Oklahoma Teacher Shortage Persists for K-12 Public Schools

There are no guarantees that Oklahoma public schools will have enough teachers for every classroom when the 2024–2025 academic year begins this fall. The Sooner State was already struggling with a significant teacher shortage when legislation was introduced earlier this year to lure former certified teachers back to schools. The bill, House Bill 4017, which proposed $7,000 annual signing bonuses for up to five consecutive years for teachers with at least three years of experience, failed to make it to the Oklahoma Senate before the annual session ended last month. The Oklahoma State Department of Education previously created a provision allowing individuals with non-teaching degrees to lead classrooms. Then, it went a step further and added an adjunct teacher program where vacancies in most grade levels and subject areas can be filled by applicants who don’t have a college degree, let alone any teaching experience. The law was initially passed as an emergency measure to mobilize part-time teachers quickly, but under a 2022 amendment, adjuncts can now teach five days a week....