Pandemic-Era School Staff Shortages: Evidence from UnfIlled Position Data in Illinois

Paul Bruno ()
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Paul Bruno: Department of Education Policy, Organization and Leadership University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Champaign, IL 61820

Education Finance and Policy, 2026, vol. 21, issue 1, 45-70

Abstract: Concerns about school staff shortages are longstanding. However, data on shortages are limited, dated, and rare for nonteaching staff. I use administrative data on unfilled certificated positions in Illinois public schools from the Fall of 2022 to paint a detailed picture of shortages across teaching, administrative, and other roles, between districts, and between schools. Teacher and administrator shortage rates are low on average, but shortages of other staff—mostly paraprofessionals—are more severe. However, staff–student ratios have increased recently for all staff types. Shortages vary substantially between schools within districts and across urbanicity, grade level, and student characteristics, often in ways that likely exacerbate inequities.

Date: 2026
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