Illinois — Despite a statewide shortage of educators, Bert H. Fulton School is holding onto its faculty. According to the Illinois Schools Report Card, 85.1% of teachers at the Tinley Park elementary school return year after year, based on a three-year average ending in 2024.
That number far exceeds the challenges seen across much of Illinois, where school districts are struggling to fill thousands of teaching positions.
High Retention, Stable Classrooms
Bert H. Fulton is part of Community Consolidated School District 146, which reported 194 full-time faculty members for the 2023–24 academic year. The district serves 2,354 students across five schools, with a 16-to-1 student-teacher ratio — a metric often tied to classroom quality.
The average teacher salary in the district is $70,802, placing it 212th out of 865 districts statewide for pay ranking. The district also saw 68% of teachers miss 10 or fewer days last year — slightly better than the statewide average of 66%, a possible indicator of commitment and morale.
View the full data on the Illinois Report Card website.
Contrast With Illinois Teacher Shortage
While Bert H. Fulton maintains stability, the broader state landscape is more concerning. In 2024, Illinois had nearly 4,100 unfilled teaching jobs, and 91% of superintendents reported a “serious” teacher shortage.
Districts have had to resort to emergency strategies:
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Filling classrooms with long-term substitutes
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Calling back retired educators
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Canceling classes and combining students into larger groups
“They’re using retired teachers, or worse — canceling the class and putting the kids elsewhere,” said Beth Crider, regional superintendent of Peoria County.
State Response: Teacher Vacancy Grants
In response, the Illinois State Board of Education launched a Teacher Vacancy Grants Program, allocating $45 million annually during FY2024 and FY2025 to the 170 most-affected districts.
But districts like Fulton, where retention remains strong, demonstrate that local climate, community support, and leadership also play a crucial role in keeping teachers in the classroom.
Read the full report via Southland News Group
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