“Teach. Live. T-Town.”
That’s part of a Vision pitch from Tulsa-area schools. The program would provide housing assistance and summer professional development for Tulsa teachers. Tulsa Public Schools Superintendent Deborah Gist said it would cost a little more than $5 million a year.
"The goal is to recruit teachers, to encourage them to reside in our community, and to contribute to neighborhood revitalization and development," Gist said.
Recently recruited teachers would get help with rental housing, while a home purchasing component would be more widely available. Teachers would have to make a commitment to their district and school.
"We have very thoroughly scanned the country to look at successful models and to think about what would matter to us and what would work for us based on our city, our needs, our students, our current successes, our current areas of struggle," Gist said.
Tulsa-area school officials also asked for Vision money to make students’ trip to school safer.
Jenks Public Schools Superintendent Stacey Butterfield said they want more sidewalks, crosswalks, bus stops, and better signs and road markings around schools.
"If we look at all of the needs that have been identified at all of our Tulsa sites, then we're looking at $14.5 million," Butterfield said.
The schools also want to set up a radio communications system to be used in the event of a disaster or other major event. Butterfield said it would make it easier for teachers, parents and first responders.
The radio system would cost about $865,000.
