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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2nd Session of the 59th Legislature (2024)
SENATE BILL 1598 By: Paxton
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to school employees; amending 70 O.S.
2021, Section 1-116, which relates to defining
positions in a school system; modif ying definitions;
updating statutory reference; 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 1 -116, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 1-116. As used in this title:
1. “Teacher” means any person who is e mployed to serve as
district superintendent, principal, s upervisor, a counselor,
librarian, school nurse or a classroom teacher or in any other
instructional, supervisory or administrative capacity. T he person
shall not be deemed qualified unless the person who holds a valid
certificate issued by and in accordance wi th the rules of the State
Board of Education or the rules of the State Board of Ca reer and
Technology Education , to perform the particular services for which
the person is employed;
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2. “Superintendent” or “superintendent of schools ” means the
executive officer of the board of education and the administrative
head of the school system o f a district maintaining an accredited
school, provided the person holds an administrat or’s certificate
recognized by the State Board of Education;
3. “Principal” means any person other than a district
superintendent of schools having supervisory or admin istrative
authority over any school or school building having two or more
teachers. A teaching principal shall be a principal who devotes at
least one-half (1/2) the time school is in session to classroom
teaching. Teaching principals shall be required t o hold
administrative certificates;
4. “Teachers” means, for purposes of complying wit h the State
Aid Law and other statutes, but not any other provision of law,
which apportion money on the basis of teaching units or the number
of teachers employed or qu alified, all persons holding employed to
serve as classroom teachers who hold proper valid certificates and
connected in any capacity with the instruction of pupils issued by
and in accordance with the r ules of the of the State Board of
Education or the State Board of Career and Technology Education;
5. “Inductee” means any certified teacher who is employed in a
local school to serve as a classroom teacher under the guidance and
assistance of a mentor teacher or teachers;
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6. “Student teacher” means any student who is enrolled in an
institution of higher le arning approved by the State Board o f
Education for teacher training and who is jointly assigned by the
institution of higher learning and a board of education of a school
district to perform practice teaching und er the direction of a
regularly employed an d certified teacher. A student teacher, while
serving an internship under the supervision of a certified teacher,
shall be accorded the sa me protection of the laws as that accorded
the certified teacher and shall be eligible to receive compensation
beginning on the first day of the intern ship for up to one full
school year; provided, however, that such compensation shall not be
considered compensation for purposes of teacher retirement or the
minimum salary schedu le;
7. “School nurse” means a person emplo yed full time by a board
of education who is a regi stered nurse licensed by the Oklahoma
State Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Educ ation Board of
Nursing and is certified the same as a teacher by the State Board of
Education. Provided , that any person who is emplo yed as a full-time
school nurse in any school distr ict in Oklahoma who is not
registered on July 2, 1971, may continue to serve in the same
capacity; however, such person shall, under rules adopt ed by the
State Board of Educa tion, attend classes in nursing and prepare to
become registered.
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A school nurse employed by a board of education shall be
accorded the same protection of laws and a ll other benefits accorded
a certified teacher; and
8. “Support employee” means an employee who provides those
services which are not perfo rmed by certified teac hers, principals,
superintendents, or administrators and which are necessary for the
efficient and satisfactory functioning of a school district.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2024.
SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health , or safety, an emergency is here by
declared to exist, by reason whereof thi s act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
59-2-2657 EB 1/10/2024 1:15:32 PM