Earn Extra as a Mentor Teacher? Here’s How to Apply.

In 2022, The Oklahoma Legislature established the Oklahoma Teacher Empowerment Program (OTEP) as a way for qualified teachers to earn additional income by mentoring less experienced teachers. Recently, the Legislature funded the OTEP with $22.58 million. Since the Oklahoma Department of Education (OSDE) will dispense these funds on a first come, first serve basis, it’sContinue reading Earn Extra as a Mentor Teacher? Here’s How to Apply.

Oklahoma’s 2023-24 School Employee Pay Raise, Explained

After months of fierce negotiations, the House and Senate finally found common ground and came together to make a historic investment in public education. On Friday, May 26, 2023, the eduction package was signed into law. The funding package provides more than half a billion dollars of annual funding for public education. Although the packageContinue reading Oklahoma’s 2023-24 School Employee Pay Raise, Explained

Oklahoma Teacher Requirments: Have They Changed?

Article Archived on June 1, 2023 Have the requirements to teach in Oklahoma changed recently? Have they been drastically lowered? If you scanned Twitter or Facebook this past weekend, you probably received mixed answers to the above questions. The social media storm centering on the questions followed a Friday news article claiming that Oklahoma teachersContinue reading Oklahoma Teacher Requirments: Have They Changed?

Four-Day School Weeks: Innovative or Harmful? Legislative Study to Investigate

Article Archived on June 1, 2023 Hundreds of thousands of US students are now attending school four days a week. The four-day school week, in recent years, has exploded to more than 1,600 schools across 24 different states, according to a 2021 study. And the four-day trend shows no signs of slowing down. West Texas,Continue reading Four-Day School Weeks: Innovative or Harmful? Legislative Study to Investigate

School Security: Survey Results and Upcoming Legislative Study

Article Archived on June 1, 2023 School Security in Oklahoma In light of the recent tragedy in Uvalde, Texas, and other reports of violent school incidents, the Oklahoma Legislature is conducting an interim study on school security. The study will consider security practices in Oklahoma schools and address proposals to improve such practices. Members ofContinue reading School Security: Survey Results and Upcoming Legislative Study

Pandemic Paycheck Protection for Support Staff Signed into Law

Article Archived on September 1, 2021 The POE Government Relations Team headed back to the State Capitol recently to celebrate the passage of POE’s request bill — Senate Bill 807 — with an official signing ceremony. SB 807, authored by Sen. Chris Kidd, Rep. Rhonda Baker, and Rep. Mark Vancuren, guarantees that all school supportContinue reading Pandemic Paycheck Protection for Support Staff Signed into Law

Update: Pandemic Pay for School Support Employees Passes Senate

Archived on March 1, 2021 Senate Bill 807 — a POE request bill — authored by Sen. Chris Kidd ensures that all school support employees, just like certified staff, will be paid in the event of a school closure due to a pandemic or other health emergency. On Tuesday, March 9, SB 807 passed theContinue reading Update: Pandemic Pay for School Support Employees Passes Senate