Oklahoma student teachers will be eligible for a $3,200 stipend over the next three years in hopes of securing more teachers and helping ease their financial burdens.

“Student teaching is a full-time job, so it is difficult to hold down another job with meaningful pay at the same time,” Katherine Bishop, president of Oklahoma Education Association, told The Center Square. “It’s not uncommon for teacher candidates to skip their student teaching and work through the alternative certification route because they can’t afford to spend five months working for no pay. I recently talked with an education major who was ecstatic at the thought of a $3,200 stipend. She said it would help her make ends meet and allow her to focus on her students.”