Oklahoma offers substantial bonuses to attract Special Education teachers

The Oklahoma State Department of Education, led by Superintendent Ryan Walters, has launched a significant new initiative to attract Special Education teachers by offering substantial signing bonuses. This effort is focused on recruiting both new educators and experienced Special Education professionals from outside the state, alongside retention bonuses to encourage long-term teaching commitments.

Superintendent Walters highlighted the role of federal policy changes in allowing Oklahoma to innovate in education. "Oklahoma is ready to lead the nation in recruiting and retaining the best Special Education teachers," Walters stated. "Under the leadership of President Trump and the elimination of the federal Department of Education, Oklahoma now has much more flexibility to innovate and provide customized solutions for our students with disabilities. We’re seizing this opportunity to ensure the best educators are coming to Oklahoma, and we’ll be a national leader in providing top-tier Special Education services."

The program includes a $20,000 signing bonus for certified Special Education teachers who taught out-of-state during the 2024-2025 school year and are hired by Oklahoma public schools. Additionally, new Special Education teachers entering their first year in the profession can receive a $10,000 signing bonus. Furthermore, retention bonuses are structured to provide $5,000 for out-of-state hires and $2,500 for new teachers, payable in their second teaching year.

The initiative anticipates adding up to 110 Special Education teachers to Oklahoma classrooms, with an investment totaling $1.875 million for these bonuses and retention incentives. Funding will be directly allocated to districts for payment distribution to teachers once employment is confirmed. Applications for the program will be available in May, with a deadline of September 1, 2025. They will be managed on a first-come, first-served basis via the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s Single Sign-On platform.