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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
HOUSE BILL 1281 By: Caldwell (Chad)
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to teachers; creating the Return to
Teach Signing Bonus Act; establishing a signing bonus
program for certain teachers; subjecting program to
availability of funds; listing requirements for
program participants; providing for payment of bonus;
directing State Department of Education to verify
applicant information; requiring return of bonus
under certain circumstances; excluding bonus from
being included in certain calculations; providing for
promulgation of rules; providing for codification;
and declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 6-451 of Title 70, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Return to
Teach Signing Bonus Act".
B. Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year and subject to the
availability of funding, the State Department of Education shall
establish and administer a signing bonus program for teachers who
return to teaching in Oklahoma public schools.
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C. To participate in the signing bonus program, the applicant
shall:
1. Be a teacher with at least three (3) years of prior teaching
experience and a valid or expired teaching certificate issued by:
a. the State Board of Education,
b. the education certification entity of another state,
c. the National Board for Professional Teaching
Standards, or
d. the education certification entity of another country;
2. Have not been employed by an Oklahoma public school district
within the past year at the time of applying;
3. Agree to be a full-time public school teacher in the state
for a minimum of five (5) years;
4. Submit proof of his or her most recent teaching employment
which may include a paystub or letter from the school district
superintendent or board of education;
5. Submit proof provided by the school district where the
applicant will be employed as a full-time teacher;
6. Attest that the information in the application is factual to
the best of his or her knowledge; and
7. Any additional requirements established by the State Board
of Education.
D. The signing bonus shall be Thirty-five Thousand Dollars
($35,000.00) per participant. Upon verification required by
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subsection E of this section, the signing bonus shall be paid to
participants no later than October 31 of each year or within thirty
(30) days of the first day of school, whichever is earlier.
E. 1. Prior to payment of any signing bonuses, the Department
shall verify all of the information submitted by the applicant
pursuant to subsection C of this section is accurate and confirm the
applicant is eligible to participate in the signing bonus program.
2. Prior to the beginning of each school year after the
teacher's first year participating in the signing bonus program, the
teacher shall provide verification to the Department that the
teacher continues to be eligible for the signing bonus program,
including documentation from the Oklahoma school district where the
teacher is employed full time.
3. If, after the payment of any signing bonus, the Department
discovers the information contained in the application is false, the
participant shall be required to return all payments to the
Department.
4. If, after the payment of any signing bonus, the participant
is not employed as a full-time public school teacher in the state
during the agreed to five-year period, the participant shall be
required to return to the Department a pro rata amount based on the
unfulfilled portion of the five-year agreement period.
F. Any signing bonus paid pursuant to the Return to Teach
Signing Bonus Act shall not be included in the calculation of salary
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for purposes of meeting the district or statutory minimum salary
schedule or for purposes of calculating Teachers' Retirement System
of Oklahoma contributions or benefits.
G. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to implement
the provisions of the Return to Teach Signing Bonus Act.
SECTION 2. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
60-1-10162 AQH 01/14/25