Lawmaker introduces two bills to help address Oklahoma teacher shortage
OKLAHOMA CITY (KOKH) — An Oklahoma lawmaker is looking for new ways to fill empty classrooms.
As the state grapples with a growing teacher shortage, Sen. Jessica Garvin is introducing a pair of bills that would make it easier for adjuncts and substitutes to fill the gaps.
"When I learned about some of these rules, like the substitute teacher requirements, or I guess restrictions rather, it just blew my mind because I thought, 'We are in a teacher shortage, we are restricting how many days or how many hours people can work for the school system in a classroom,'" Garvin said. "It's just really frustrating because, you know, especially in rural communities, we don't have a whole lot of options sometimes."
SB 1119 would remove the 270-hour cap adjuncts can teach per semester, while SB 1144 would allow substitutes with lapsed or expired certificates, as well as those with bachelor’s degrees, to work as many days as needed.
"You may have a banker that wants to go teach personal finance, you may have a physician or a nurse who wants to go teach anatomy," Garvin explained. "A school board should be able to say, 'Hey, we think they're perfectly qualified to come and teach our kids.'"
"It is something that is more significant than what we've seen in the past," saidOklahoma State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister when asked about the current situation in our schools.
Hofmeister says it’s her policy not to discuss proposed legislation before the session, but did speak to the severity of Oklahoma’s teacher shortage, saying the pandemic has only intensified the problem.
"COVID has exacerbated the shortages, both with teachers as well as with substitute or guest teachers, and also bus drivers, and cafeteria workers, and those who are tutors," she said. "So our children are losing when we don't have the people that are needed to take care of them."
Meanwhile, Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration Executive Director Dr. Pam Deering is backing both bills. She sent FOX25 the following statement:
Oklahoma school districts are certainly feeling the effects of the nationwide teacher shortage. Increased COVID cases and quarantines have only made the situation more critical. CCOSA supports efforts that would increase flexibility, allowing quality and caring substitute and adjunct teachers to be in classrooms to teach and assist our students through these unprecedented times.
"The reality is we're not going to solve this problem overnight," Garvin said. "It's a huge issue in our state, it's a huge issue across the country, so we have to get creative."
Both bills will be considered when the legislative session begins in February.
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