Bill Passes House That Would Clear Up Teacher Bonus Program

A bill passed in the Oklahoma State House this week that would help clear up some of the language on the state teacher bonus program.

This comes after some Oklahoma teachers were paid a $50,000 bonus, then later learned they didn’t qualify for the program and were told to pay back the money.

The bill would give $7,000 a year to teachers who qualify for five years for a total of $35,000 instead of giving them all the money up front.

The law would be called the “Return to Teach Signing Bonus Act,” and would reward teachers who left the profession but then came back into the classroom.

Representative Mark McBride wrote the bill and says this way, teachers wouldn’t have to worry about giving the money back.

"I knew last year when they were talking about this teacher signing bonus that this was going to be a problem,” said McBride. “You don't just give somebody $50,000 up front.”

The qualifications are as follows: at least three years of experience and not working in an Oklahoma public school for five years.

They also have to agree to be a full-time public school teacher for at least five years.

"It's a common sense approach to doing it,” said McBride. “If you decide not to teach the next two years or something, we've only paid you seven thousand. We didn't pay you 50."

State Superintendent Ryan Walters sent News On 6 a statement about the bill that says, “This is building on the success of the greatest teacher recruitment program in the history of the state. I want to expand free market solutions to make Oklahoma schools the best they can be.”

McBride says he is happy the State Department of Education was able to recruit 500 teachers to come back to the classroom, and thinks this legislation will help work out the kinks.

"People are vetted,” said McBride. “They expect to be vetted. I want to keep things like this from happening in the future."

If the bill passes the Senate, the teachers would be paid on September 1st of every year or within 30 days of the first day of school, whichever is first.