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SENATE FLOOR VERSION
February 22, 2023
SENATE BILL NO. 529 By: Pugh
[ teachers - Oklahoma Teacher Corps Program -
agreement - waiver - rules - fund - codification -
effective date -
emergency ]
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 700 of Title 70, unless there is
created a duplication in numb ering, reads as follows:
A. There is hereby created the Oklahoma Teacher Corps Program
to be administered by the Oklahoma State Regents for Hi gher
Education to provide assistance to individuals who earn a degree
from an approved teacher preparation degree progra m at an
institution of higher education within The Oklahoma State System of
Higher Education and agree to teach in a school district in this
state that meets the criteria of paragraph 3 of subsection C of this
section for four (4) consecutive years .
B. To be eligible to participate in the Oklahoma Teacher Corps
Program during the 2023-2024 academic year and thereafter, an
individual shall:
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1. Enroll in an institution of higher education within The
Oklahoma State System of Higher Education;
2. Submit an application on a form prescribed by the Oklahoma
State Regents for Higher Education;
3. Declare a major in an approved O klahoma teacher preparation
degree program leading to a standard teaching certificate; and
4. Execute an agreement pursuant to subsection C of this
section.
C. An individual who meets the eligibility criteria set forth
in subsection B of this section shall execut e an agreement stating
that he or she shall:
1. Agree to earn a bachelor’s degree from an approved Oklahoma
teacher preparation degree program leading to a standard teaching
certificate;
2. Agree to meet the requirements of Section 6 -187 of Title 70
of the Oklahoma Statutes to earn a standard teaching certificate ;
and
3. Agree to teach in a school district in this state that is
designated as a comprehensive support and improve ment (CSI) school
or targeted support and improvement (TSI) school pursuant to the
Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), as
reauthorized and amended by P.L. No. 114 -95, also known as the Ev ery
Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) for four (4) consecutive years. The
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individual is not required to teach at the same schoo l district for
four consecutive years .
D. 1. The amount of assistance shall be equivalent to the
amount of tuition and mandatory fee s for courses in which the
eligible individual enrolls for completion of a bachelor’s degree.
Assistance shall not be allowed for cours es or other postsecondary
units taken in excess of the requirements for completion of a
bachelor’s degree or taken more than five (5) years after the
individual’s first semester of enrollment in an institution o f
higher education within The Oklahoma State System of Higher
Education.
2. Assistance provided pursuant to this subsection shall be
allocated to the institution of higher education from the Oklahoma
Teacher Corps Revolving Fund created pursuant to Section 2 of this
act.
E. To retain eligibility fo r the Oklahoma Teacher Corps
Program, an eligible individual shall:
1. Maintain good academic standing and s atisfactory academic
progress while enrolled in an institutio n of higher education
according to the institution’s standards; and
2. After earning a bachelor’s degree, submit annual proof of
employment with a school district described in paragraph 3 of
subsection C of this section to the Oklahoma State Regents for
Higher Education.
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F. An individual who accepts assistance pursuant to this
section shall not also be eligible for an Oklahoma Higher Learning
Access Program award provided for by Section 2601 et seq. of Tit le
70 of the Oklahoma Statutes or a n Oklahoma Future Teacher
Scholarship and Employment Incentive Program scholarship or
employment incentive payment provided for by Section 698.1 of Title
70 of the Oklahoma Sta tutes.
G. An individual who has received Okl ahoma Teacher Corps
Program assistance pursuant to this section and who fails to comply
with the agreement execut ed pursuant to subsection C of this section
shall be required to repay an amount to be calculated as follows:
1. Determine the total amount of assistance provided pursuant
to the provisions of this section;
2. Divide the amount determined in paragraph 1 of this
subsection by twelve (12); and
3. Multiply the amount determined in paragraph 2 of this
subsection by the number of months the individual did not fulfill
the requirements of the agreem ent executed pursuant to subsection C
of this section. Repayments shall be deposite d into the Oklahoma
Teacher Corps Revolving Fund created pursua nt to Section 2 of this
act.
H. An individual who has received Oklahoma Teacher Corps
Program assistance pur suant to this section and who fails to comply
with the agreement execut ed pursuant to subsection C of this section
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due to hardship circumstances may request a waiver from re payment
from the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
I. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall
promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this section.
SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 700.1 of Title 70, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
There is hereby created in the State Treasury a revolving fund
for the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to be designated
the “Oklahoma Teacher Corps Revolving Fund”. The fund shall be a
continuing fund, not subject to fiscal year limitations, and shall
consist of all monies received by the Oklahoma State Regents for
Higher Education from state appropriations . All monies accruing to
the credit of the fund are hereby appropriated and may be budgeted
and expended by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education for
the purpose of implement the provisions of the Oklahoma Teach er
Corps Program created pursuant to Section 1 of this act .
Expenditures from the fund shall be made upon warrants issued by the
State Treasurer against claims filed as prescr ibed by law with the
Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services for
approval and payment.
SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2023.
SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preserv ation
of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby
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declared to exist, by reason whereof thi s act shall take effect and
be in full force fro m and after its passage and approval.
COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
February 22, 2023 - DO PASS