A.
1.There is hereby created, until November 1, 2028, in accordance with the Oklahoma Sunset Law, the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Program to be administered by Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness under the direction of the Department of Human Services.
2.The Department of Human Services shall promulgate rules as necessary to implement and enforce the provisions of this section, including verifying income eligibility, employment status, and administering subsidy benefits accordingly.
B.The Teacher Recruitment and Retention Program, administered through Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness, shall ensure that: 1. A child care employee working at a child care facility licensed pursuant to the Oklahoma Child Care Facilities Licensing Act shall be eligible for the Teacher Rec
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A. 1. There is hereby created, until November 1, 2028, in accordance with the Oklahoma Sunset Law, the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Program to be administered by Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness under the direction of the Department of Human Services. 2. The Department of Human Services shall promulgate rules as necessary to implement and enforce the provisions of this section, including verifying income eligibility, employment status, and administering subsidy benefits accordingly. B. The Teacher Recruitment and Retention Program, administered through Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness, shall ensure that: 1. A child care employee working at a child care facility licensed pursuant to the Oklahoma Child Care Facilities Licensing Act shall be eligible for the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Program, provided that: a. total annual gross household income does not exceed One Hundred Twenty Thousand Dollars ($120,000.00) for a two-parent household, b. total annual gross household income does not exceed Sixty Thousand Dollars ($60,000.00) for a single- parent household, or c. children must attend a program participating in the Department of Human Services’ Child Care Subsidy Program; 2. As used in this section, "child care employee" shall mean any individual who is employed for a minimum of twenty (20) hours per week, averaged monthly, who provides direct care, supervision or educational services to children or who performs duties on-site that support the daily operation of the facility participating in the Child Care Subsidy Program and which is licensed pursuant to the Oklahoma Child Care Facilities Licensing Act; 3. An employee who qualifies under the household income limitations in paragraph 1 of this subsection: a. shall have household income exempted from consideration solely for purposes of calculating cost- sharing or co-payment responsibilities, b. shall have co-payments waived if eligible under the Department’s Child Care Subsidy Program, and c. shall be eligible to participate in the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Program, even if his or her income exceeds the Child Care Subsidy Program requirements; 4. When an employee who is employed by a licensed child care facility leaves employment of the licensed provider, the provider shall provide written notice within thirty (30) days to the Department of Human Services that the employee is no longer employed; and 5. Other than the income exemption pursuant to paragraph 1 of this subsection and the reporting requirements established pursuant to this subsection, all other conditions of eligibility for the Child Care Subsidy Program located in Oklahoma Administrative Code (OAC) 340:40-7-1 shall be followed. C. Subsection B of this section shall not apply to employees who are employed by a child care facility licensed pursuant to the Oklahoma Child Care Facilities Licensing Act and who are eligible for the Child Care Subsidy Program without household income being exempted. D. The Department of Human Services shall waive co-payments for employees who are employed by a licensed child care facility and who qualify under income eligibility requirements of the Child Care Subsidy Program.