Program At Pawhuska Public Schools Helps Teachers Earn Master's Degrees

The Oklahoma State School Boards Association says there are currently over 1,000 teacher vacancies across the state this year. Pawhuska Public Schools is trying to combat this issue by paying for their teachers to get their master's degrees in exchange for committing to the school district for four years.

David Cash, Superintendent of Pawhuska Public Schools, said that the district started looking at the program over the summer in an effort to retain teachers. That's when the district decided to partner with Oklahoma Christian University to put on the program.

Cash said that Pawhuska loses about 10% to 12% of its teachers every year, and he believes that this program is mutually beneficial to both the teachers and the district.

"I thought it would be a great perk for our teachers. If you’re going to continue your education, we want to pay for it. You’re just going to be a better teacher the more knowledge you have so it looks like a win-win for us. We get a commitment from our teachers to be here, and we’ll be able to enhance their education opportunities," Cash said.

There are currently three teachers from the district participating in the master's program, and Cash expects more will join in the upcoming semester after getting a better sense of how the program works because it isn't a traditional classroom setting and lecture arrangement. Instead, the participating teachers go through something called 'micro-credentialing.'

"You’re learning skills that you’re putting to use, and so you’re having to videotape yourself teaching some things and uploading that and then listening to critiques about how you can be better at certain facets of your job," Cash said.

The program costs the district $10,000 for each teacher, but the district says it is happy to do so to enhance the education of its teachers. Pawhuska Public Schools is also looking to expand this program to allow paraprofessionals who are non-certified to become certified teachers.