Alontae McCain has long had dreams of becoming a teacher.

As a librarian at Mitchell Elementary School in DeKalb, McCain said he believes he can achieve his goal.

“I always liked school,” McCain said. “I had great teachers.”

McCain is among the staff at DeKalb School District 428 who have benefited from aid provided under the state’s Teacher Vacancy Grant.

First awarded to the district in the 2023-24 school year, the Teacher Vacancy Grant works by design to address teacher shortages, all while working to ensure fewer unfilled positions and improving workplace morale and job satisfaction.

Deetra Sallis, the district’s director of human resources, said Teacher Vacancy Grant funding is meant to help with both retaining and attracting educators.

“They see how the district is investing in them and students, they feel valid,” Sallis said.

According to the most recent state school report card data, DeKalb schools’ teacher retention remained largely steady in recent years. In 2025, it was 91.2%, compared to 91.2% in 2024 and 90.7% in 2023.

Sallis said the district has been able to get creative in building a sense of belonging in DeKalb schools.

“Some people may think that doesn’t make sense, but that is a huge factor for people – feeling like they’re part of the culture and part of the team," Sallis said.

According to the Illinois State Board of Education, the grant allows districts maximum flexibility to use allocated funds in “innovative, creative and evidence-based ways, such as signing bonuses, housing stipends, down-payment assistance or loan repayments; to pay tuition and fees or provide residencies or apprenticeships; and to sustain employment of current teachers by providing materials, supplies, coaching and school culture supports.”

In May 2025, school board member Mark Charvat asked for better transparency on records of how the grant funds are spent, and board member Nick Atwood said he thought they should be better prioritized. Also around that time, the school board approved several purchase order requests for spa/salon services such as massages, hair treatment, nails and facials funded through the grant program.

District staff said they had been allocated a little more than $300,000 from the state to use.

Sallis said she believes the grant funding has gone a long way to further the district’s efforts to promote culture, retention and hiring.

“What we did is we looked at the systems and structures we had in place and looked to see how we could enhance and better support them in order to continue to support the culture, the recruitment, the retention process,” Sallis said.

McCain said he appreciates the opportunity to advance his career.

“Before I got hired, I was looking for some colleges to take me in,” McCain said. “I couldn’t find any programs. You know, when I got hired, I was also then offered a chance [to] do schooling. My dream was, you know, have a classroom one day and, you know, help the kids out.”

McCain, who is Black, said he didn’t often see people like himself teaching while growing up and attending Chicago schools.

He said he hopes to have an impact on young students of color.

“It’s really important, especially for me, [a] young black man,” McCain said. “I had one teacher, [an] African American male teacher. I met him and honestly, I can say, he put an impression on me.”

Also working to become a teacher through the grant program is Aimee Lewis. Lewis said she is grateful for the district’s support. She’s an administrative professional at Mitchell Elementary School who has been working for DeKalb School District 428 for 15 years.

“I would not have been able to go back to school because I have a family of five, and it’s not in the cards to do it unless I had this help,” Lewis said.

Lewis is studying to become an elementary school teacher, thanks in part to a partnership between the district and Grand Canyon University. She’s also working to attain endorsements in both special education and English as a Second Language.

Lewis said it would mean a lot to her to complete the program.

“I’m dyslexic myself, so I wanted to help others like me, and that’s the reason why I’m getting a special education endorsement,” Lewis said.

Cassandra Sprankle said she strives to be a better educator for everyone in her classroom.

Sprankle is a first-grade general education teacher at Mitchell Elementary School who has been working for DeKalb schools for four years.

“Every year, I’ve had a very wide range of learners,” Sprankle said. “I have some that are way above grade level, and then I have some that are quite below. So, I thought, like, ‘I can get my special education degree, and then I can help my low learners.’”

Sprankle said she has aspirations to work more closely with those with special needs.

“I also do want to transition into special education at some point in my career,” she said.

This month, Sprankle is expected to have completed a Master’s degree program in special education. She said she is getting reimbursement on student loans she acquired to help pay for her schooling.

Sprankle said she plans to stay in DeKalb schools.

It is her first year working at Mitchell Elementary School, the district’s newest school that opened in the fall of 2025.

“I think our school has been really good at being a team and trying to make things work here because we’re still learning,” Sprankle said.

Upon program completion, Lewis said she sees herself landing a teaching job in DeKalb schools. She said she looks forward to someday having her own classroom.

“I love working in the schools because I’m with students and that is what I want to do, is be with students,” Lewis said.

Sallis expressed appreciation for the Teacher Vacancy Grant funding and what it’s done for the district, and hopes there’s more to come.

“This is the third, and at this point the final year, but we got our fingers crossed and we’re hoping that this is not the case,” Sallis said.