Tulsa school districts in line for $10 million in Vision funding are changing their minds about the program it will support.
Jenks, Union and Tulsa Public Schools representatives are no longer envisioning the "live" component of the teacher recruitment program that came to be known as "Teach, Live T-Town."
"There were discussions back before the vote about the possibility of a teacher town or teacher village, which would be a redevelopment project," said City Manager Jim Twombly.
The City of Tulsa was considering the Pearl District or the Laura Dester shelter site for that project, which would offer teachers housing at below-market rates.
Instead, district representatives want the funding to go just toward things that will affect the most teachers and students possible, like professional development and summer school. A state attorney general’s opinion does allow local support of schools’ day-to-day operations.
A final decision is close.
"Probably another meeting or two to try to come up with a final decision about what that program will look like, and it makes a difference in terms of the overall Vision program," Twombly said.
If the affordable housing project is cut, then the City of Tulsa doesn’t need an up-front investment and the districts will get more annual funding.
