EAST ST. LOUIS – East St. Louis School District 189 says a state grant aimed at easing Illinois’ teacher shortage has helped the district sharply reduce vacancies, improve retention, and recruit 23 international teachers to fill hard-to-staff classrooms.
East St. Louis School District 189 Superintendent Arthur R. Culver said the Illinois State Board of Education’s Teacher Vacancy Grant has been “transformational” for the district, where shortages in areas including special education, math, science, bilingual education, and music have affected students’ access to consistent instruction.
Culver said East St. Louis School District 189 cut teacher vacancies by more than 80 percent, from 26 to five, while increasing teacher retention from 73.4 percent in 2017 to 90.1 percent in 2025. He said the district’s International Teacher Recruitment Partnership Program brought licensed educators from Cameroon, Ghana, Nigeria, the Philippines, and Thailand into its schools.
“These licensed professionals have provided stability in hard-to-fill subject areas while enriching our classrooms with diverse perspectives and strong instructional expertise,” Culver said.
According to Culver, the grant funding has supported recruitment, mentoring, professional development, onboarding supports, stipends, and other staffing strategies. Culver said those efforts helped the district reduce its reliance on long-term substitute coverage and lower the percentage of educators teaching outside their certification area to below the state average.
He said improved staffing levels have also helped schools address students’ academic and social-emotional needs through stronger instructional continuity and increased access to teachers.
Culver said that the district’s work was highlighted at the 2026 Illinois Large Unit District Association Winter Conference for its approach to teacher shortages through global recruitment partnerships and workforce development strategies.
He urged Illinois to continue offering the Teacher Vacancy Grant, saying teacher shortages remain a statewide problem, especially in high-need subjects and secondary schools.
“The Teacher Vacancy Grant is more than a staffing initiative,” Culver said. “It is an investment in students, school stability, workforce sustainability, and the future of Illinois communities.”
Among the international teachers identified by the district are Jomina Salazar of the Philippines, a teacher at Younge School of Excellence; Ebenezer Fosu of Ghana, a teacher at Younge School of Excellence; and Kwasi Gyebitweneboah of Ghana, a teacher at Mason/Clark Middle School.
