Signed by Governor Kevin Stitt

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes the awarding of more than one TeachForwardOK grant for education students in Oklahoma.

Highlights:

• Establishes and maintains the “TeachForwardOK” two-year pilot program to create new entry pathways into the teaching profession and increase the state’s teacher workforce (Sec. 1). 

• Requires the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability to select technical assistance providers to evaluate accredited teacher reduction programs at institutions of higher education (Sec. 1). 

• Authorizes the Commission to award grants to approved teacher education programs to contract with selected technical assistance providers for program evaluations (Sec. 1). 

• Requires participating programs to submit responses detailing plans for innovative pathways, such as high school-to-paraprofessional and paraprofessional-to-teacher tracks (Sec. 1). 

• Authorizes the Commission to select more than one approved applicant program to receive a $500,000 award to implement their initiatives if sufficient funds are available (Sec. 1).  

• Requires the Commission to submit a final report of the pilot program's findings and recommendations to state leadership by December 31, 2027 (Sec. 1). 

• Specifies that this act takes effect immediately upon passage (Sec. 2).

Full Bill Text