ILLINOIS, April 22 - CHICAGO— Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton will visit Eastern Illinois University on Wednesday, April 27th, to sit down with students, faculty, and administrators in education as the nation grapples with a teacher shortage. The highlight of the visit will be listening sessions to have candid conversations about the challenges future educators face and ways to build a robust and diverse teacher pipeline.   The teacher shortage existed prior to the pandemic, but COVID-19's impact turned a problem into a crisis. A recent survey by the National Education Association (NEA) found that 55% of educators want to leave the profession early. That percentage is even higher for Black (62%) and Hispanic/Latino (59%) educators already underrepresented in the teaching profession.   The Pritzker/Stratton Administration made education one of the top priorities in Illinois' latest balanced budget. Overall investments in education have increased to $12 billion, with $9.7 billion allocated to K-12 education and $2.2 billion for higher education. Additionally, MAP grant funding will increase to more than $600 million, and awards will cover 50% of tuition at state colleges and universities.

"Lt. Governor Stratton's visit to learn about our teacher preparation programs and to hear from our education students was impactful," said NEIU President Gloria Gibson about the Lt. Governor's previous stop on the college tour. "We appreciate her support for higher education and her leadership to address the teacher shortage in Illinois."

During her upcoming visit to Eastern Illinois University, the Lt. Governor's office will continue the conversation to identify solutions to the teacher shortage and ensure our educators know that they are seen and supported.

"My team and I recognize that teachers know what they need, and we must tap into their wisdom, said Lt. Governor Juliana Stratton. "We are listening and learning from our educational institutions across the state, and future teachers, to better understand how to tackle the barriers we face today in education."