For the 2021-22 school year, Illinois school districts started or reopened 13 ag programs, and 33 more ag teachers entered classrooms. The good news about new programs and expansion of others is exacerbating the shortage of ag teachers. And despite the expansion, roughly 1.157 million middle school and high school students are not exposed to careers in agriculture, food or natural resources because their districts lack curriculum. The Illinois Leadership Council for Agricultural Education recently discussed the continued growth of ag education programs and a new thrust to reach students whose schools don’t offer ag classes. READ MORE