House Democrats Respond to OSDE Study on Education Workforce

OKLAHOMA CITY – House Minority Leader Emily Virgin, D-Norman, released the following statement today in response to The Oklahoma Educator Supply & Demand Report released earlier by the Oklahoma State Department of Education. The report showed that some 30,000 of the state’s teachers have left the profession during the last six years, an attrition rate some 30 percent higher than the national norm.

“As alarming as this number is, we knew teachers were leaving the state in droves,” Leader Virgin said. “We completely agree with Superintendent Joy Hofmeister that this problem stems from steep budgets cuts over the last decade, and that those cuts have made the teaching profession in Oklahoma less desirable.

“Nobody wants to work in an environment that is understaffed and overcrowded. Throw in a few lawmakers that want to work harder to silence teachers than listen to them, and it is easy to see why teachers are leaving.

“There is only one way to reverse this trend. We must restore funding to education, and we must reestablish respect for the teaching profession.

“Last week, House and Senate Democrats introduced the unified Brand New State agenda, which addresses both of these issues. We hope that as budgets talks begin, our colleagues on the other side will work with us to address this crisis.”

The House Majority Leader and Governor’s Office are yet to respond. The complete Oklahoma Educator Supply & Demand Report and corresponding appendices can be viewed at : https://sde.ok.gov/documents/2...