Teachers Still In Short Supply In Oklahoma

The State School Board Association is using the first day of school to point out a survey they've done on teacher shortages in Oklahoma. The results show that even though a huge number of teaching positions were eliminated statewide, many schools are still struggling to hire.

Their numbers show that 1,530 positions were eliminated this past year, but as of August 1, there are still 543 teaching vacancies. That's not counting the 381 emergency certifications made over the summer months.

In Tulsa, the district has 40,000 students and 2,800 certified staff - about 100 fewer teachers compared to last year. Naturally, fewer teachers and the same number of students means class sizes are going up.

That's happening not just in Tulsa but all over the state.