Okla. Stat. tit. 70, § 70-698.1

A. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall

establish and maintain an incentive scholarship program and teacher

employment incentive program, as funding is available, to encourage

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the preparation of public school teachers for prekindergarten

through 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 prekindergarten

through twelfth grade in the state for at least five (5) years, to

be known as the Inspired to Teach Program. Prospective teachers

planning to pursue an undergraduate teacher education program at an

accredited Oklahoma teacher preparation program shall be considered

if they graduated from 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 pre-education major or major in an approved

Oklahoma teacher preparation degree program leading to a standard

teaching certificate.

B. To the extent that funds are available, 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 years 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.

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).

C. As used in this section, "full-time student" means:

1. An undergraduate student enrolled in twelve (12) or more

semester credits toward teacher education degree requirements;

2. An undergraduate student who is a teacher education major

who is enrolled in or has completed an internship or student

teaching credit hours in order to complete the degree program prior

to certification and who has been approved to take less than twelve

(12) credit hours; or

3. An undergraduate student who is a teacher education major

with an approved reasonable accommodation from Student Accessibility

Services at the institution due to a documented disability and who

has been approved to take less than twelve (12) credit hours.

D. It is the intent of the Oklahoma Legislature that the

Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education create a committee

composed of educators, teacher educators from the participating

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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 Inspired to Teach

Program. The committee shall prepare and deliver a report on the

program to the Legislature on or before July 1 of each year.

E. Each scholarship participant, prior to entry into the

Inspired to Teach Program, shall have agreed to teach in an Oklahoma

public prekindergarten through twelfth grade school for a minimum of

five (5) consecutive years upon graduation and licensure as a

teacher. Any scholarship participant failing to maintain a 2.5

grade point average throughout matriculation, changing to an

ineligible area of study, failing to meet satisfactory academic

progress standards, withdrawing or otherwise leaving school, or
an Oklahoma

public prekindergarten through twelfth grade school for a minimum of

five (5) consecutive years upon graduation and licensure as a

teacher. Any scholarship participant failing to maintain a 2.5

grade point average throughout matriculation, changing to an

ineligible area of study, failing to meet satisfactory academic

progress 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.

F. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education are

authorized to make employment incentive payments pursuant to the

provisions of this section to Inspired to Teach Program participants

who are employed as traditionally certified teachers in Oklahoma

public prekindergarten through twelfth grade schools following

graduation. Incentive payments may be awarded following each

consecutive year of satisfactory service as documented by the

employing school district, 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.

G. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall

require the execution of appropriate contracts with eligible

Inspired to Teach Program participants. Participants failing to

comply with the requirements of this section or failing to provide

current contact information shall not be eligible for the employment

incentive payments provided for in this section. The Chancellor of

the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, with the approval

of the State Regents, may contract with any other appropriate

organization or unit of government for the administration of the

provisions of this section.

H. 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.

I. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education may, at the

time an award is made on behalf of the Inspired to Teach Program,

set aside funds for the full commitment made to an eligible student.

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J. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education may utilize

Inspired to Teach Program designated funds for administration of the

program.