Bartlesville Radio: The area’s best source for news, weather and sports!

Oklahoma lawmakers are once again taking a swing at the state’s ongoing teacher shortage, this time by aiming younger. Senator Lisa Standridge, a Republican from Norman, has filed Senate Bill 1893, which would create the Teacher Shortage Reduction Act, an initiative designed to spot future teachers while they’re still in high school and gently nudge them toward the profession before reality fully sets in.

The bill would require school districts, starting in the 2027–2028 school year, to formally recognize students who say they want to teach and who participate in education-related apprenticeships, internships, or mentorships. That recognition would appear on diplomas and transcripts, essentially branding students early as “future educators.” The legislation also directs the State Regents for Higher Education to create a special education designation for students who graduate with at least 30 college credit hours or an associate’s degree through concurrent enrollment, fast-tracking them into colleges of education and awarding credit for hands-on classroom experience.

Standridge says the approach costs nothing and addresses a very real problem: Oklahoma schools are currently short more than 700 teachers. Supporters argue the bill strengthens the pipeline by connecting interested students with real-world classroom exposure earlier, ideally producing teachers who are ready to step in after college. SB 1893 will be eligible for consideration when the legislative session begins Monday, where it will join the long list of well-intentioned ideas hoping to fix a shortage that refuses to go away.