Using historical educational and population data, market trends and demand-supply projections, the 2018 Oklahoma Educator Supply and Demand Report shows the percentage of educators leaving the profession has increased over the past six years, representing more than 5,000 per year or a total of approximately 30,000.

This is average of 10 percent of Oklahoma’s teacher workforce – just over 2 percent higher than the national average at  7.7 percent (about 400 a year over the national average).

The Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) recently released the report. State law requires that the report be updated every three years.

The report includes teacher-pupil ratios, supply-side trends and the number of emergency-certified teachers approved by the State Board of Education. So far in the 2018-19 school year, 2,915 emergency certifications have been issued. Emergency certifications are used when a district can’t hire a certified teacher.

House Minority Leader Emily Virgin, D-Norman, wants higher taxes to spend on public schools.

“As alarming as this number is, we knew teachers were leaving the state in droves,” 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.