about teacher placement)
and ensure that district and higher education staff can easily
access their own data
– Collect information about teachers’ preparation programs and
certification areas
– Release more frequent supply and demand reports

45. Appendix

46. 46
Methodology
• In order to conduct longitudinal analyses, all of the yearly TSR
datasets were merged into one file.
• Because the original datasets do not include unique IDs for
educators, we assigned individuals their own unique IDs. Then we
matched cases across years based on first and last name, middle
initial, gender, race, and college attended.
• Approximately 97% of the cases in the sample were successfully
matched using this method.