Employers across the nation are increasingly having a difficult time hiring and retaining qualified workers, and this has certainly hit home in the Peoria Unified School District, which has seen resignations and terminations increase by 23% since before the pandemic.
The labor shortage has affected Peoria Unified across the board, with employees fleeing the district in all categories, including administrators, teachers and other certified staff, as well as classified staff, which are non-teaching positions, such as food service workers.
Officials say the exodus has led to serious concerns and an immediate need for bus drivers, special education instructional assistants, certified staff that is hard to fill and special content areas, as well as professional staff to support district operations.
