Senate Committee Approves Rescue Program for Inner City Schools

The Senate Appropriations Committee approved legislation Wednesday to help attract and keep teachers in the state’s inner city schools. Sen. Judy Eason McIntyre is the Senate principal author of House Bill 1837.

“We’re having a tough time recruiting and keeping teachers in our inner city schools. Teachers in these schools are faced with a unique environment and different problems than educators at other schools including extremely low pay, very poor students, crime and violence,” said Eason McIntyre, D-Tulsa. “These are things that they aren’t usually taught how to deal with in college. This program would give them the tools they need to be successful in these harsh conditions, which will ultimately make their students more successful in the classroom.”

HB 1837 would authorize the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation to establish the Inner City Schools Rescue Program for the purpose of recruiting and training certified teachers. The program would also provide these educators with technical assistance after becoming employed at certain inner city schools.

HB 1837 will next be considered by the full Senate.