DeLuca Measure to Help Address Teacher Shortage Passes House, Will Head to Governor

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The governor will soon receive a proposal passed by state Rep. Anthony DeLuca, D-Chicago Heights, to help address teacher shortage issues and increase the number of days a substitute teacher can work.

“Illinois, like everywhere else in the country, is facing challenges with recruiting and retaining teachers,” DeLuca said. “This proposal helps to give schools greater flexibility, by allowing substitute teachers to spend more days in the classroom. It’s a simple way we can relieve some pressure as we work toward more comprehensive solutions.”

DeLuca led House passage of Senate Bill 3893, which allows substitute teachers to teach up to 120 days in both the 2021-22 and 2022-23 school years. Currently, substitute teachers are only allowed to work up to 90 days, unless meeting specific exceptions. According to figures from the Illinois State Board of Education in February, there were over 1,700 teacher vacancies in the state.

“We want to make sure every student is receiving the care and attention they deserve,” DeLuca said. “When we have significant staffing shortages, it impacts the student to teacher ratio and adds unnecessary stress on our educators. Our teachers do amazing work each and every day, we have to make sure we’re supporting them.”

Senate Bill 3893 passed with bipartisan support without opposition.