Emergency teacher certifications up from last year

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) — As school gets underway, the numbers are in and according to the State Board of Education, Oklahoma emergency teacher certifications are up from last year.

"If things don't change it's going to increase. We've seen it from last year to this year," said Katherine Bishop, the President of Oklahoma Education Association.

Eager students filling the classroom also means that teachers are needed in the state.

As the number of those requesting new emergency certifications rises, the Oklahoma Education Association (OEA) is worried for the future of education.

"We know it has a direct impact on their learning," said Bishop.

Here's how the State Department of Education breaks down the numbers.

As of September 2024, 3,783 educators are requesting new emergency certifications.

740 are teachers with prior certificates and 1,017 are wanting to renew their emergency certificate.

Those numbers have the OEA worried.

"It gives great concerns to our districts that are having to figure out how to handle this amount of emergency notifications and the strain that it's putting on our current educators that are there," said Bishop.

However, with the concerns, the OEA said they're thankful for those educators filling open positions.

"We are grateful for those people that have stepped up and said, I want to enter the classroom. I want to be with students. I want to make sure that they're successful," said Bishop.

Putnam City Schools also had an increase, but said they need those emergency certified teachers.

"They fulfill critical roles for, you know, classrooms and provide instruction for, uh, for our kiddos throughout the district at all levels," said Jason Memoli, the Chief of Staff at Putnam City Schools.

The OEA said emergency certifications have been on the rise for the past decade and something needs to change to keep education graduates in the classroom.

"We make sure that we're having competitive pay, we're making sure that we're providing them the resources that they need. UCO used to have 3 to 400 graduates of the year, and now they're down to about 100," said Bishop.

Putnam City Schools said their teachers who are emergency certified; take college courses, are trained in classroom management, and must show progress reports with the goal of becoming officially certified to teach.

We reached out to the Oklahoma State Department of Education, and are still waiting to hear back.