State Funding for Teacher Development
Oklahoma has implemented legislation that allocates state funds to support individuals pursuing teaching careers. Senate Bill 235, which became effective this year, establishes a matching fund program for initiatives that assist school district employees in obtaining undergraduate teaching degrees through tuition or loan repayment support.
"These matching funds are really important because they're going to allow the schools to market this to a wider audience, increase their pipeline, and the ultimate goal is to turn existing support staff and (paraprofessionals) and teachers' aides into certified classroom teachers once they matriculate through this process," said Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, the bill's author. "And so, there is an urgency to this for our schools."
Program Implementation
The Oklahoma State Department of Education initiated an application portal in late November for districts and their affiliated nonprofits to seek these matching funds. According to Pugh, the department experienced delays in launching the program following the bill's signing in May, but progress accelerated when new state Superintendent Lindel Fields assumed leadership of the agency in October.
Department spokesperson Bailey Woolsey reported that the agency has engaged with 25 districts regarding the program and conducted meetings with representatives from the Oklahoma City Public Schools Foundation, Altus schools, and Tulsa Public Schools' Tulsa Teacher Corps program. Seven additional districts have submitted applications, though none have yet met the necessary criteria.
Once an application receives approval, districts can expect to receive funds within approximately two to three weeks, Woolsey stated.
Existing Programs and Impact
Pugh estimates that approximately 40 districts currently operate some form of Grow Your Own Educator initiative. The legislation aligns closely with the Teacher Pipeline Program administered by the OKCPS Foundation.
Kendra Horn, President and CEO of the foundation, indicated that they have begun submitting documentation to apply for state Grow Your Own funds. The foundation's program, now in its tenth year, represents what Horn described as the "largest and most proven" initiative of its kind in Oklahoma.
State funding will match 50% of expenditures by districts or their foundations for supporting staff members' participation in state-accredited teacher preparation programs at colleges and universities. Horn projected that the OKCPS Foundation could qualify for $80,000 to $90,000 annually in state support, which would cover half of the foundation's costs for sending district paraprofessionals to the University of Central Oklahoma.
The foundation also assists participants in completing initial coursework at Oklahoma City Community College and Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City before they finalize their degrees at UCO.
Program Outcomes and Expansion
By spring, the foundation's program will have facilitated the graduation of 50 classroom paraprofessionals with teaching degrees. Participants must work as classroom aides while completing their college credits and commit to teaching in the Oklahoma City district for three years following graduation.
The foundation covers all college tuition, fees, and textbook expenses. Horn noted that paraprofessionals effectively double their income when they transition to teacher salaries.
"It's changing their future and their kids' future," she said. "That's what it's doing. I could be really practical and talk to you about the numbers, but ultimately this is changing lives and they're going on to change the lives of hundreds and maybe eventually thousands of kids."
Additional state funding could enable program expansion and allow the foundation to enhance support for current candidates, such as providing transportation to classes, Horn explained.
Originally designed to increase bilingual and racially diverse teachers in OKCPS—where most students are non-white and 46% are learning English as a non-native language—the program now accepts district paraprofessionals from all backgrounds.
"I think this is the most established and successful Grow Your Own program in the state of Oklahoma right now," Horn stated. "I hope that more come along and that we continue to get support because education is the one thing that can determine whether or not we attract more people to this state, whether there are quality jobs and whether we all have a chance to succeed."
