Decatur Public Schools (District 61) told the board June 24 that certified teacher vacancies have fallen from 120 in April to 47, and the district expects more than 70 new teachers to begin this fall.

Monica Wilkes, director of human resources, told the board 44 of the new certified hires are international teachers recruited through a partnership with Peoria Public Schools, which will serve as the visa host for J‑1 placements. Wilkes said those candidates are undergoing embassy appointments and credentialing steps and have applied for Illinois professional educator licenses (PELs) that are pending review by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE).

“We’ve gone from a 22.7% vacancy rate for our certified teaching staff down to an 8.9% vacancy rate,” Wilkes said. She added that the international candidates will attend the district’s New Educator Week in August and that the district has organized a housing list and community partners to assist candidates once their visas are issued.

A board member asked whether a community meet‑and‑greet is planned so local organizations and church groups can welcome and orient the international teachers. Wilkes said the district will include a community welcome as part of New Educator Week, likely on the Wednesday or Thursday of that week, and will invite community groups to set up resource tables.

Wilkes said international teachers will be treated the same as other new educators for onboarding and evaluation; she emphasized there are no additional district incentives and that teachers will secure their own housing and finances. The district will continue recruitment work and pre‑employment vetting through the summer.