The Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education at the University of Oklahoma is pleased to announce its participation in the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education Oklahoma Future Teacher Scholarship and Employment Incentive Program. The program, also called Inspired to Teach, offers qualified Oklahoma students an opportunity to earn up to $25,500 in scholarships and benefits as they complete their Educator Preparation Program and teach in Oklahoma.
The Oklahoma Future Teacher Scholarship and Employment Incentive Program was established through a $17 million allocation from the Oklahoma State Legislature earlier this year.
“The Inspired to Teach program is an investment in Oklahoma’s future teachers and the children and families in our state,” said Stacy Reeder, dean of the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education. “We know that nothing positively impacts a child’s learning outcomes more than good teachers. It is our hope that this funding, along with the other resources available to our students, will encourage more young people to become teachers.”
The program is open to students who graduate from an Oklahoma high school and declare a major in an accredited Oklahoma teacher education program, such as the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education, or community college with an approved articulation agreement with an accredited Oklahoma university teacher education program.
Students receive $1,000 each of their freshman, sophomore and junior years. The payment increases to $2,500 during their senior year. Once a student graduates and is certified, they will receive $4,000 each of the next five years they teach in an Oklahoma public school.
“When I first decided to become a teacher, my biggest worry was that I couldn’t afford to get my degree,” said Jennevieve Scott, a senior majoring in language arts education. “With Inspired to Teach, I get both the much-needed assistance to pay for my degree and a $20,000 income boost in the first five years of teaching. Inspire to Teach has been instrumental in breaking down financial barriers as I work toward my dream of becoming an English teacher!”
Not only do Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education students who graduate from an Oklahoma high school have access to this funding, but they may also combine it with other programs offered by the college, including the OU Debt-Free Teachers program, TEACH Grant and college scholarships.
Debt-Free Teachers offers qualifying students up to $20,000 in loan forgiveness over four years while teaching in an Oklahoma school. TEACH Grant provides up to $16,000 over four years to students in a teacher preparation program. In 2022-23, an average of $2,555 was awarded to each JRCoE scholarship recipient. Additionally, Native American students have the opportunity to apply for the Teach to Reach program, which provides funding for tuition, books and fees; a monthly living stipend; technology allowance; and more.
In total, a student who qualifies and signs up for these programs in their first year at OU as an education major could receive nearly $50,000 toward covering the cost of their education and an additional $20,000 in their first four years of teaching in Oklahoma.
For more information on funding programs in the Jeannine Rainbolt College of Education, contact the undergraduate advising office at jrcoe.advising@ou.edu.
