Galesburg Reporter

King Elementary School Principal Mrs. Valerie Hawkins (2023) | King Elementary School

By P. S. Kessler

Nov 2, 2025

The Illinois Schools Report Card indicates that 85.8% of teachers remain in schools through Knox County year to year, based on the 2024 three-year average, according to the Illinois State Board of Education.

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 516 full-time faculty members in Knox County, with a student-to-teacher ratio of 13-to-1. Data shows that 6,574 students were enrolled at the 16 schools in the county.

The average salary for teachers within the county is around $60,754, ranking it 30th out of 102 counties in the state for salary. About 74.7% of teachers in the county were absent 10 days or fewer in 2024, compared to the statewide average of 66%.

The Illinois Educator Shortage Survey found more than 3,800 unfilled teaching positions in the 2024-25 school year, down 5.6% from the previous year.

The survey also reported nearly 200 vacant administrator roles, a notable increase of 16.7%. Despite the rise, only about one-third of educational leaders said administrator shortages were a problem.

Recent IAR data shows that while Illinois students improved slightly in the test, math performance remains below pre-pandemic levels. In 2024, 28.4% of students met math benchmarks, compared to 31.8% in 2019.

However, data also indicates a significant achievement gap based on race and ethnicity. The disparities were even more pronounced in math. White students achieved a proficiency rate of 38.7%, while Black students achieved 9.1% and Hispanic students 15.6%. Asian students achieved the highest proficiency rates in both subjects, hitting 68.2% in ELA and 61.4% in math.

Teacher Retention Rate in Knox County Over 3 Years