Steven Isoye State Board of Education Chairperson | Official Website
Steven Isoye State Board of Education Chairperson | Official Website
The Illinois State Board of Education records data concerning faculty salary, retention, and attendance because maintaining a stable faculty makes for a better environment for teachers and students, furthering student success, according to the report.
There were 103 full-time faculty members in Mercer County, with a student-to-teacher ratio of 12-to-1. Data shows that 1,230 students were enrolled at the seven schools in the county.
The average salary for teachers within the county is around $59,485, ranking it 39th out of 102 counties in the state for salary. About 62.9% of teachers in the county were absent 10 days or fewer in 2024, compared to the statewide average of 66%.
The Illinois Educator Shortage Survey found more than 3,800 unfilled teaching positions in the 2024-25 school year, down 5.6% from the previous year.
The survey also reported nearly 200 vacant administrator roles, a notable increase of 16.7%. Despite the rise, only about one-third of educational leaders said administrator shortages were a problem.
Recent IAR data shows that while Illinois students improved slightly in the test, math performance remains below pre-pandemic levels. In 2024, 28.4% of students met math benchmarks, compared to 31.8% in 2019.
However, data also indicates a significant achievement gap based on race and ethnicity. The disparities were even more pronounced in math. White students achieved a proficiency rate of 38.7%, while Black students achieved 9.1% and Hispanic students 15.6%. Asian students achieved the highest proficiency rates in both subjects, hitting 68.2% in ELA and 61.4% in math.
| Year | Teacher retention rate | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 90.9% | $59,485 |
| 2023 | 92.6% | $56,653 |
| 2022 | 93.1% | $54,968 |
Information in this story was obtained from the Illinois State Board of Education. The source data can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up