One local school administrator said he's struggling to fill several vacant teaching positions just two weeks before the beginning of the new year.
During his 31 years working in education, Muskogee Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Jarod Mendenhall said he's never had issues finding people to teach like he has in the last few months.
While the district's teacher shortage is mostly due to retirements and resignations, Mendenhall said he's worried some are concerned about teaching restrictions brought on by the current "political arena."
"There's an attack on public education in general," Mendenhall said. "Being a teacher today, whether it's CRT or what you can and can't read — whatever the case may be, it's become really challenging."
Mendenhall said Muskogee schools are also losing teachers to higher paying jobs. Not only that, but he said educators statewide are continuing to see less and less people graduating with degrees to teach.
School officials said they're battling shortages by hiring more emergency certified teachers, who Mendenhall says are struggling with things like classroom management and teaching methods.
"It's become really, really difficult to become a teacher," Mendenhall said. "If you think about just the differences in the challenges that we're seeing with students after the COVID — it has really changed the dynamic."
The district is still in need of 12 teachers.
If those positions aren't filled by the first day of classes, Mendenhall said it will be up to current faculty and staff members to fill in the gaps.
To incentivize future teachers, MPS has partnered with the city and the Port of Muskogee to offer $10,000 to those willing to live and work in town.
A $5,000 bonus is also being offered to anyone who can take the "harder to fill" positions, such as teaching Special Education, Science, or Math.
