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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1st Session of the 58th Legislature (2021)
HOUSE BILL 1686 By: Talley
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to schools; authorizing the State
Board of Education to adopt suicide awareness and
prevention curriculum; defining term; amending 70
O.S. 2011, Section 6 -194, as last amended by Section
1, Chapter 16, O.S.L. 2019 (70 O.S. Supp. 2020,
Section 6-194), which relates to professional
development programs; allowing suicide awareness and
prevention training be offered; providing f or
codification; and providing an effective date .
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 11-103.3a of Title 70, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. The State Board of Education may adopt a curriculum with
courses of instruction for all students enrolled in the public
schools that includes suicide awareness and prevention .
B. As used in this section, "curriculum" means the subject
matter standards adopted by the State Board of Education pursuant to
Section 11-103.6 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes . School
districts shall exclusively determine instruction, specific course
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curricula, reading lists and instructional materials pursuant to
subsection F of Section 11 -103.6a of Title 70 of the Oklahoma
Statutes.
SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2011, Section 6 -194, as
last amended by Section 1, Chapter 16, O.S.L . 2019 (70 O.S. Supp.
2020, Section 6-194), is amended to read as follows:
Section 6-194. A. The district boards of education of this
state shall establish professional development programs for the
certified teachers and administrators of the district. Programs
shall be adopted by each board based upon recommendations of a
professional development committee appointed by the board of
education for the district. For the fiscal years ending June 30,
2011, and June 30, 2012, a school district board of educa tion may
elect not to adopt and offer a professional development program for
certified teachers and administrators of the district. If a school
district elects not to adopt and offer a professional development
program, the district may expend any monies a llocated for
professional development for any purpose related to the support and
maintenance of the school district as determined by the board of
education of the school district.
B. Each professional development committee shall include
classroom teachers, administrators, school counselors or licensed
mental health providers, and parents, guardians or custodians of
children in the school district and shall consult with a higher
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education faculty. A majority of the members of the professional
development committee shall be composed of classroom teachers. The
teacher members shall be selected by a designated administrator of
the school district from a list of names submitted by the teachers
in the school district. The members selected shall be subject to
the approval of a majority vote of the teachers in the district.
C. In developing program recommendations, each professional
development committee shall annually utilize a data -driven approach
to analyze student data and determine district and school
professional development needs. The professional development
programs adopted shall be directed toward development of
competencies and instructional strategies in the core curriculum
areas for the following goals:
1. Increasing the academic performance data s cores for the
district and each school site;
2. Closing achievement gaps among student subgroups;
3. Increasing student achievement as demonstrated on state -
mandated tests and the ACT;
4. Increasing high school graduation rates; and
5. Decreasing colle ge remediation rates.
Each program may also include components on classroom management
and student discipline strategies, outreach to parents, guardians or
custodians of students, special education, and racial and ethnic
education, which all personnel defi ned as teachers in Section 1 -116
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of this title shall be required to complete on a periodic basis.
The State Board of Education shall provide guidelines to assist
school districts in developing and implementing racial and ethnic
education components into p rofessional development programs.
D. At a minimum of once an academic year a program shall be
offered which includes the following:
1. Training on recognition of child abuse and neglect;
2. Recognition of child sexual abuse;
3. Proper reporting of susp ected abuse; and
4. Available resources.
E. One time per year, beginning in the 2009 -2010 school year,
training in the area of autism shall be offered and all resident
teachers of students in early childhood programs through grade three
shall be required to complete the autism training during the
resident year and at least one time every three (3) years
thereafter. All other teachers and education support professionals
of students in early childhood programs through grade three shall be
required to complete the autism training at least one time every
three (3) years. The autism training shall include a minimum
awareness of the characteristics of autistic children, resources
available and an introduction to positive behavior supports to
challenging behavior. Each adopted program shall allow school
counselors to receive at least one -third (1/3) of the hours or
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credit required each year through programs or courses specifically
designed for school counselors.
Districts are authorized to utilize any means for professional
development that is are not prohibited by law including, but not
limited to, professional development provided by the district, any
state agency, institution of higher education, or any private
entity.
F. One time per year, beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, a
dyslexia awareness program shall be offered. At a minimum, the
program shall include:
1. Training in awareness of dyslexia characteristics in
students;
2. Training in effective classroom instruction to meet the
needs of students with dyslexia; and
3. Available dyslexia resources for teachers, students and
parents.
G. One time per year, beginning in the 2021 -2022 school year,
suicide awareness and prevention training may be offered. The
training may be accomplished through self -review of suitable suicide
prevention materials approved by the district.
H. Except as otherwise provided for in this subsection, each
certified teacher in this state shall be required by the district
board of education to meet the professional developme nt requirements
established by the board, or established through the negotiation
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process. Except as otherwise provided for in this subsection, the
professional development requirements established by each board of
education shall require every teacher to annually complete a minimum
number of the total number of points required to maintain
employment. Failure of any teacher to meet district board of
education professional development requirements may be grounds for
nonrenewal of such teacher 's contract by the board. Such failure
may also be grounds for nonconsideration of salary increments
affecting the teacher. For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2011,
and June 30, 2012, a certified teacher shall not be required to
complete any points of the total numbe r of professional development
points required. Provided, a teacher may elect to complete some or
all of the minimum number of points required for the two (2) fiscal
years and any points completed shall be counted toward the total
number of points required to maintain employment. If a teacher does
not complete some or all of the minimum number of points required
for one (1) or both fiscal years, the total number of points
required to maintain employment shall be adjusted and reduced by the
number of points not completed.
H. I. Each district shall annually submit a report to the State
Department of Education on the district level professional
development needs, activities completed, expenditures, and results
achieved for each school year by each goal as pro vided in subsection
C of this section. If a school district elects not to adopt and
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offer a professional development program as provided for in
subsection A of this section, the district shall not be required to
submit an annual report as required pursuan t to this subsection but
shall report to the State Department of Education its election not
to offer a program and all professional development activities
completed by teachers and administrators of the school district.
I. J. Subject to the availability o f funds, the Department
shall develop an online system for reporting as required in
subsection H I of this section. The Department shall also make such
information available on its website.
SECTION 3. This act shall become effective Novem ber 1, 2021.
58-1-5880 AMM 01/15/21