HB 2043 Summary

• Recreates the Minority Teacher Recruitment Advisory Committee with 19 members appointed by legislative leaders and state officials, with initial appointments due by September 1, 2015, and two-year terms thereafter.

• Establishes the Minority Teacher Recruitment Center under the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to recruit, retain and place minority teachers in public schools through support services, recruiting programs, mentoring, loan forgiveness, and other initiatives.

• Directs the Center to award "Grow Your Own" grants to consortia of higher education institutions, school districts, and community organizations to prepare parents, community leaders, and paraprofessionals as teachers in hard-to-staff schools.

• Requires "Grow Your Own" programs to provide forgivable loans covering tuition, books, and fees for candidates, with full forgiveness after five (5) years of service in hard-to-staff schools or teaching positions and partial forgiveness for shorter service periods.

• Effective July 1, 2015, with emergency clause allowing immediate effect upon passage and approval.