HB4326

Ladies for Liberty Oklahoma

Would EXPAND access to the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program, known as Oklahoma's Promise scholarship, to students of public K-12 school counselors, librarians, school nurses or athletic trainers and those who teach at CareerTechs. (This builds onHB1727, that extended the scholarshipto children of all educators who are considered in statute as full-time certified teachers who have taught for at least 10 years in Oklahoma public schools.) What about everyone else's kids? HB 4326, as amended, alters the qualifications for the Oklahoma Promise Scholarship by expanding the definition of certified teacher to include counselors, libraries, nurses, and athletic trainers, as well as alternatively certified teachers. Eligibility is extended to the adopted children of teachers, or those children in the legal care of a certified teacher. The measure also extends the deadline for homeschooled students to qualify and apply to the age of 18 and allows students to use an OHLAP scholarship at a Career Tech school. The measure will increase the eligible pool of individuals by approximately 10-15%, or about 100 students, based on estimated numbers from the Regents. The subsequent increase in the number of students benefitting from this expansion of qualifications is expected to increase costs by $1 million to $2 million annually.