OKLAHOMA CITY — Legislation created to bring financial relief to Oklahoma’s public school teachers has passed the House on Monday with a vote of 85 to 3.
House Bill 3382, authored by Rep. John Waldron (D-Tulsa), creates the “Oklahoma Teacher Loan Repayment Program” to be in effect beginning 2020-2021. The extent of the program is limited to the availability of funds within the revolving fund created by HB3382.
The program shall provide educational loan repayment awards to individuals who have graduated after the effective date from an accredited or approved teacher education program in Oklahoma and have been employed for at least five years at a Title I school in this state. The legislation has a five-year cap of $4,000 per qualified teacher.
“We know that our school districts are struggling to keep qualified teachers,” Waldron said. “By creating this loan repayment program, we can encourage college students to go into education, and we can help school districts retain good teachers and guarantee a qualified teacher in every classroom.”
The legislation was passed without title, which means it must be voted on again, however, today’s passage keeps the bill alive past the House of Origin deadline this Thursday at midnight.
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