Tulsa Area Substitute Teacher Shortage

WHAT HAPPENED.GOOD EVENING, I'M KARENLARSEN.FINDING EDUCATORS IS AN UPHILLBATTLE FOR SCHOOL DISTRICTSACROSS GREEN COUNTRY.THAT PROBLEM - IS NOW AT ABREAKING POINT - AS SCHOOLSSTART THE SECOND YEAR OFTEACHING THROUGH THE PANDEMIC.IN TONIGHT'S PROJECT SAFESCHOOLS... 2 NEWS OKLAHOMA'SMASON MAURO FINDS SCHOOLS ARE INDESPERATE NEED OF SUBSTITUTETEACHERS TO KEEP STUDENTS IN THECLASSROOM."This is an issue that we'vealso had for a number of years,but it's also been very muchexacerbated by the pandemic."SUPERINTENDENT DOCTOR DEBORAHGIST - ENDS UETSDAY NIGHT'STULSA PUBLIC SCHOOL BOARDMEETING - OPENING UP ABOUT THEDISTRICT'S RECENT STRUGGLEHIRING EDUCATORS.DANIEL WEBSTER MIDDLE AND HIGHSCHOOLSTHE LATEST TO CLOSEDOORS FOR IN-PERSON CLASSES DUETO TEACHER ABSENSES - THIS WEEK.(SOT Gist)01:30:28:00 "Our school leadersare trying o tmake it work andthey're doing everything theycan." 01:30:32:17(SOT Gist)01:29:38:15 "It's hard for me totry to convey what that scramblelooks like." 01:29:44:01IN THE THICK OF THAT PANIC -FINDING CAPABLE BACKUPS TO COMEINAND MAKE UP FOR TEACHERS THATCAN'T MAKE TI TO SCHOOLBUT GISTSAYSTHERE'S NO ONE TO ANSWERTHE CALL.GIST SAYS THE DISTRICT ISOPERATING WITH JUST 40-PERCENTOF ITS SUBSTITUTE STAFF(SOT Gist)01:31:48:24 "We would love ifyou could become a substituteteacher." 01:31:51:10(SOT Mark Ruby / JPS Director ofPersonnel)19:41:51;34 "We definitely havepositions aaivlable for anyonein our community who's willingoutin to these school sites andhelp us out." 19:42:00;08MARK RUBY - DIRECTOR OFPERSONNEL F ORJENKS PUBLICSCHOOLS - SAYS T-P-S ISN'T THEONLY GREEN COUNTRY SCHOOLDISTRICT SEARCHING FAR AND WIDEFOR SUBS.(SOT Ruby)19:42:11;13 "We have asignificant amount that we wouldtake on if we could, if we hadthe applicants out there."19:42:179;3RUBY SAYS - COVID CUT INTO THETROJANS' SUBSTITUTE POOL ANDSUPPORT STAFF.LIKE OTHER AREADISTRICTS JE -NKS OFFERS HIGHERPAY FOR CERTIFIED TEACHERS ANDLONG-TERM FILL-INSJENKS BROUGHT IN THIR TYSUBS FORORIENTATION THIS WEEKBUT WITHTHE THREAT OF THE PANDEMICPUTTING TEACHERS OUT FOR DAYS ORWEEKSRUBY SAYS IT'S NOT ENOUGH.(SOT Ruby)19:45:07;31 "Anybody in ourcommunity that likes workingwith kids, wants to make adifference and help us out, helpour district out, we'd be morethan happy to have them."19:45:15;43(MASON LKLV TAG)TULSA PUBLIC SCHOOLS ISHOSTING A CAREER FAIR HERE ATWILSON TEACHING AND LEARNINGFROM 11 TO 3 - TOMORROW.T-P-S OFFICIALS TELL ME - IT'SNOT NECESSARILY FOR SUBS BUTTHEY WON'T TURN AWAY YANONE WHO