February 21, 2024
Rep. Anthony Moore, R-Clinton, on Monday secured unanimous subcommittee passage of a bill that would extend the Oklahoma Promise Scholarship to all children of a certified, full-time teacher who has taught for at least 10 years in an Oklahoma public school classroom and is currently teaching.
In a press release from Moore’s office, the lawmaker said if passed, “HB 3454 would make a tremendous impact in recruiting and retaining teachers and college students” and said that “students attending school here are 87% more likely to stay to live, work and raise a family here.”
The Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OHLAP), better known as Oklahoma’s Promise, allows students who meet certain income, academic and conduct requirements to earn a college or technology tuition scholarship. It was created in 1992 by the Legislature to help more Oklahoma families send their children to college. The program is administered by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
Moore’s proposed legislation would expand this to include any student of a certified teacher, regardless of the parent’s income, as long as the parent has taught full-time for at least 10 years in an Oklahoma public school classroom.
Moore said he also hopes the measure might help address the number of alternative emergency certified teachers in Oklahoma classrooms.
HB 3454 passed 12-0 in the House Appropriations & Budget Subcommittee for Education and now passes to the full House Appropriations & Budget Committee for consideration.
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