In August, six Oklahoma universities are launching programs designed to create innovative pathways to teaching and strengthen the state’s education workforce.
Oklahoma State University, the University of Central Oklahoma, the University of Oklahoma and Northeastern State University will offer accelerated certification pathways designed for career changers and those pursuing alternative certification.
The Oklahoma State Department of Education said the programs at OSU, UCO, Cameron and SWOSU are part of TeachForwardOK, a program funded and managed by the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability (OEQA). OSDE is funding the work at OU and Northeastern.
“TeachForwardOK is about creating more opportunities for Oklahomans to become outstanding teachers without lowering our expectations for quality,” said Michelle Seybolt, executive director of OEQA. “By partnering with our universities to develop innovative, flexible routes into the profession, we’re helping more aspiring educators turn their experience and passion into successful teaching careers.”
“These partnerships meet two of our three priorities at OSDE: improving teacher recruitment and retention and creating career pathways,” Fields said. “TeachForwardOK is proof that when individuals and organizations at all levels unite in the common cause of improving education in Oklahoma, we can have a positive impact on the entire system.”
Education Secretary Dan Hamlin spoke on the critical nature of the work.
“This initiative represents an important step toward ensuring that teachers holding emergency certification receive high-quality training at no cost,” Hamlin said. “Our state’s universities have demonstrated exceptional partnership by developing accelerated programs tailored to the needs of emergency-certified teachers. This effort is a strong example of government-university collaboration in service of Oklahoma’s teachers, schools and students.”
TeachForwardOK was created through the passage of Oklahoma Senate Bill 212. It is a two-year pilot program focused on devloping innovative, high-quality teacher-preparation pathways that make it easier for Oklahomans to become certified educators while meeting workforce needs across the state.
