Tulsa Schools seeking financial help in recruiting new teachers

A historic shortage is looming in the teaching profession. While student enrollment is rising rapidly, more than a million veteran teachers are nearing retirement. <br><br>Experts predict that nationwide

Wednesday, March 3rd 2004, 12:00 am

By: News On 6


A historic shortage is looming in the teaching profession. While student enrollment is rising rapidly, more than a million veteran teachers are nearing retirement.

Experts predict that nationwide we will need more than two million new teachers in the next decade. Salary is one factor. The Oklahoma Education Association says Oklahoma's average teacher pay is lowest in the region. It's the third lowest in the nation according to the American Federation of Teachers.

But some critics say teacher’s salaries aren't as bad when you consider they have summers off and other breaks. Tulsa Public Schools says it needs the business community's help to compete for quality teachers. News on 6 anchor Terry Hood says TPS is launching a massive campaign to get 50 new teachers in classrooms by the end of this year.

To reach that goal, it wants to offer prospective teachers some incentives to come to Tulsa. And it’s asking businesses to help. TPS has lost about 200 teachers to budget cuts in the last two years. That's meant larger class sizes and double duty for some teachers.

Now, the district is trying to recruit 50 new teachers for this year and 50 more for next year. In particular they're looking to hire more minority teachers. But TPS says it's hard to recruit teacher’s mid-year to a state with one of the lowest salaries in the country.

One solution, ask local businesses to help provide teachers with perks. TPS wants businesses to donate incentives like, free gym memberships, security deposit waivers, low-interest auto loans, relocation assistance, and even signing bonuses.

The letters just went out and the district has already gotten some positive feedback. AEP-PSO agreed Wednesday to waive the utility deposit for new teachers moving to Tulsa. This has never been done at Tulsa Public Schools, but other states have used various perks to overcome teacher shortages.

Chicago Public Schools has partnered with apartment complexes to waive security deposits and offer 5% discounts on rent.

St. Louis Public Schools is doing something similar with mortgage companies, providing teachers with $7,000 worth of forgivable home loans.
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