AU's graduate education programs fill demand for Illinois teachers and principals

The nationwide teacher shortage has been making headline news for the past several years. In Illinois, there were over 7,100 unfilled positions at the start of the 2023 school year, including almost 50 open positions for principals and assistant principals across the state.¹

In response, AU has tailored its graduate education degree and endorsement programs so students can make an immediate impact in their district. AU’s Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE)-approved programs include the most relevant curriculum delivered by faculty who are experienced educational leaders. Current program offerings cover a variety of specializations: curriculum and instruction, educational technology, reading instruction, and educational leadership. The programs are designed with working educators in mind, providing flexible schedules, cohorts that meet close to home, and embedded practicum or field experiences.

“AU supported me with invested professors who guided me throughout every course. They teach the content in an interactive and meaningful way, but are also flexible, understanding, and supportive, which really helped me balance my work, family, and school commitments,” said Rosalba Conde '23, MA in Educational Leadership .

AU students also have a history of qualifying and completing unique support experiences throughout their programs. Most recently, Conde and six other AU MA in Educational Leadership candidates were selected for the Illinois Principals Association’s (IPA) Illinois School Leader Pipeline Program (ISLPP) between the 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 cohorts. Each cohort is comprised of 100 aspiring school leaders and had 253 and 275 applicants respectively. The program was created through a grant from the Illinois State Board of Education to identify, develop, and support diverse cohorts of aspiring school leaders as they pursue advanced degrees and prepare for school leadership.

“The pipeline program helped me tremendously while earning my degree from AU. I was very blessed to be granted a full scholarship, a bilingual mentor to support and guide me, and funds to help pay for substitutes and trainings that could help me continue to expand my leadership experience,” said Conde, who is a member of the 2022-2023 ISLPP cohort.

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¹ https://www.isbe.net/unfilledpositions