you know from the beginning um we've made it clear that that schools need to be open for in person learning Oklahoma. Students deserve that option, being in person in class with their teachers. You know, I want to publicly thank the schools, the teachers uh for doing their part for doing everything they can to provide in person learning for kids across the state. Most schools in Oklahoma are currently open um and I've heard from concerned Oklahomans who recognize that the past few weeks have really created some new challenges. Many schools don't have the staff or the substitutes to actually fill every single classroom uh students, you know, they deserve and they need that right for in person education. The state has a responsibility to ensure uh that those students do have that right and that remains intact that they have in person learning options. We know how damaging it can be for kids for their academic performance. We've seen that over the last couple of years um for the mental health of young people when schools are closed down for an extended period of time. That's why today I'm announcing an executive order uh to help all of our, all of our schools across the state. I'm authorizing the state agencies to allow their employees to help keep kids um in school by substitute teaching All across the State secretary Walters will work with with school officials, administrators uh to get this implemented across the state. The core mission of all of our 32,000 state employees Is to serve the public and to help make Oklahoma a top 10 state throughout the pandemic. We've seen state employees, they've answered the call, they've switched and moved to different state agencies where we needed help at that specific time. And right now that means helping up stepping up to help our schools. So I'm asking all state employees to to see what they can do because in person learning is so, so important for the future of of that specific child, but also for the state of Oklahoma. I'm encouraging everyone in our different communities around the state to reach out to the local school district and find out what they can do to help and maybe that is substituting. Um so let's come together, We're gonna think outside the box and uh and we're gonna help keep 100% of our schools open across the state of Oklahoma. With that, I'll turn it over now to chad warming to none of the state chamber president to give you an update from the business community's perspective chad. Thank you Governor. It's a pleasure to be here today. Look, we all know that school closures really negatively impact the economy in both the short and the long term. Various global studies and national studies have concluded that students that are out of school have a long term reduction in their earning power and in the potential long term reduction in the overall GDP of the nation more immediately. School closures exacerbate the labor shortage, that businesses are already grappling with as employees have to stay home from work. They handle their school kids closure, their school, their Children's school closure issues. And so we believe that employees have valuable skills that can be brought to the classroom to support students in schools so that today the state chamber is announcing an initiative called the guest educator program to help fill the gap. The district's grappling with staff shortages, Uh, due to COVID 19. But frankly this, this program can continue on for not now, not just for now, but in the future as well. Our immediate goal with the guests educator program is to make businesses aware of the role that they can play in ensuring that students are able to continue learning in their classrooms and to help them understand the relatively simple process that's there to make themselves available to their local school districts. We believe it's good for the community, it's good for the kids and it's definitely good for business. Additionally, what we really hope is that this program will help build the long term relationship between and partnership between local businesses and schools and subject matter experts, subject matter experts could be available to work in classrooms that would pay dividends to educating students on the future workforce needs of the state of Oklahoma. In fact, Senator Jessica Garvin has some legislation this year filed to help with adjunct and highly qualified substitute teachers that really speaks to some of that as well. So we're working with her on that. And so there's been pockets of success over the years where schools have partnered with businesses, but we hope that this can, at this point in time, we can really strengthen those partnerships between industry and schools and to help turn the corner on some of the workforce issues that we're having. So it's not a quick fix. This is a collaborative approach and it's a long term approach that will involve parents, the business community, the education system. But we believe that if the guest educator program works, businesses will be more empowered to match up willing uh employees of theirs with a school district in the area to help fill the needs and so they can visit. Okay, Guest educator dot com. There they find a portal where you can find a school district and the contact information to help match up your employees with a school that needs it. And it's a relatively simple process. Most of them just require a background check. But again, working with your local school, you can figure out what the requirements that they might have as well. So I really want to encourage businesses across the state to look into and join the guest educator program. I want us to rally together to keep schools open, keep kids learning uh and keep parents working. Thank you very much from the day that the governor appointed me as Secretary of Education in the middle of the pandemic. I began hearing from parents all across the state and students that we're asking for in person learning. They wanted that option for their kids. And so from the very beginning, the governor and I have always talked about what can we do that's in the best interest of Oklahoma students. I want to say we've seen throughout the pandemic, the negative health impacts um when it comes to the mental health of a young person, when it comes to the academics of young people that do not have in person school. So we have been working to keep schools open from day one so that our students have that option. I wanna again, like the Governor publicly thank our teachers who have been stretched so thin doing all they can to keep our schools open for our young people. And I want to thank so many administrators around the state who have explored all options to keep schools open. Thank you for what you're doing for our young people. Thank you for what you're doing for your communities. I asked last week that all administrators and communities do all they can to keep schools open. I met with school teachers last week, I met with school leaders and what they kept bringing up was the need for substitute teachers that teachers need help to cover their classes so that teachers can continue teaching. I want to thank Governor Step and chad Worthington from the state chamber, moving quickly to find ways that we can bring more human capital to our schools so that teachers get that help that they need. I want to continue to ask communities and administrators to do all they can to assist our teachers so that parents can know Oklahoma schools are going to stay open and your Children will be able to continue in person learning with that. I'm gonna turn it over to uh C 00 steve hart. Mhm Good afternoon. My comments will be brief. The state of Oklahoma has been through this before, at least in terms of operations. During the early days of Covid, we mobilized several 100 employees to serve at different locations. So for example, State Department of Health, we had employees also at osc during our crisis with unemployment, we've had a great turnout from our employees in terms of their ability to rally around these causes and we think we're going to do the same thing here. So very fortunate today that we have the state in such a great location in a situation as the Governor's put us operationally. So now that we feel like we can come up with some labor to offset some of these needs in uh in the schools with substitute teachers, we're imploring that all directors and state agencies as well as employees will now know that they can sign up and we'll be working that process internally through through MEs but we're looking forward to getting more community activity through our employees into the schools. To help offset this problem. So with that, I'll turn it back over to the governor. Thank you. Thank you, steve. Thank you. Secretary. Thanks chad. And again, you know, just to echo, I think the schools, the teachers uh for doing everything they can to provide that in person learning for students. That's uh we know, is so so critical. Uh and again, just encourage all oklahomans across the state of Oklahoma, uh to do what they can to to maybe help substitute if you never substituted before, uh to volunteer in your school district. And let's let's get through this together. Uh it's if it's just for a few days, we know we can make a big difference. And that's why we were thinking outside the box here to roll this out for our for our state employ