With enrollments dwindling, Oklahoma City University is phasing out its early childhood and elementary teacher preparation programs. Just three students remain in the combined programs. While the decision to close the programs was quietly made in 2020, pre–COVID-19, the news only recently became widely known. In additional to local media coverage, it’s prompted questions about the health of teacher education programs elsewhere—especially as Oklahoma and other states face a possible wave of teacher retirements and resignations this year. “That’s the biggest concern of all,” said Heather Sparks, director of teacher education at OCU. “We know we’re going to continue to need teachers, and yet we’re not doing a good enough job, collectively, at getting folks into the pipeline.”
