(WBBM NEWSRADIO) --Like other districts across the state, Indian Prairie School District 204 has struggled with staffing shortages.
During Monday night's school board meeting, assistant superintendent of human resources Louis Lee told board members that it's going to get worse in the future.
"We are going to have challenges that are coming in how to actually meet and try to bring in new staff to replace our veteran staff," said Lee.
118 educators are retiring from the district over the next three years.
53 teachers are on track to retire at the end of this year, 48 will step down in 2024 and another 17 in 2025.
"I think that there's a lot of work in front of us with the aging of our staff and the number of people going into the teaching profession," said school board president Laurie Donahue.
Although the district started the school year with all its teaching positions filled, administrators noted their biggest struggle is hiring teaching assistants, psychologists, nurses and occupational therapists.
In an effort to attract new teachers, the district plans to rely partly on its Grow Your Own Teachers program, which develops potential teachers while they're in high school.
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