Board approves temporary teacher hires amid continuing special-education staffing concerns
July 03, 2026 | SAND SPRINGS, School Districts, Oklahoma
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The Sand Springs Board of Education approved multiple staffing motions July 20, advancing temporary and pre-employment recommendations for the 2026–27 school year while administrators warned of continued special-education shortages.
Board members moved and seconded motions to approve temporary teacher recommendations (item 49) and related employment items (items 51–53). The motions passed on roll-call aye votes from the members present.
Superintendent Eric told the board the district remains short primarily in special education and is working on multiple strategies. "We're struggling with special ed this year," he said, citing an outage in the emergency personnel portal in June that delayed hiring. He said the district had used incentives through the Oklahoma Teacher Empowerment program and paid special-education staff a 10% supplement in some cases, and that staffing may continue into August.
Board members raised outsourcing as a last-resort option for specialized positions. "Outsourcing, in other words, going with a company that provides personnel to do special ed, which I hate," the superintendent said, adding that contracted staffing is typically more costly and reduces continuity. The board discussed recruiting and retention steps, including using state incentive programs and late hiring timelines that often continue into the fall.
The board also noted an aviation-program vacancy that a candidate accepted elsewhere; the district said an aviation teacher has since been hired and the vacancy was formally approved on the agenda (item 53).
Next steps: administration will continue active recruitment for special-education roles, monitor outcomes from incentive pay and state programs, and report staffing status to the board during August updates.
Vote details: motions to approve temporary and pre-employment recommendations passed on roll-call ayes by members present; two board members were on vacation and not recorded as voting.
Board members moved and seconded motions to approve temporary teacher recommendations (item 49) and related employment items (items 51–53). The motions passed on roll-call aye votes from the members present.
Superintendent Eric told the board the district remains short primarily in special education and is working on multiple strategies. "We're struggling with special ed this year," he said, citing an outage in the emergency personnel portal in June that delayed hiring. He said the district had used incentives through the Oklahoma Teacher Empowerment program and paid special-education staff a 10% supplement in some cases, and that staffing may continue into August.
Board members raised outsourcing as a last-resort option for specialized positions. "Outsourcing, in other words, going with a company that provides personnel to do special ed, which I hate," the superintendent said, adding that contracted staffing is typically more costly and reduces continuity. The board discussed recruiting and retention steps, including using state incentive programs and late hiring timelines that often continue into the fall.
The board also noted an aviation-program vacancy that a candidate accepted elsewhere; the district said an aviation teacher has since been hired and the vacancy was formally approved on the agenda (item 53).
Next steps: administration will continue active recruitment for special-education roles, monitor outcomes from incentive pay and state programs, and report staffing status to the board during August updates.
Vote details: motions to approve temporary and pre-employment recommendations passed on roll-call ayes by members present; two board members were on vacation and not recorded as voting.
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