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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023)
HOUSE BILL 1990 By: Dollens
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to scholarship programs; amending 70
O.S. 2021, Section 698.1, as amended by Sec tion 1,
Chapter 344, O.S.L. 2022 (70 O.S . Supp. 2022, Section
698.1), which relates to the Oklahoma Future Teacher
Scholarship and Employ ment Incentive program;
modifying program eligibility; and providing an
effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 698.1, as
amended by Section 1, Chapter 344, O.S.L. 2022 (70 O.S. Supp. 2022,
Section 698.1), is amended to read as follows:
Section 698.1 A. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
Education shall establish and maintain an incentive scholars hip
program and teacher employment incentive program, as f unding is
available, to encourage the pre paration of public school teachers
for prekindergarten throu gh twelfth grade, including minority
teachers, at all state public higher education institutions or
private higher education institutions accredited pursuant to Section
4103 of this title and incentivize employment as public teachers for
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prekindergarten thro ugh twelfth grade in the state for at least five
(5) years, to be known as the Oklahoma Future Teacher Scholarship
and Employment Incentive Program. Prospective teachers planning to
pursue an undergraduat e teacher education program at an accredited
Oklahoma teacher preparation program shall be considered if they
graduated received a diploma from an Oklahoma high school, completed
high-school level instruction at home, or completed General
Educational Development (GED) test requirements, meet the higher
education admission standards, and declare a major in an approved
Oklahoma teacher preparation degree program leading to a standard
teaching certificate. To the extent that funds are avail able,
scholarships, renewable for up to three (3) additional years for
qualified students meeting satisfactory academic progress standards
in completing a teacher preparation degree program leading to a
standard teaching certificate, shall be awarded to cover costs of
tuition, general enrollment fees , other fees, books, materials, and
services provided by the institution, including room and board, in
the following manner:
1. One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) per academic year for up to
three (3) academic yea rs for full-time students who have earned less
than ninety (90) credit hours; and
2. Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00) for the final
academic year for full-time students who have earned ninety (90) or
more credit hours.
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The maximum amount of scholarship funds awarded as provided in this
subsection to any qualified student shall not exceed Five Thousand
Five Hundred Dollars ($ 5,500.00).
B. It is the intent of the Oklahoma Legislature that the
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education create a committee
composed of educators, teac her educators from the participating
institutions, and representatives of the public schools and the
State Department of Education to provide recommendations to the
State Regents to improve effectiveness of the program .
The committee shall prepare and deliver a report on the program
to the Legislature on or before July 1 of each year.
C. Each scholarship participant, prior to entry into the
program, shall have agreed to teach in an Oklahoma public
prekindergarten through twelfth grade school for a minimum of five
(5) consecutive years up on graduation and licensure as a teacher.
Any scholarship participant failing to maintain a 2.5 grade point
average, changing to an ineligible area of study, failing to meet
satisfactory academic progr ess standards, withdrawing or otherwise
leaving school, or failing to meet requirements for licensure and
certification to teach as established by law shall be subject to
disqualification from the program.
D. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Educati on are
authorized to make employment incen tive payments pursuant to the
provisions of this section to program participants who are employed
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as traditionally certified teachers in Oklahoma public
prekindergarten through twelfth grade schools following graduation.
Incentive payments may be awarded fo llowing each consecutive year of
satisfactory service as documented by the employing school di strict,
up to five (5) years of service for scholarship recipients as
provided in subsection A of this section, upon graduation from an
accredited Oklahoma teacher preparation degree program. The maximum
amount of employment incentive payments for any qualified
participant shall be Four Thousand Dollars ( $4,000.00) per year for
up to five (5) years, not to exceed a total of Twenty Thousand
Dollars ($20,000.00) per participant.
E. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall
require the execution of appropriate contracts with eligible program
participants. Participants failing to comply with the requirements
of this section or failing to provide current c ontact information
shall not be eligible for the employment incentive payments provided
for in this section. The Chancellor of the Oklahoma State Regent s
for Higher Education, with the approval of the State Reg ents, may
contract with any other appropriate organization or unit of
government for the administration of the provisions of this section.
F. If sufficient funds are not available for employment
incentive payments to qualified participants during any fiscal year,
the Chancellor may make reductions in the payments made to qualified
participants.
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G. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education may, at the
time an award is mad e on behalf of the Oklahoma Future Teacher
Scholarship and Employment Incentive Program, set aside funds for
the full commitment made to an eligible student.
H. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education may utilize
Oklahoma Future Teacher Scholarship and Employment Incen tive Program
designated funds for administration of the program.
SECTION 2. This act shall become ef fective November 1, 2023.
59-1-5182 EK 11/29/22