Illinois has reduced its backlog of teacher-certification applications from 7,500 to about 5,500, and eliminated it entirely for the 434,000-student Chicago school district. About 1,200 Chicago teachers and teacher candidates had been awaiting certification, state officials say. Reducing licensing tie-ups had been a goal of Gov. Rod Blagojevich, who earlier this year named several new members to the state board of education. Those members have said the issue is a priority.
A version of this article appeared in the November 17, 2004 edition of Education Week
