JWCC RECEIVES $50,000 GRANT TO HELP ADDRESS TRI-STATE TEACHER SHORTAGE

QUINCY — As teacher shortages continue to impact schools across Illinois and the Tri-State region, John Wood Community College is stepping in with new resources aimed at strengthening the future educator pipeline in West Central Illinois.

The U.S. Department of Education has identified widespread teacher shortages in multiple subject areas, prompting efforts at both the state and local levels to recruit and support new educators. John Wood Community College recently received a $50,000 grant through the “Grow Your Own Teachers Illinois” initiative, a program funded by an Illinois-based nonprofit to help address those shortages.

College officials say the funding will be used to remove barriers for students pursuing careers in education. The grant will allow JWCC to purchase new laptops and textbooks that can be loaned to local high schools offering education pathway programs, ensuring students have access to the tools they need both in and out of the classroom.

April Darringer, JWCC’s early childhood development coordinator, said even small forms of support can make a meaningful difference.

“It always helps to remove any barriers or gaps that we can,” Darringer said. “When a student needs something and we’re able to say yes, we can help with that — whether it’s a laptop or a textbook — that takes one stressor off of them.”

The Grow Your Own Teachers Illinois program is also focused on recruiting students early and guiding them through the preparation process. Darringer said she is often impressed by the growth she sees in students over the course of just two years.

“They may come in with minimal knowledge of what it takes to be a teacher,” she said, “but by the time they graduate, they’ve matured and developed the skills needed to step into a classroom.”

College leaders say the partnership is designed to build a sustainable pipeline of educators who are rooted in the region and more likely to stay and serve local schools long term.

With districts across West Central Illinois continuing to face staffing challenges, programs like Grow Your Own Teachers Illinois are seen as a proactive step toward ensuring classrooms remain staffed with qualified educators for years to come.

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