Education Watch Oklahoma (Jan. 18, 2022)

Tuesday night is our seventh episode of Education Watch Oklahoma with Augusta McDonnell and sixth in our series “Filling in the Gaps,” examining how Oklahoma school districts and the state are addressing the pandemic with federal spending and creative solutions.

Jason Brown, Deputy Superintendent of Oklahoma City Public Schools. Jason will be discussing the ways OKCPS has used their ESSER dollars to address the pandemic.

Two Watermark Bank employees in Oklahoma City recently committed to becoming substitute teachers with the support of their employer. Watermark Bank is subsidizing training and the cost of background checks, paying two sub days per month per employee. Nick Samarripas and Tammy Streeter will be joining us to talk about their new roles Oklahoma schools and the process to become a sub.

Jami Cole, a teacher in Duncan and head of the Oklahoma Edvocates group will be discussing the announcement by Gov. Kevin Stitt to address the teacher shortage and its impact on teachers.