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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2nd Session of the 58th Legislature (2022)
SENATE BILL 1255 By: Montgomery
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to teacher certification; amending 70
O.S. 2021, Section 6 -122.3, which relates to
alternative certification; removing reference to
specific master degrees; allowing any master ’s degree
to meet certain requirement; amending 70 O.S. 2021,
Section 6-187, as last amended by Section 1, Chapter
319, O.S.L. 2021, which relat es to teacher competency
examinations; requiring the Commission for
Educational Quality and Accountability to contract
with multiple vendors to provide certain
examinations; providing an effective date; and
declaring an emergency .
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 6 -122.3, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 6-122.3. A. The State Board of Education shall grant
an alternative placement teaching certifi cate to a person who makes
application to the Boa rd and meets the following criteria:
1. a. holds at least a baccalaureate degree from an
institution whose accreditation is recognized by the
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and has
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attained a retention grade point average of not less
than 2.50 on a 4.0 scale, or
b. has successfully completed a terminal degree, such as
a doctorate of philosophy, a doctorate in education,
professional doctorates, a master of fine arts degree
or a master of library science degree, master’s degree
from an institution accredited by a national or
regional accrediting agency which is recognized by the
Secretary of the United States Department of
Education. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
Education shall be consult ed to verify other terminal
degrees, or
c. holds at least a baccalaureate degree from an
institution whose accreditation is recognized by the
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and has
qualified work experience in a field that corresponds
to an area of certification as determined by the State
Board of Education, and
d. in addition to the requirements of subparagraphs a, b
and c of this paragraph, has demonstrated competency
or completed a major in a field that corresponds to an
area of specializati on for an Elementary-Secondary
Certificate or a Secondary Certificate as determined
by the State Board of Education or a vocational -
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technical certificate as recommended by the Oklahoma
Department of Career and Technology Education;
2. Declares the intenti on to earn standard certification by
means of an alternative placement program in not more than three (3)
years. The State Board of Education shall determine the subject
matter and the number of clock or semester hours required for the
professional education component for each person making application
for an alternative placement teaching certificate based on the
criteria of paragraph 1 of this subsection.
The State Board of Education shall establish a core minimum of
six (6) semester hours or ninety (90) clock hours and a maximum of
eighteen (18) semester hours or two hundred seventy (270) clock
hours for the professional education component.
The requirements set forth in this subsection shall exclude all
student teaching requirements pursuant to the prov isions of
subsection E of this section;
3. Has passed the general education and subject area portions
of the competency examination required in Section 6 -187 of this
title in the area of specialization for which certification is
sought; and
4. Either presents a document from an accredited public school
district in this state offering employment in the area of
specialization for which certification is sought on condition that
the person enroll in an alternative placement program approved by
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the State Board of Education or declares the intention to seek
employment as a teacher at an accredited public school district in
this state. The certificate granted pursuant to this subsection
shall be considered a “valid certificate of qualification ” for the
purposes of Sections 6-107 and 6-108 of this title, and th e holder
of the certificate shall be considered an inductee for the purposes
of Section 6-195 of this title.
B. An alternative placement teaching certificate shall be
renewed for not more than a maximum of three (3) years upon
presentation of a document f rom an accredited public school district
in this state offering renewed employment in the same area of
specialization and a document from a teacher education institution
verifying satisfactory progress in an appropriate alternative
placement program.
C. Persons enrolled in an alternative placement program shall:
1. Have never been denied admittance to a teacher education
program approved by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education,
the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and by the
Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation to offer teacher
education programs, nor have enrolled in and subsequently failed
courses necessary to successfully meet the minimum requirements of
the program, except those persons who hold a certificate;
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2. Have on file with the director of teacher education at an
Oklahoma institution of higher education a plan for meeting standard
certification requirements within three (3) years; and
3. Participate in a n induction program as required in Section
6-195 of this title and have the same duties and responsibilities as
other inductees.
D. The State Board of Education may grant an exception to the
requirements for certification and, upon demonstration by an
individual of specific competency in the subject area of
specialization, may grant a certificate to the individual. The
State Board may establish other requirements necessary to grant
exceptions.
E. The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability, may g rant an
exception to the requirement to complete a subject area examination
for initial certification in a field which does not require an
advanced degree pursuant to this section if the candidate ha s an
advanced degree in a subject that is substantially c omparable to the
content assessed on a subject area examination. The degree shall be
from an institution accredited by a national or regional accrediting
agency which is recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department
of Education. The Commission shal l provide the Board with the
necessary information to determine comparability.
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F. Student teaching and a prestudent teaching field experience
shall not be required of alternative placement program p articipants
for standard certification.
G. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules
authorizing adjunct teachers who shall be persons with distinguished
qualifications in their field. Adjunct teachers shall not be
required to meet standard cer tification. Adjunct teachers shall be
limited to two hundred seventy (270) clock hours of classroom
teaching per semester.
H. Each teacher education institution shall provide the
Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation an annual report of
information as specified by the Commission regarding participation
in the alternative placement programs offered by the institution.
I. The Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation shall not
accredit, renew the accreditation of, or otherwise approve any
teacher education program of any institution of higher education i n
this state that has not implemented alternative placement programs
in at least four areas of specialization , including mathematics,
science and a foreign language. Each institution shall allow
individuals who meet the criteria of subsections A and C of this
section to be:
1. Admitted to an alternative placement program without further
qualification; and
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2. Offered the opportunity to complete the requirements for
standard certification set forth i n subsection A of this section
during the summer precedin g and the summer following the first year
of teaching with an alternative placement teaching certificate. Any
person seeking standard certification through an alternative
placement program shall be permitted to take necessary courses
during regular semest ers if offered.
J. The criteria specified in subsection I of this section can
be met through a cooperative arrangement entered into by two or more
institutions of higher education.
SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 6 -187, as
last amended by Section 1, Chapter 319, O.S.L. 2021 , is amended to
read as follows:
Section 6-187. A. Prior to July 1, 2014, a competency
examination shall be adopted by the Oklahoma Commissi on for Teacher
Preparation and beginning July 1, 2014, a competency examination
shall be adopted by the Commission for Educational Quality and
Accountability for the general education, professional education ,
and various subject areas and grade levels for purposes of ensuring
academic achievement and competency of each teacher candidate or
teacher in the subject area the person is seeking certification to
teach which shall also include certification as an administrator, as
prescribed by the State Board of E ducation.
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The Commission, consistent with the purposes of this section,
shall promulgate rules and procedures to guarantee the
confidentiality of examinations.
B. No teacher candidate shall be eligible for certification
until successfully completing the c ompetency examination except
those candidates who make ap plication to the State Board and meet
the criteria for the alternative placement program pursuant to
Section 6-122.3 of this title. Certification shall be limited to
areas of approval in which the c ertified teacher has successfully
completed the examinati on. Subject to the provisions of subsection
C of this section, testing for certification for subjects in which a
teacher candidate or teacher is seeking a minor teaching assignment
or an endorsement to teach shall be limited to the specific subject
area test.
A teacher candidate or teacher may take the general education,
professional education , or subject area portions of the examination
subject to any limit imposed by the Commission.
C. 1. Except as otherwis e provided for in this subsection, a
teacher may be certified in as many areas as the teacher meets the
necessary requirements provided b y law and has successfully
completed the subject area portion of the examination.
2. Except as otherwise provided for in this paragraph,
certification in early chil dhood, elementary, or special education
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shall require completion of an appropriate teacher education program
approved by the Commission.
Any teacher who is certified to teach elementary education may
be certified in early childhood education upon meeting t he
requirements provided in law and successful completion of the
appropriate subject area p ortion of the examination. Any teacher
who is certified to teach early childhood education may be certified
in elementary education upon meeting the requirements pr ovided in
law and successful completion of the appropriate subject area
portion of the examination. Any special education teacher who
becomes certified to teach through completion of an accredited
teacher preparation program may be certified in early chil dhood or
elementary education upon meeting the requirements provided in law
and successful completion of the appropriate subject portion of the
examination. Any teacher who becomes certified to teach through
completion of an accredited teacher preparation program or becomes
alternatively certified to teach through the Troops to Teachers
program may be certified in special education upon meeting the
requirements provided in law and successful completion of the
appropriate subject area portion of the examina tion. Any special
education teacher who has not completed a Commission -approved
teacher education program in elementary education or early childhood
education but who has successfully completed the subject are a
portion of the examination may be certified in elementary education
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or early childhood education for the purpose of providing direct
instruction and serving as the teacher of record for grading
purposes in special education settings only.
D. 1. The Commission shall contract with multiple vendors t o
provide the general education, professional education, and subject
area examinations required by this section.
2. The Commission shall offer the competency examination at
least four times per calendar year o n dates to be established by the
Commission.
E. If a teacher candidate or teacher is a non -native-English
speaker, the Commission shall offer the subject area competency
examination in the native language of the teacher candidate or
teacher only if the te acher candidate or teacher is employed or has
been offered employment by a school district as a teacher in a
foreign language immersion p rogram offered by the school district.
If a non-native-English speaker who has received certification in a
subject area after taking the subject area competency exa mination in
the native language of the speaker seeks to add a certification area
in the future and that person is no longer employed as a teacher in
a foreign language immersion program, the examination for the
additional certification area shall be taken in English. The State
Board of Education shall issue a restricted license or certificate
to any teacher who has completed a subject area competency
examination in the native language of the teacher as provided for in
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this subsection restricting the teache r to teaching only in a
foreign language immersion program.
F. The State Board of Educatio n, in consultation with the
Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability, may grant an
exception to the requir ement to complete a subject area examination
for initial certification in a field which does not require an
advanced degree if the candid ate has an advanced degree in a subject
that is substantially comparable to the content assessed on a
subject area examination. The advanced degree shall be from an
institution accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency
which is recognized by the Secretary of the United States Department
of Education. The Commission shall provide the Board with the
necessary information to determine comparability.
G. 1. Nothing in the Oklahoma Teacher Preparation Act shall
restrict the right of the State Board of Education to issue an
emergency or provisional certificate, as needed. Provided, however,
prior to the issuance of an emergency certificate, the district
shall document substantial efforts to employ a teacher who holds a
provisional or standard certificate. In the event a district is
unable to hire an individual meeting this criteria, the district
shall document efforts to employ an individual with a provisio nal or
standard certificate in another curricular area with academic
preparation in the field of need. Only after these alternatives
have been exhausted shall the district be allowed to employ an
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individual meeting minimum standards as established by the State
Board of Education for the issuance of emergency certificates.
2. The State Board of Education may renew the emergency or
provisional certificate of an individual who has been employed by a
school district board of education for at least two (2) yea rs if the
following criteria are met:
a. the individual has been granted an emergen cy or
provisional certificate pursuant to paragraph 1 of
this subsection for two (2) years,
b. the individual has not successfu lly completed the
competency examinations requ ired by this section,
c. the individual submits a portfolio of his or her work
to the State Board of Education, which shall include
evidence of progress toward standard certification,
d. the employing school di strict board of education
agrees to renew the individual’s contract to teach for
the ensuing fiscal year, and
e. the superintendent of the employing school district
submits to the State Board of Education the reason the
emergency or provisional certificate should be renewed
and provides evidence of th e district’s inability to
hire a teacher who holds a standard certificate.
3. Individuals employed by a school district under an emergency
or provisional certificate shall not be considered career teachers
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and therefore not entitled to the protections of the Teacher Due
Process Act of 1990.
SECTION 3. This act shall bec ome effective July 1, 2022.
SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
58-2-3378 EB 1/12/2022 9:52:22 AM