So many beginning teachers just get so frustrated and decide they could find work that is less stressful. Aware of the study done at Columbia, the Michigan State Board of Education mandated that schools develop mentoring programs for teachers in their first three years of teaching. Requirements include the assignment of a master teacher as a mentor who will yearly evaluate if the new teacher is satisfied with their work, Lutrell said. Michigan has noticed a small decrease in its shortage of teachers. Some teachers in Oklahoma wonder if a mentoring program might be a solution to the teacher shortage, Lutrell said.
Many people still think that the low salaries attribute to the lack of teachers in the state.
Ron Roblyer, assistant superintendent of Moore Public Schools, said money is not the reason they stay in Oklahoma. All the other districts pay significantly higher. There is very little the state board can do to increase tuition. The board asked the Oklahoma State Senate this year for an increase in teacher salaries with at least 10 years experience. State Rep. Bill Nations, D-Norman, said there is not enough money in the Oklahoma budget this year.