Title of Effective Practice: - California Postsecondary Education ...

Direct Connection to Policy Area 2 of The Illinois Commitment
Creating New Teachers for Illinois Schools
Southern Illinois University - Carbondale
What issue or need is addressed by the effective practice?
There is a developing shortage of teachers in Illinois. Over 21,000 teachers retired last year, and replacing these
retiring teachers while responding to population growth will be difficult as Illinois is already a net exporter of
teachers. There is no single solution to this problem, and dealing with it will require many different initiatives.
For this reason, SIUC is implementing a variety of approaches with an emphasis on mathematics and science.
Each of the initiatives described below is aimed at increasing the number of certified teachers.
Description of the effective practice:
Increasing the number of qualified teachers requires a multifaceted approach involving many different
programs. The College of Education and Human Services established a Center for Rural Schools and
Communities to begin addressing the needs of the region. The Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) program, a
part of the Library of Congress-funded An Adventure of the American Mind, is currently training its third and
fourth cohorts of students. A state-funded program, entitled Teaching Excellence in Mathematics and Science,
began over five years ago. It is a collaborative program aimed at training mathematics and science teachers. A
bachelor of science in elementary education is being offered at the University Center of Lake County.
How does this practice achieve sustainability?
Funding for these initiatives is derived from three sources. Some, such as the off-campus programs in Lake
County, are funded on a cost-recovery basis and, as such, they should remain viable for as long as satisfactory
enrollment is maintained. The Teaching Excellence in Mathematics and Science program is a state-funded
initiative. The Center for Rural Schools and Communities is funded by some external awards, and proposals
have been submitted, or are in preparation, to secure additional funding to keep the programs in the center
viable. Still other initiatives derive their primary support from tuition dollars and are integrated into the funding
of the University.
What are the results/measurable outcomes?
The MAT program has enrolled approximately 50 students to date. In FY 2005 the College of Education and
Human Services certified 420 graduates to teach P-12 (64 graduate degrees and 356 bachelor degrees). In 2005,
the College of Education and Human Services graduated 1,170 undergraduate students. Diverse Issues in
Higher Education ranked SIUC 2nd in the number of baccalaureate degrees in education awarded to African
Americans, 26th in the number of baccalaureate education degrees awarded to American Indian students, 40th in
the number of baccalaureate education degrees awarded to Asian American students, and 26th in the number of
baccalaureate education degrees awarded to Hispanic students. Overall, SIUC was ranked 6th in the number of
baccalaureate degrees in education awarded to all minority groups of students combined. For the first time U.S.
News and World Report ranked one of the programs in education in the top 10. Vocational Technical Education
in the Department of Workforce Education and Development at SIUC tied with Oklahoma State University and
the University of Missouri-Columbia for 9th. Of course, Rehabilitation Counseling in the Rehabilitation Institute
has been ranked in the top 10 by U.S. News and World Report for a number of years, and this year it is tied with
the University of Iowa for 3rd.
Contact Information
Name: Patti Elmore
Email: pbelmore@siu.edu
Phone: (618) 453-2415
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