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ENGROSSED SENATE AMENDMENT
TO
ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 2679 By: Baker and West (Tammy) of
the House
and
Rader of the Senate
An Act relating to teacher certification; amending 70
O.S. 2021, Section 6-133, which relates to the
teacher certification pathways pilot program;
modifying provider program requirements; updating
statutory citation; requiring provider to submit
certain annual report; modifying end date for pilot
program; providing an effective date; and declaring
an emergency.
AUTHOR: Add the following Senate Coauthors: Thompson (Kristen),
Bergstrom, Coleman, Stanley, Newhouse, Garvin, Pederson,
and Daniels
AMENDMENT NO. 1. Page 1, strike the title, enacting clause and
entire bill and insert
“An Act relating to s chools; making an appropriation
to the State Board of Education; providing purpose;
directing the State Department of Education to
establish certain pilot program to employ a literacy
instructional team; providing for technical
assistance and program implementation guidance to
team members and schools; directing team members to
be placed regionally statewide; providing du ties for
team; providing training requirements for team
members; providing for Department oversight of team;
establishing minimum criteria for team employees;
providing hiring preferences for team members with
certain knowledge and training; requiring submission
of report by certain date; pr escribing contents of
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report; providing for codification; providing an
effective date; and declaring an emergenc y.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. There is hereby appropriated to the State Board of
Education from any monies not otherwise appropriated from the
General Revenue Fund of the State Treasury for the fiscal year
beginning July 1, 2023, the sum of Ten Million Dollars
($10,000,000.00). These monies shall be used to implement the
provisions of Section 2 of this act .
SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1210.508H of Title 70, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. Beginning with the 202 3-2024 school year, the State
Department of Education shall establish a three-year pilot program
to employ a literacy instructional team to support school districts
in implementation of the requirements of Sectio n 1210.508C of Title
70 of the Oklahoma Statutes. The Department shall provide technical
assistance for literacy instruction, dyslexi a, and related
disorders, and serve as a primary source of information and sup port
for schools in addressing the needs of s tudents struggling with
literacy, dyslexia, and related disorders.
B. The Department shall empl oy a literacy instructional team
with team members who are placed regionally across the state. The
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literacy instructional teams shall assist general education and
special education teachers in recognizing educational needs to
improve literacy outcomes for all students including those with
dyslexia or identified with the risk characteristics associated with
dyslexia. The role of the literacy instructional team shall also
include increasing professional awareness and instructional
competencies to meet the e ducational needs of all students including
those with dyslexia or identified with risk characteristics
associated with dysl exia. The Department shall prioritize supports
and interventions including enrollment in reading trainings and
professional develop ment for schools which have the highest
percentage of students who do not demonstrate sufficient reading
skills as established by the State Board of Education.
C. Literacy instructional team members employed by the
Department shall have training in:
1. The science of how students learn to read including
phonological awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension,
writing, and language;
2. Foundation of multisensory, explicit, systematic, and
structured reading instruction;
3. Identification of and the appropriate interventions,
accommodations, and teaching techniques for struggling students;
4. The requirements of the Reading Sufficiency Act;
5. Special education laws and procedures; and
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6. Appropriate interve ntions, accommodations, and assistive
technology supports for studen ts with dyslexia or a related
disorder.
D. The literacy instructional team members employed by the
Department shall report to the Director of Reading Sufficiency and
have:
1. A minimum of five regional literacy leads, at least one who
shall be designated by the Department as a dyslexia specialist to
provide school districts with support and resources that are
necessary to assist students with dyslexia. The Department shall
give preference to educators applying for regional literacy lead
who:
a. have an endorsement or certification as a certified
structured literacy dyslexia specialist or ce rtified
academic language therapist,
b. are knowledgeable of multitiered systems of support ,
and
c. have been trained in the identification of an d
intervention for dysl exia and related disorders
including best practice interventions and treatment
models for dyslexia; and
2. A minimum of ten literacy specialists. The Department shall
give preference to e ducators applying for literacy specialist who:
a. have training in the science of reading,
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b. are knowledgeable of multitiered sy stems of support,
and
c. have been trained in the identification of an d
intervention for dyslexia and related disorders
including best practice interventions and treatment
models for dyslexia.
E. The State Departm ent of Education shall submit a report to
the Governor, the President Pro T empore of the Senate, and the
Speaker of the House of Representatives by December 31, 2026, that
includes an evaluation of the pilot program by school districts,
data on whether the program had an impact on increasing the number
of students who demonstrate prof iciency in reading, and
recommendations for changes to the R eading Sufficiency Act.
SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2023.
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 th is act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.”
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Passed the Senate the 27th day of April, 2023.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________,
2023.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
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ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 2679 By: Baker and West (Tammy) of
the House
and
Rader of the Senate
An Act relating to teacher certification; amending 70
O.S. 2021, Section 6-133, which relates to the
teacher certification pa thways pilot program;
modifying provider program requirements; updating
statutory citation; requiring provider to submit
certain annual report; modifying end date for pilot
program; providing an effective date; and declaring
an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 5. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 6 -133, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 6-133. A. As used in this section:
1. "Provider" means an eligible entity that seeks or has
obtained approval of an alternative teacher preparation program
consistent with this section ; and
2. "Program" means content provided by a provider that leads
toward licensure in a specific content area.
B. The State Board of Education shall identify providers to
implement new and innovative pathways toward teacher certification
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on a pilot program basis. Providers seeking to participate in the
pilot program shall submit applications to the State Board of
Education.
C. A provider chosen by the State Board of Educat ion to
participate in the pilot program shall offer a program that:
1. Provides evidence and history of fiscal solvency, capacity,
operation, and program effectiveness;
2. Provides evidence of nec essary infrastructure to provide
accurate, timely, and secure data for the purpose of admission,
teacher candidate monitoring, testing , and certification
recommendations;
3. Has policies and procedures in place ensuring the security
of teacher candidate r ecords under applicable laws and regulations;
4. Has the instructional capacity or within an existing novice
teacher support program, the ability to obtain the instructional
capacity, or has established a partnership wi th an accredited higher
education institution to provide adequate instruction in accordance
with this subsection;
5. Offers an instructional ph ase that provides intensive
preparation before the teacher candidates assume classroom
responsibilities;
6. Offers a research-based and results-oriented approach
focused on best teaching practices to incre ase student achievement
and growth measured agains t state academic standards;
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7. Provides assessment, supervision , and evaluation of teacher
candidates to determine their specific needs throughout the program
and to support efforts to successfully complet e the program;
8. Provides intensive and ongoing p rofessional development
opportunities that accelerate a teacher candidate 's professional
growth, support student learning, and provide a workplace
orientation, professional staff development, and mentoring;
9. Offers peer review focused on standards of prof essional
practice and continuous professional growth; and
10. Provides a process to review a teacher candidate's final
competency of required ce rtification content standards that leads to
a potential candidate being recommended for teacher certification i n
accordance with subsection F of this section.
D. The State Board of Education shall ensur e that providers
approved to participate in the pilot program allow teacher
candidates to demonstrate pedagogy and content standard proficiency
in school-based programs and through other nontr aditional means.
Nontraditional means may include , but not be limited to, previous
work experience, teacher experien ce, educator evaluations, industry-
recognized certificatio ns, and other essentially equivalent
demonstrations.
E. If the State Board of Ed ucation determines that a provider
fails to meet or is deficient in any of the requirements of this
section, it may suspend or revoke the approval of the provider after
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providing notification of the deficiencies and an opportunity to
remedy the deficiencie s.
F. A teacher candidate that completes a program offered by an
approved provider shall be eligible for certificati on, provided he
or she meets the certification requirement s set forth in Section 6-
187 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes this title in the area of
specialization for which certification is sought and is recommended
for certification by the approved prov ider.
G. The State Board of Education shall is sue a certificate to
teach to any person who meets the requirements set forth in this
section and who has on file with the Board a current Oklahoma
criminal history record check from the Oklahoma State Bureau of
Investigation as well as a national criminal history record check as
defined in Section 150.9 of Title 74 of th e Oklahoma Statutes. The
person applying for the certificate shall be responsible for the
cost of the criminal history records record checks.
H. A provider shall submit a report to the State Departm ent of
Education after one (1) year of operation showing the percentag e of
teacher candidates who have completed the program and who have
successfully completed o r who have failed the competency
examinations for certification and the provider 's efforts to help
candidates successfully pass the examinations. A provider shall
annually submit evidence a report to the State Department of
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Education after the pilot year with evidence of outlining the
success of the program.
I. The State Board of Education may pr omulgate rules to
implement the provisions of this section.
J. The pilot program created in this section shall end no later
than July 1, 2024 2026.
SECTION 6. This act shall become effective July 1, 2023.
SECTION 7. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, by reason whereof thi s act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
Passed the House of R epresentatives the 13th day of March, 2023.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the ___ day of __________, 2023.
Presiding Officer of the Senate