A survey shows Illinois' teacher shortage continues to grow and downstate areas are impacted most.

The information is from the Illinois Association of Regional Superintendents of Schools. It shows 85-percent of districts statewide having a problem with teacher shortages, up 78-percent in 2018. 

The group's president--Mark Jontry, says one thing that could help is program sharing through "e-learning"--involving multiple school districts and even community colleges, but rural broadband must get better.

More than 500 districts participated in the survey.