Langston University

PROJECT PURPOSE

Langston University requests American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to address Oklahoma?s teacher shortage though a comprehensive strategy that improves Oklahoma?s teacher pipeline by increasing recruitment and retention of diverse, well-qualified students in educator preparation programs and providing professional development and support opportunities to new teachers as they enter the classroom.

EVIDENCE

Research demonstrates that increasing the pipeline of students interested in entering the teaching profession requires a comprehensive approach that includes early exposure and incentives for high school students to explore the teaching profession and financial incentives, such as service scholarships and other long-term employment and financial incentives, to underwrite the cost of high-retention preparation.

POPULATION DESCRIPTION

The COVID-19 pandemic created learning disruptions for all students, especially those from systemically underserved backgrounds (i.e., low-income students, students belonging to a racial/ethnic minority, students with disabilities, English learners, students experiencing homelessness, and students in the foster care system) (U.S. Department of Education). In Oklahoma?s public schools, 53.7% of students identify as belonging to a racial/ethnic minority and 56% of the total student population are economically disadvantaged (Oklahoma State Department of Education, Oklahoma Public Schools Fast Facts 2021-22). Research demonstrates that the COVID-19 pandemic widened pre-existing opportunity and achievement gaps for students, with learning loss greatest among those from traditionally disadvantaged backgrounds ? students in high-poverty schools and students of color (McKinsey & Company; NWEA; U.S. Department of Education). In addition to the learning disruptions caused by the pandemic, these students were more likely to face food and housing insecurity, unreliable access to remote-learning technology, and reduced access to student support services (The Education Trust). Ensuring that well-prepared, high quality teachers are in the classroom is critical to addressing disparities in learning loss among Oklahoma?s K-12 students. Teachers, comprehensively prepared by approved educator preparation programs, remain in the classroom longer and have a greater impact on student academic achievement than teachers entering the field through alternative pathways, and they are rated as more effective than their emergency and alternatively certified counterparts by school administrators (First Year Teacher and Administrator/Mentor surveys, Office of Educational Quality and Accountability, 2021). Additionally, teachers who are underprepared can and do have an adverse impact on student achievement which negatively impacts core subject areas. such as math and reading. and perpetuates the need for remediation (Fuxa et. al., 2019).

PERFORMANCE MEASURING

Langston University will collect data and report to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to measure program outcomes. Evidence of project success include increased student enrollment in the educator preparation program; increased student retention in the educator preparation program; increased teacher education degree production; and decreased attrition rates among new teachers within the first 5 years of entering the profession.

ONGOING INVESTMENT AMOUNT

$

ONGOING INVESTMENT DESCRIPTION

None

ONGOING INVESTMENT REQUIRED

Able to continue operation without additional funding from the State of Oklahoma