Campus Correspondent: Education Graduates Leaving Oklahoma

Recent education graduates say Oklahoma needs to make some major changes to solve the current teacher shortage.

The State Department of Education is reporting a student to teacher ratio of 374:1.

Educators are feeling the effects of this shortage across the nation, especially in Oklahoma.

OU graduates who are now leading classrooms say reasons for the teacher shortage are complex and predate the pandemic.

“There are passionate people who want to do the job, and there is no passion where there is no pay,” said 2nd grade teacher Michael Washington.

Oklahoma Education Association President, Katherine Bishop, adds another major factor is the lack of respect for educators.

Whether it’s salary or respect, Oklahoma has to make some big changes in order to draw in more teachers to the state.