DECATUR, Ill. (WAND) – Classrooms across Decatur Public Schools get a global perspective thanks to the International Teacher Cultural Exchange Visitor Program.
This federally recognized initiative brings experienced educators from around the world into local schools.
The program operates under the U.S. Department of State’s J-1 Visa Exchange Visitor Program and is rooted in the Mutual Educational and Cultural Exchange Act of 1961. Its purpose is twofold: to address teacher shortages while fostering meaningful cultural exchange between students and educators from different countries.
“This exchange program has a tremendous impact on not only students, but teachers and the community,” said Christopher Rohwedder, an HR recruiter and alternate responsible officer for international teachers for Peoria Public Schools. “For instance, we’ve seen grades go up. We’ve had teachers for five years now, so the overall success is there."
Decatur Public Schools joined the program this school year and currently hosts nearly 60 international teachers across the district. Associate Superintendent for Human Resources Dr. Alexander Ikejiaku stated that the district is one of approximately ten school systems participating in the program, which began five years ago in Peoria.
“The emphasis is on cultural exchange. The academic piece is the icing on the cake,” he said.
To qualify, international teachers must have a minimum of two years of teaching experience in their home country, demonstrate fluency in English, and meet U.S. certification requirements. Once placed, they teach alongside American educators while also participating in cultural exchange projects that connect students locally with students abroad.
“Our teachers participate in cultural exchange projects with students here and with students in their home country, so students get to interact with each other. It’s very powerful," said Rohwedder.
One of those teachers is Jerryll Pelayo, who came to Decatur from the Philippines with more than a decade of classroom experience. He now teaches at Hope Academy and said the welcome he received made the transition easier.
“The teaching staff are very welcoming and very supportive,” he said. “Every single day, they ask, ‘What do you need today? What do you need for next month?'”
Pelayo said the classroom experience in the United States differs significantly from what he was used to, particularly when it comes to technology. Still, he embraces the opportunity to blend both systems while sharing his culture with students.
“In social studies, I show them where the Philippines is and what is happening there,” he said. “They are very amazed. They say, ‘Oh, that’s your country? I’d like to go there.’”
District leaders said those moments are exactly why the program exists. Students not only learn new content but also gain global awareness that can leave a lasting impression.
“I wish I had had an exchange teacher when I was younger,” Rohwedde said. “I think it will impact them forever."
Beyond the classroom, international teachers plan to share their cultures with the broader Decatur community through food, festivals, and cultural events before the next school year.
Decatur Public Schools leaders say the program not only fills critical staffing needs but also prepares students for an increasingly interconnected world—one classroom at a time.
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