The Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) Foundation sends this information as posted below:
OKLAHOMA CITY, OK (April 29, 2026) – Yesterday, the Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) Foundation hosted a graduation ceremony celebrating 14 new graduates of its Teacher Pipeline Program, an initiative that provides full financial support for current paraprofessionals as they earn their degrees and become traditionally certified OKCPS educators.
The ceremony, sponsored by longtime partner Oklahoma Gas & Electric (OG&E), honored the Fall 2025 and Spring 2026 Teacher Pipeline Program graduates, all of whom received their degrees from the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) through the College of Education and Professional Studies. At the conclusion of this semester, the OKCPS Foundation Teacher Pipeline Program has produced 48 certified educators qualified to lead their own classrooms.
“The OKCPS Foundation Teacher Pipeline Program (TPP) is the largest and most successful grow-your-own educator program in Oklahoma. At a time when our state continues to face a critical teacher shortage, our program represents a meaningful, sustainable solution for growing, recruiting, and retaining quality educators,” said Kendra Horn, OKCPS Foundation President and CEO. “TPP is an investment in our future. It helps drive economic growth, improve student outcomes and build a stronger, more vibrant Oklahoma City for generations to come. We are incredibly proud of our graduates.”
Established in 2016, the OKCPS Foundation’s Teacher Pipeline Program aims to address the teacher shortage by providing a debt-free pathway for district paraprofessionals to earn their degrees through UCO’s College of Education and become traditionally certified teachers for OKCPS. The Foundation pays all tuition, books, and fees and provides wraparound support, allowing participants to complete their degrees while remaining employed as OKCPS paraprofessionals. In exchange, participants commit to teaching in the district for at least three years after graduation.
Through strategic community partnerships, targeted investments and hard work, the program expands the district’s workforce by retaining passionate individuals who reflect and value the unique communities they serve.
“Great teachers change the trajectory of student outcomes, and our responsibility is to ensure every classroom is led by a strong, committed educator. The OKCPS Foundation’s Teacher Pipeline Program is a critical part of how we build and sustain that talent for our students,” said Dr. Jamie Polk, OKCPS Superintendent. “We are proud to welcome these 14 educators into OKCPS and into a system focused on ensuring every student graduates ready for employment, enlistment, or enrollment. Their impact will be felt not only in classrooms, but in the futures of the students they serve.”
The OKCPS Foundation’s Teacher Pipeline Program is made possible through partnerships with OKCPS, Oklahoma City Community College (OCCC), Oklahoma State University-Oklahoma City (OSU-OKC) and UCO, as well as support from generous donors like OG&E.
“Education is one of the most powerful long-term investments a community can make,” said Sean Trauschke, OG&E Chairman, President and CEO. “OG&E focuses on energizing the communities we serve, and the OKCPS Foundation’s Teacher Pipeline Program directly strengthens the local education workforce.”
The new Teacher Pipeline Program graduates are:
- Maria Joaquin | Adelaide Lee Elementary School
- Mayra Raygoza | Hillcrest Elementary School
- MT San | Monroe Elementary School
- Elizabeth Taylor | Coolidge Elementary School
- Mayra Vera | Rockwood Elementary School
- Anabel Hernandez | César Chavez Elementary School
- Mariant Jackson | Fillmore Elementary School
- Aurora Jones | Hawthorne Elementary School
- Roxanne Martinez-Ramos | Wheeler Middle School
- Alyah Merritt | Fillmore Elementary School
- Daniela Torres Puentes | Hillcrest Elementary School
- Yesenia Vasquez de Rodriguez | Hawthorne Elementary School
- Wendy Villalobos-Plascencia | César Chavez Elementary School
- Vanessa Zavala | Capitol Hill Middle School
Learn more about the OKCPS Foundation’s Teacher Pipeline Program and how you can support future educators by visiting okckids.com/teacher-pipeline/.
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