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Illinois

As of 2020, Illinois produces about fourteen new teachers with at least a physics minor, but Illinois needs at least sixty-eight new physics teachers each year to replace those who retire or leave the profession. This shortfall means that physics classes may be unavailable to students who would otherwise take them, and in some cases, under-qualified teachers may be assigned to teach physics. Learn more about the Title II data used in the NRC and about our teacher needs estimates.

68

Estimated new physics teachers needed each year at 40% enrollment

21%

Estimated need met each year

53

More physics teachers needed every year

14

Estimated new teachers with at least a physics-related minor

20

New teachers who completed a physics-related teacher preparation program

16

New teachers with a physics certification from the state

These numbers are estimated from the three most recent years of Title II data available, and they include teachers prepared in Illinois that completed programs that are not part of an Institution of Higher Education (IHE). On average, each year, non-IHE programs reported that they prepared zero new teachers who have at least a physics-related minor, and that they prepared zero new teachers through a physics-related preparation program. To learn more about non-IHE programs, see this booklet from Title II.

We focus on our estimate of new teachers with at least a physics-related minor throughout most of our analysis, including the calculation of state and national needs being met. While this does not capture every newly prepared physics teacher, it is most consistent with PhysTEC’s definition of a qualified physics teacher. On this page, as well as in individual institution reports, we provide data from Title II on other methods for counting new teachers based on their teacher preparation programs’ subjects and the areas of their state certifications. However, there is overlap among these counting methods, so it is not possible to add the numbers without counting individuals more than once. To learn more about the counting methods for new teachers, see the NRC FAQs.

If all students take physics, taught by a qualified physics teacher
130

New teachers needed each year

14

Estimated new teachers with at least a physics-related minor

11%

Estimated need met

If 40% of students take physics, taught by a qualified physics teacher
68

New teachers needed each year

14

Estimated new teachers with at least a physics-related minor

21%

Estimated need met

If 40% of students take physics, taught by any physics teacher
68

New teachers needed each year

20

New teachers from physics-related preparation programs

29%

Estimated need met

Illinois Institutions

This table reports the number of new teachers with a physics-related major that are prepared by programs in Illinois. The table also includes the total number of teachers with a physics-related major who are prepared at programs that are not at institutions of higher education (“Non-IHE programs”). Please contact us if you have additional questions about the Non-IHE programs.

Click on an institution or enter an institution name in the Search box to see an individual institution's report.

Institution
2018–2019
2019–2020
2020–2021
Average
Illinois State University5+ club member badgePhysTEC member badge0712.7
Illinois Institute of TechnologyPhysTEC member badge02.3
University of Illinois at ChicagoPhysTEC member badge2322.3
Lewis University5+ club member badgePhysTEC member badge2011.0
Augustana CollegePhysTEC member badge0110.7
DePaul UniversityPhysTEC member badge1100.7
Eastern Illinois UniversityPhysTEC member badge0020.7
Illinois Wesleyan UniversityPhysTEC member badge0110.7
Loyola University of ChicagoPhysTEC member badge2000.7
Northern Illinois UniversityPhysTEC member badge2000.7
Figures are based on a three-year average of data reported to Title II. See the FAQ for more information.

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