{"id":35460,"date":"2023-01-12T05:00:52","date_gmt":"2023-01-12T11:00:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/?p=35460"},"modified":"2023-01-12T00:30:12","modified_gmt":"2023-01-12T06:30:12","slug":"a-learner-of-learners-staving-off-the-deprofessionalization-of-oklahomas-teachers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/2023\/01\/12\/a-learner-of-learners-staving-off-the-deprofessionalization-of-oklahomas-teachers\/","title":{"rendered":"&#8216;A learner of learners\u2019: Staving off the \u2018deprofessionalization\u2019 of Oklahoma\u2019s teachers"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px; margin-bottom: 20px; border-radius: 6px; overflow: hidden;\"><iframe style=\"width: 100%; height: 200px;\" src=\"https:\/\/player.captivate.fm\/episode\/ae4c89da-6204-48fc-9a35-d342f15e608e\" frameborder=\"no\" scrolling=\"no\" seamless=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How dire is Oklahoma\u2019s teaching certification crisis?\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Oklahoma\u2019s teacher shortage led to a record-breaking <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/sde.ok.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/documents\/files\/DEC-Emergency%20Exceptions.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3,780 emergency teaching certifications<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> issued in 2022. In 2020, the legislature <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/oksenate.gov\/press-releases\/bill-extending-emergency-certifications-signed-law\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">expanded the program<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to allow for renewals for up to three years.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The passage of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1SoxYIZQUvlcALKacoELVXF19eHbX9PYG\/view?usp=sharing\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SB1119<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> during last year\u2019s legislative session underlined the crisis, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.oklahoman.com\/story\/news\/education\/2022\/12\/09\/adjunct-teachers-can-work-full-time-in-oklahoma-what-are-they\/69709692007\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sparking controversy<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> about how prepared educators should be before they\u2019re in front of children. The bill allowed adjunct teachers \u2014 whose qualifications are set by each district and who are not required by the state to attain a certain education level \u2014 to work up to full-time hours.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From 2001-2018, Oklahoma\u2019s enrollment in university education programs <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.americanprogress.org\/article\/make-declining-enrollment-teacher-preparation-programs\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">dropped by 80%<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. That decline caused Oklahoma City University to <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.insidehighered.com\/news\/2022\/01\/28\/oklahoma-city-university-closes-two-teacher-ed-programs\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">phase out<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> its early childhood and elementary teacher preparation programs altogether.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As schools struggle to fill classrooms with teachers holding standard teaching certificates, provisionally certified teachers have had to step in to fill the gap. But do students lose out when hiring traditionally certified teachers becomes a luxury this teacher-strapped state can\u2019t afford?<\/span><\/p><p><b>\u2018A learner of learners\u2019<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jenna Todd is a Northeastern State University social studies education senior who dreams of running her own classroom someday. She said before her cohort began student teaching, they were honored at a teaching certification ceremony. For Todd, it underscored the importance of not only what she was doing, but how she was doing it.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt was like a celebration of going into the teaching program and to become teachers. And it felt really good,\u201d Todd said. \u201cBecause you think about other students, business majors or art majors, and even though what they\u2019re doing is absolutely amazing, and go pursue your dreams! But here we\u2019re actually being celebrated like we\u2019re firefighters or something. And it makes you feel thankful for what you\u2019re doing, and that it\u2019s important.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Todd has just finished her first week as a student teacher at Tulsa Union High School, mentoring under Brittney Johnson \u2014 a 9th year educator. As students wrote summaries about the Mayan civilization on colored paper, Johnson repeated her instructions for the assignment in Spanish for the English Language Learning students in the class.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In Johnson\u2019s classroom, she said she\u2019s learning how to reach all students, regardless of ability or language.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI\u2019m really thankful I\u2019m in a classroom right now with many [English Language Learning] students, because that is something that worries me. I don\u2019t know how I\u2019m going to go into a future classroom with a language barrier,\u201d Todd said. \u201cAnd so now that I see Ms. Johnson and the different assignments she\u2019s giving that work specifically well for ELL students, for [students with disabilities on Individualized Education Plans], then I can take them into my classroom.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_35465\"  class=\"wp-caption module image aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 672px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"wp-image-35465 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/IMG_9977-672x448.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"672\" height=\"448\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/IMG_9977-672x448.jpg 672w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/IMG_9977-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/IMG_9977-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/IMG_9977-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/IMG_9977-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/IMG_9977-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/IMG_9977-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/IMG_9977-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/IMG_9977-1620x1080.jpg 1620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Beth Wallis\/StateImpact Oklahoma<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Student teacher Jenna Todd helps a student during a lesson on ancient Mayan practices. Todd says she plans to stay in Oklahoma to teach after her graduation in the spring.<\/p>\n<\/div><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Language barriers are one of the many curveballs teachers have to learn to field. Aiyana Henry, associate dean for professional education at the University of Oklahoma, said students who go through the traditional certification process \u2014 OU calls this \u201ccomprehensively prepared\u201d \u2014 are well-equipped to handle the rigors of being an educator.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYou really become a learner of learners,\u201d Henry said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Henry said OU\u2019s curriculum is backed up by a variety of strategies based on research and experts in the field, \u201cjust like you would do in any field.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cYou would study the methodologies and best practice instructional strategies if you were studying to become a nurse or if you were studying to become a surgeon,&#8221; Henry said. &#8220;And it\u2019s important that you practice those skills before you actually go into that operating room.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Comprehensively prepared teachers are more effective educators, and the numbers bare that out:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Increases in emergency and provisionally certified teachers <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/learningpolicyinstitute.org\/sites\/default\/files\/product-files\/Positive_Outliers_Quantitative_REPORT.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">l<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">ead to significant, negative impacts<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> on student achievement levels.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ccsso.org\/resource-library\/intasc-model-core-teaching-standards-and-learning-progressions-teachers-10\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Analyses of survey data<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> indicate that among all four domains of Oklahoma-mandated InTASC Standards (The Learner & Learning, Content, Instructional Practices, and Professional Responsibilities), university prepared educators were rated by mentors and school administrators as significantly higher than provisionally certified colleagues.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First year teachers who have been university prepared self-rate their own preparation and effectiveness in teaching <\/span><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ok.gov\/oeqa\/documents\/survey%20validation%20spring%202018.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">significantly higher<\/span><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> than provisionally certified colleagues.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Comprehensively prepared teachers are <\/span><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/sde.ok.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/Teacher_Supply_Demand_Report.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">much more likely<\/span><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to stay in the classroom. Teachers with standard certificates average a 41% three-year retention rate in Oklahoma. Emergency certified teachers average a 19% rate.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Educators from university teaching programs <\/span><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1OoknJ9LdehN_2y_PrUAKbcf6ce1jCXUZ\/view?usp=sharing\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">performed at the highest level<\/span><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> for all certification exams, with the largest margin of difference on the Oklahoma Subject Area Test \u2014 a content area-specific exam.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-35470 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/Traditional-1.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"5000\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/Traditional-1.png 2000w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/Traditional-1-269x672.png 269w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/Traditional-1-768x1920.png 768w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/Traditional-1-614x1536.png 614w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/Traditional-1-819x2048.png 819w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/Traditional-1-60x150.png 60w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/Traditional-1-120x300.png 120w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/Traditional-1-410x1024.png 410w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/Traditional-1-432x1080.png 432w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\" \/><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">OU, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.edweek.org\/teaching-learning\/fewer-people-are-getting-teacher-degrees-prep-programs-sound-the-alarm\/2022\/03\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">like many other universities around the country<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, is experiencing a decline in enrollment in teacher education programs. While no one culprit is behind the decline, <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nea.org\/sites\/default\/files\/2022-02\/NEA%20Member%20COVID-19%20Survey%20Summary.pdf\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">several factors play a part<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">: burnout \u2014 made especially worse by pandemic stress; low pay; student behavioral issues; and lack of respect from the parents and\/or the public.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In a <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/drive.google.com\/file\/d\/1OoknJ9LdehN_2y_PrUAKbcf6ce1jCXUZ\/view?usp=sharing\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">2019 White Paper<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> written by education professionals at eight different Oklahoma universities, authors lay out the argument for valuing comprehensive university teacher preparation. One key contention in the paper is addressing the problematic narrative that \u201cdeprofessionalizes\u201d teaching and teachers, leading to fewer young people seeing teaching as a worthwhile career.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe notion that preparation is not required to teach has been utilized to justify the exponential growth of emergency certification; the idea that \u2018all a teacher needs is kindness\u2019 is disrespectful to our profession,\u201d the paper reads.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Henry said she acknowledges the crucial gap that emergency certified teachers are filling and is grateful for their service. But the proliferation of these certifications in Oklahoma sends a message about the value of preparation.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt can be a little bit deprofessionalizing when you know that maybe the person next to you, however good the intentions are, didn\u2019t go through the same preparation process, didn\u2019t take out the school loans or didn\u2019t invest that time,\u201d Henry said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even in the state\u2019s current educational climate, Henry said teaching is still a worthwhile and vital profession, and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ou.edu\/debtfreeteachers#:~:text=For%20each%20year%20they%20teach,student%20loans%20will%20be%20forgiven.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">her university<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.okhighered.org\/otc\/inspired-to-teach.shtml#:~:text=The%20OK%20Future%20Teacher%20Scholarship,Program%20and%20teach%20in%20Oklahoma.\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">the state<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> have made moves to attract and retain qualified teachers. She said it\u2019s time to change the narrative around teaching in Oklahoma.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI think it\u2019s a great time to become an educator at different institutions,\u201d Henry said. \u201cIt\u2019s one of the most rewarding and most impactful jobs and careers that you can get into.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_35464\"  class=\"wp-caption module image aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2560px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-full wp-image-35464\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/IMG_9950-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/IMG_9950-scaled.jpg 2560w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/IMG_9950-672x448.jpg 672w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/IMG_9950-1920x1280.jpg 1920w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/IMG_9950-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/IMG_9950-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/IMG_9950-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/IMG_9950-150x100.jpg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/IMG_9950-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/IMG_9950-620x413.jpg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/IMG_9950-1620x1080.jpg 1620w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\" \/><\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-media-credit\">Beth Wallis\/StateImpact Oklahoma<\/p>\n<p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Student teacher Jenna Todd listens as her mentor teacher describes an assignment. Todd said school districts have been clamoring at job fairs to attract university-prepared teachers.<\/p>\n<\/div><p><b>\u2018Far more to teaching than just liking children\u2019<\/b><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Forty-three year educator and Midwest City Republican Sen. Brenda Stanley can recount every pivotal teacher she\u2019s ever had \u2014 and there have been a lot. She said the most impactful teachers were more than just instructors.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cMy first grade teacher was Mrs. Taylor. I will never, ever forget her,\u201d Stanley said. \u201cMy sister had to have her appendix removed. So back then, you put them in the hospital for a couple of days. My first grade teacher let me come live with her while my sister was in the hospital.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stanley went on to teach in Georgia, Arkansas and Mississippi before coming to Oklahoma. She was a traditionally certified teacher who also obtained a master\u2019s degree in education and administrator certification. And while working at UCO, Stanley supervised student teachers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">She said she knows the value of adequate teacher preparation first-hand.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cI had a really strong background before I ever stepped foot in the classroom on my own. So my fear is that we\u2019re putting people in front of a classroom full of children, and we\u2019re not providing the support that we need for them to be successful,\u201d Stanley said. \u201cAnd I know that we have people coming up to us in the legislature, \u2018We got a teacher shortage, we have to have someone in the classroom.\u2019 I understand that. But we want well-trained, qualified people in the classroom.\u201d<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">University programs teach future teachers techniques such as navigating special education requirements and state-mandated standards, understanding educational pedagogy and psychology, preparing lesson plans, working with parents and helping students through trauma or abuse.\u00a0<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThere\u2019s far more to teaching than just liking children, you know?\u201d Stanley said.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Without that training, Stanley said she\u2019s concerned whether Oklahoma\u2019s kids are getting the highest quality of education they could be.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stanley is authoring several bills this legislative session aimed at supporting teachers \u2014 one of which is <\/span><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2023-24%20INT\/SB\/SB48%20INT.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SB48<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, which would expand the state\u2019s mentor teaching program. Under her bill, highly qualified master teachers would mentor new teachers for their first three years and receive a $2,000 per year stipend.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other lawmakers are also trying to attract and retain educators this session through new legislation, including:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2023-24%20INT\/SB\/SB16%20INT.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SB16<\/span><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> would establish a pilot program for free childcare for district employees<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2023-24%20INT\/SB\/SB28%20INT.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SB28<\/span><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> would give teachers a $2,000 pay raise every three years for nine years\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2023-24%20INT\/SB\/SB40%20INT.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SB40<\/span><\/a><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> would create a task force to work on merit pay for high-quality teachers<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2023-24%20INT\/SB\/SB52%20INT.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">SB52<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> would require sick leave to accumulate from year to year<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2023-24%20INT\/SB\/SB91%20INT.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">SB91<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> would allow school personnel to receive \u00bd of their flexible benefit allowance, should they choose not to participate in the district-sponsored health plan<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2023-24%20INT\/hB\/HB1037%20INT.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">HB1037<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> would require annual salary bonuses for school psychologists, speech pathologists and audiologists<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2023-24%20INT\/hB\/HB1039%20INT.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">HB1039<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> would add school supplies to Oklahoma\u2019s tax-free weekend<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><a href=\"http:\/\/webserver1.lsb.state.ok.us\/cf_pdf\/2023-24%20INT\/SB\/SB265%20INT.PDF\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">SB265<\/span><\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> would offer salary grants to employ a teacher\u2019s assistant in schools whose class sizes exceed state limits<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul><p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-35461\" src=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/Spending-Region-FY20-scaled-1-672x519.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"672\" height=\"519\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/Spending-Region-FY20-scaled-1-672x519.jpeg 672w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/Spending-Region-FY20-scaled-1-1920x1484.jpeg 1920w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/Spending-Region-FY20-scaled-1-768x593.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/Spending-Region-FY20-scaled-1-1536x1187.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/Spending-Region-FY20-scaled-1-2048x1582.jpeg 2048w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/Spending-Region-FY20-scaled-1-150x116.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/Spending-Region-FY20-scaled-1-300x232.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/Spending-Region-FY20-scaled-1-620x479.jpeg 620w, https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/files\/2023\/01\/Spending-Region-FY20-scaled-1-1398x1080.jpeg 1398w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 672px) 100vw, 672px\" \/><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As another legislative session begins to get underway, lawmakers like Stanley still hope Oklahoma can bounce back from its teacher crisis and jam the revolving door of emergency certifications. Quality educators, she said, should know how valuable they are.<\/span><\/p><p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt is such a responsibility and a role that you play in a child\u2019s life,\u201d Stanley said. \u201cWe have to be serious about who we\u2019re putting in front of the classroom.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>How dire is Oklahoma\u2019s teaching certification crisis?\u00a0Oklahoma\u2019s teacher shortage led to a record-breaking 3,780 emergency teaching certifications issued in 2022. In 2020, the legislature expanded the program to allow for renewals for up to three years.The passage of SB1119 during last year\u2019s legislative session underlined the crisis, sparking controversy about how prepared educators should be [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":216,"featured_media":35482,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[17,16],"tags":[742,743,1475,1148,1492,1499,933],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35460"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/216"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35460"}],"version-history":[{"count":19,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35460\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":35488,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35460\/revisions\/35488"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/35482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35460"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35460"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/oklahoma\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35460"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}