Southern Illinois News

The Illinois Schools Report Card finds that 88.9 percent of teachers stay in schools through Union County year to year, according to the 2022 three-year average, according to the Illinois State Board of Education report.

The Illinois State Board of Education records data concerning faculty salary, retention, and attendance because maintaining a stable faculty makes for a better environment for teachers and students, furthering student success, according to the report.

There were 199 full-time faculty members in Union County, with a student-teacher ratio of 13-to-1. There are 2,524 students enrolled at the 15 schools.

The average salary for teachers within the county is $52,642, ranking it 64th out of 102 counties in the state for pay.

About 64.3 percent of teachers in the county were absent 10 days or fewer in 2022, compared to 66 percent of teachers in the state.

Salaries vary depending on the school and district, as well as the teacher's level of experience and education, according to the report. The U.S. Department of Education considers teacher attendance a "leading indicator" of how well students perform. When a high rate of teachers is absent more than 10 days, data shows students perform worse.