Future Supply Considerations
A report from the Southern Regional Education Board, September 1998
High School Graduates Have Increased
It is important to note there has been a steady increase in the size of high school enrollments in recent years. These students are the candidates for higher education in the state. Assuming stable participation rates among existing age cohorts, we can expect the enrollments in higher education to increase. This portends that the number of individuals who could become potential educators will also expand. This will happen at a time when enrollments ----assuming no unexpected macroeconomic changes that could influence in or out migration in the state ---are growing, but at a rate slower that the previous historical years.
Migration of Educators to Other States is Low
We know from an earlier SREB study that Oklahoma loses about 200 bachelor degree graduates, from all majors, a year to Texas public education (and about 200 experienced teachers as well), and small numbers to other states. However, the majority of the graduates are captured in the state.
Many Are Trained
In general, the supply created by the public and private IHEs in the state produce ample candidates---in number. Observing entry over a period of 1993 to 1996, only about 40% of those trained with an education degree entered. The rates are much lower for graduates without education degrees, but who have taken courses in teacher preparation (on average 90% do not enter---however areas that have rates at above 30% are mathematics, music, and foreign languages). The yield increases dramatically once graduates obtain certification. The yields, in total, are in the range of 85%. That is to say, for those graduates who take the additional step to actually obtain a certification, only 15%, overall, do not obtain jobs in Oklahoma public primary and secondary education.
| Institution of Higher Education |
Percent Hired to 1996 |
Percent Hired Who Are Certified |
|---|---|---|
| Bartlesville Wesleyan College | 41% |
90% |
| Cameron University | 28% |
84% |
| East Central University | 51% |
88% |
| Langston University | 36% |
86% |
| Mid-American Bible College | 21% |
100% |
| Northeastern State University | 42% |
86% |
| Northwestern Oklahoma State University | 32% |
83% |
| Oklahoma Baptist University | 34% |
88% |
| Oklahoma Christian University of Science & Arts | 34% |
90% |
| Oklahoma City University | 19% |
63% |
| Oklahoma Panhandle State University | 17% |
79% |
| Oklahoma State University | 36% |
87% |
| Southeastern Oklahoma State University | 44% |
86% |
| Southern Nazarene University | 27% |
88% |
| Southwestern Oklahoma State University | 45% |
84% |
| University of Central Oklahoma | 44% |
85% |
| University of Oklahoma | 30% |
83% |
| University of Science & Arts of Oklahoma | 40% |
84% |
| University of Tulsa | 13% |
83% |
The Number Trained to be Educators Over the Regions Appears Adequate
The more difficult question is how particular regions are supplied. The IHEs do supply to the clusters in different ways. Some IHEs supply to largely urban and suburban type districts, others to largely rural districts as table 33 showed. If we observe education majors---the dominant source of supply, there are many that are not hired, as shown in table 56 above. Again, this seems to indicate that supply, in general, is not a problem. The number that are certified and hired is of a far greater percentage.
