Rockford Public Schools is fortunate to have a strong partner in Northern Illinois University to help tackle the ongoing teacher and staff shortage. Northern Illinois University is supporting K-12 school districts – Rockford and Elgin U-46 included – to grow our own teachers and staff with a program called PLEDGE, Partnering to Lead and Empower District-Grown Educators. The NIU PLEDGE initiative brings licensure programs to where the potential students are.

Student teaching and graduation are scheduled for the spring, and we are excited to celebrate this first cohort of graduates from the NIU LEAP program! More than a dozen LEAP program participants are on track to graduate this summer, with three more expected to graduate this fall.

Read more in the Rockford Chamber of Commerce publication, The Voice.


Superintendent Dr. Ehren JarrettDr. Ehren Jarrett is in his tenth academic year leading Rockford Public Schools.