How to Become a Teacher in Chicago

If you are looking to become a teacher and want to help underserved communities, then Chicago, Illinois, is the place to start. With a teacher shortage across the country, Chicago is no different; there is a high demand for quality teachers who are both professionally and culturally competent. Graduates of St. Augustine College’s Early Childhood Education program are prepared through advanced training, which is available in multilingual courses.

Is There a Demand for Teachers in Illinois?

Yes. The state of Illinois requires public and private early childhood education teachers. In 2023, the Illinois State Board of Education published the 2023 Educator Supply and Demand Report, which states that ‘there was an increase in unfilled positions from SY22 to SY23 in the City of Chicago and Northeast regions’ of Illinois. 

Furthermore, in the 2023-2024 school year, this report determined that ‘several districts have very low counts of bilingual teachers and administrators, ’ highlighting a need for more bilingual educators. 

Steps to Becoming a Teacher in Chicago

To become an ECE teacher, they are generally required to have a Bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and pass the Early Childhood Education content examination administered by the Illinois Licensure Testing System (ILTS). 

Here are five general steps to becoming a teacher at any level in Illinois: 

• Determine what grade level you want to teach (early childhood, elementary, middle, or high school).
• Earn a Bachelor’s degree in ECE or an education-related field and complete a teacher preparation program. The degree must be from an academic program that is accredited through the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP).
• Complete student-teaching experience.
• Pass the Test of Academic Proficiency (TAP), the specific content area test, and the Assessment of Professional Teaching (APT) tests.
• Apply and earn your Illinois teacher certification from the Illinois State Board of Education. Students must earn their Professional Educator License in order to teach in public or private schools in the state of Illinois. 

Depending on the school and career position, the employer may seek candidates with a Master’s or Doctoral degree in Early Childhood Education or education-related programs. The Teacher Salary Study shows a breakdown of schools, positions, education, and salary potential for further insight. 

What is the Average Salary for a Teacher in Illinois?

The average teacher salary is $75,978 in the state of Illinois. This range is the average for teachers of all grades. K-12 teachers earn an average of $72,030 and are projected to grow by 3.0% in 2024-25.

Pursue an Early Childhood Education Degree

There are several benefits to teaching in Chicago, IL, specifically that you would be filling a demand for quality teachers in the community. St. Augustine College’s Early Childhood Education program offers multilingual courses to encourage more diversity and representation in teacher positions at the early childhood grade levels. This makes our ECE program more accessible while preparing students for the demanding workforce and helps fill those unfilled positions. This program does qualify you for an Illinois Professional Educator License, making it easy to gain the skills needed to pass the required tests and certifications and get started on shaping the next generation.