Oklahoma continues to experience acute teacher shortages, most critically in grades PK-3 and special education. To attract teachers to these critical shortage areas, OSDE has allocated $16M for signing bonuses to new and returning teachers. Certified teachers can earn up to a $50k signing bonus in return for a 5-year commitment to teaching in PK-3 or special education. They will receive a larger bonus for making a commitment to teach in a rural or high-poverty school. Teachers are eligible for the bonus if they were not employed by an Oklahoma school district in the 2022-2023 school year. 

• < 3 years’ experience: $15k; rural or high-poverty district: $20k 
• 3+ years’ experience: $25k; rural or high-poverty district: $30k 
• 5+ years’ experience and teaching in a rural or high-poverty district: $50k 
• 5+ years’ experience teaching special education: $50k 
• Teachers moving to Oklahoma with <5 years’ experience: $25k; 5+ years: $50k 

Contact: SignOnBonus@sde.ok.gov

OSDE is launching year one of the Teacher Empowerment Program created by HB4388. $13M from the Oklahoma Education Lottery Trust Fund will be placed into the Teacher Empowerment Revolving Fund. These funds will be used to provide a career ladder structure for effective teachers. School districts can identify and designate up to 10% of their highest quality teachers for advanced, lead, and master designations annually. Depending on the designation level, teachers will receive a minimum $3,000 to $10,000 pay increase to be matched by Teacher Empowerment Revolving funds. Teachers employed at a school with economically disadvantaged students (40% or more), or at a district with enrollment below 1,000 students, will receive an additional one-time award of $1,500 to $5,000 depending on their designation.  

Contact: OTEP@sde.ok.gov

Oklahoma’s teacher turnover rate for school year 2022-2023 was 24%, the highest rate in a decade. To retain our best and brightest teachers, Superintendent Ryan Walters requested from the legislature $150M for a teacher incentive pay program. Under this program, pay raises range from $2,500 to $10,000 based on teacher-leader effectiveness rating and hours completed towards a professional learning (PL) focus.  

• Highly effective rating + 15 hours toward PL focus: $2,500; 25 hours: $5,000 
• Superior rating + 15 hours toward PL focus: $7,500; 25 hours: $10,000 

This program is not yet available and is pending legislation. 

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