YORKVILLE – State Representative Jed Davis (R-Yorkville) introduced a bill aimed at addressing the labor and teacher shortage in Illinois. House Bill 4173 allows a METT Educator District License for teaching a course in manufacturing, engineering, technology, or a trade (METT) to be issued to an applicant who has at least 10,000 working hours in a trade. This bill applies to individuals who do not have a bachelor’s degree in education but have experience in a field related to the course subject.
“This bill is a solution to a massive problem we have in the state of Illinois,” said Rep. Davis. “Employers are unable to find tradespeople due to a lack of education and exposure, which stems from the fact that schools across the state aren’t able to fill teaching positions in some of the most critical subjects: manufacturing, engineering, technology, and trades. Removing the requirement for these teachers to have a degree, specifically in education, allows qualified professionals, with years of experience in their field, the ability to teach the next generation. This focus will eventually benefit employers by equipping future employees.”
The bill also expands the database managed by the State Board of Education to identify METT teacher shortages to quickly connect prospective teachers with schools that have positions available in their respective fields.
Rep. Davis continued, “I am hopeful this bill will be a bipartisan solution to an issue impacting people in every corner of Illinois.”
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