Oklahoma 2024 2024 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB526 Engrossed / Bill

Filed 03/08/2023

                     
 
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ENGROSSED SENATE 
BILL NO. 526 	By: Pugh of the Senate 
 
  and 
 
  Echols of the House 
 
 
 
 
An Act relating to teachers; amending 51 O.S. 2021, 
Section 24A.7, as amended by S ection 2, Chapter 307, 
O.S.L. 2022 (51 O.S. S upp. 2022, Section 24A.7) , 
which relates to confidentiality of certain personnel 
records; modifying lan guage regarding confidentiality 
of certain evaluation records; amending 70 O.S. 2021, 
Section 5-141, which relates to school district 
minimum salary schedules; removing language allowing 
additional compensation for certain evaluation 
ratings; updating statutory reference; updating 
statutory language; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 5 -
141.2, which relates to model incentive pay plans; 
removing statutory reference; amending 70 O.S. 2021, 
Section 5-141.4, which relates to teacher incentive 
pay awards; removing language allowing an incentive 
pay plan to be based on certain system; updating 
statutory language; defining term; amending 70 O.S. 
2021, Section 6-101.3, which relates to definitions 
related to teachers; modifying definitions; amending 
70 O.S. 2021, Section 6-101.10, which relates to 
school district evaluation policies; allowing rather 
than requiring certain policy; removing reference to 
certain professional development; providing optional 
criteria for certain policy ; removing references to 
implementation of the Oklahoma Teacher and Leader 
Effectiveness Evaluation System ; removing 
requirements for certain professional development 
policy; removing requirement for certain training; 
allowing rather than requiring the State Department 
of Education to conduct certain workshops; removing 
language directing monitoring of certain compliance; 
amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 6-101.11, which 
relates to copies of evaluations; providing statutory 
reference; removing language regarding availability 
of certain evaluation data; amending 70 O.S. 2021, 
Section 6-101.13, which relates to due process 
procedures; removing language allowing dismissal or   
 
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nonreemployment of a principal who receives certain 
evaluation rating; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 6-
101.22, which relates to reasons to dismiss c areer 
teachers; removing language requiring dismissal or 
nonreemployment of teachers who receive certain 
evaluation ratings; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 6-
101.23, which relates to inapplicability of certain 
due process provisions; removing language requiring 
application of certain evaluation p rovisions to 
certain teachers; updating statutory refe rences; 
amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 6-101.24, which 
relates to identification of poor teacher 
performance; removing language regarding actions to 
be taken upon implementation of certain evaluation 
system; allowing rather than requ iring certain 
recommendation for dismissal or nonreemployment; 
providing statutory reference; amending 70 O.S. 2021, 
Section 6-190, as amended by Section 3, Chapter 359, 
O.S.L. 2022 (70 O.S. Supp. 2022, Section 6 -190), 
which relates to contracting with teachers; removing 
qualifications for certain teacher certificates 
related to evaluation ratings; removing certain 
exemption; updating stat utory language; updating 
statutory reference; repealing 70 O.S. 2021, Section 
6-101.16, which relates to adoption of the Oklahoma 
Teacher and Leader Effectiveness Evaluation System; 
repealing 70 O.S. 2021, Section 6-101.31, which 
relates to basing retention or reassign ment decisions 
on certain evaluation ratings; providing an effective 
date; and declaring an emergency. 
 
 
 
 
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE ST ATE OF OKLAHOMA: 
SECTION 1.     AMENDATORY     51 O.S. 2021, Section 24A.7, as 
amended by Section 2, Chapter 307, O.S.L. 2022 (51 O.S. Supp. 2022, 
Section 24A.7), is amended to read as follows: 
Section 24A.7. A.  At the sole discretion of the public body, a 
public body may keep personnel records confidential:   
 
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1.  Which relate to internal personnel inv estigations including 
examination and selection material for em ployment, hiring, 
appointment, promotion, d emotion, discipline, or resignation; or 
2. Where disclosure would cons titute a clearly unwarranted 
invasion of personal privacy such as employee eval uations, payroll 
deductions, employment applications submitted by persons not hired 
by the public body, and transcripts from institutions of higher 
education maintained in the personnel files of certified public 
school employees; provided, however, that no thing in this subsection 
shall be construed to exempt from dis closure the degree obtained and 
the curriculum on the transcripts of certified public school 
employees. 
B.  All personnel records not specifically falling within the 
exceptions provided in subse ction A or D of this section shall be 
available for public in spection and copying including, but not 
limited to, records of: 
1.  An employment application of a person who becomes a public 
official; 
2.  The gross receipts of public funds; 
3.  The dates of employ ment, title, or position; and 
4.  Any final disciplinary action resulting in loss of pay, 
suspension, demotion of position, or termination.   
 
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C.  Except as may otherwise be m ade confidential by statute, an 
employee of a public body shall have a right of acces s to his own 
personnel file. 
D.  The home addresses, home telephone numbers, Social Security 
numbers, private email addresses, and pri vate mobile phone numbers 
of current and former public employees shall not be open to public 
inspection or disclosure; provided, however, that nothing in t his 
subsection shall be construed to exempt from disclosure public 
records created using a private em ail address or private mobile 
phone. 
E.  Except as otherwise required by Section 6-101.16 of Title 70 
of the Oklahoma Statutes, public Public bodies shall keep 
confidential all records created pursuant related to the Oklahoma 
Teacher and Leader Effectiveness Evaluation S ystem (TLE) evaluations 
conducted pursuant to Section 6-101.10 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma 
Statutes which identify a current or former public empl oyee and 
contain any evaluation , or observation or other TLE record of such 
the employee. 
SECTION 2.    AMENDATORY     70 O.S . 2021, Section 5-141, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 5-141. A.  Each school dist rict of this state shall 
adopt a minimum salary schedule and shall transmit a c opy of it to 
the State Board of Education within thirty (30) days after adoption.    
 
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A school district shall not calculate salaries of teachers solely as 
a proportion of the salar ies of the administrators of the district. 
B. Districts shall be encouraged to provide compensation 
schedules to reflect district policies and circumstances, including 
differential pay for different subject areas and s pecial incentives 
for teachers in districts with specific geographical attributes. 
Districts may also adopt a salar y schedule that provides additional 
compensation for achieving certain ratings under th e Oklahoma 
Teacher and Leader Effectiveness Evaluatio n System (TLE) as set 
forth in Section 6 of this act. Any salary schedule adopted by a 
district pursuant to this se ction shall not set salaries at amounts 
less than those set pursuant to Section 18-114.12 18-114.14 of this 
title. 
C. The State Department of Education shall compile a report o f 
the minimum salary schedules fo r every school district in the state 
and shall submit the report to the Governor, Speaker of the House of 
Representatives, and Presid ent Pro Tempore of the Senate no later 
than December 15 of each year. 
D. Each school district shall file within fifteen (1 5) days of 
signing the contract, the employment contract of the superintendent 
of the school district with the State Department of Ed ucation.  The 
Department shall keep all contracts ava ilable for inspection by the 
public.  The school district shall not be authorized to pay any 
salary, benefits, or other compensation to a superintendent which   
 
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are is not specified in the contract on file and shall not pay 
administrators any amounts for accumu lated sick leave that are not 
calculated on the same formula used for determining payment for 
accumulated sick leave benefits for other full-time employees of 
that school district and shall not pay ad ministrators any amounts 
for accumulated vacation leave benefits that are not calculated on 
the same formula used for determin ing payment for accumulated 
vacation leave benefits for other twelve-month full-time employees 
of that school district. 
E. By October 1 of each year each district board of education 
shall prepare a schedule of salaries and fringe benefits paid 
administrators employed by the district, including a description of 
the fringe benefits.  The schedule shall be a public record and 
shall be disclosed as required by the Oklahoma Open Records Act. 
The board shall file a copy of the s chedule with the State 
Department of Education within one week of completion. 
F. For purposes of this section the term “administrator” shall 
include employees who are employed and certified as superintendents, 
assistant superintendents, principals, and as sistant principals and 
who have responsibilities for supervising classroom teac hers. 
SECTION 3.     AMENDATORY     70 O.S. 2021, Section 5-141.2, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 5-141.2. A.  In addition to incentive pay plans 
authorized pursuant to Section 4 of t his act, the The State Board of   
 
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Education shall develop not fewer than five different model 
incentive pay plans and shall distribu te information about each plan 
to every school district board of education.  No plan develope d by 
the Board or implemented by a school district board of education 
shall permit payment in any one (1) year of incentives to any one 
teacher amounting to more t han fifty percent (50%) of the regular 
salary of the teacher, exclusive of fringe benefits or extra duty 
pay.  Any incentive p ay award shall be an annual award and shall no t 
be a part of a continuing contract of a teacher.  Any incentive pay 
awards received shall be excluded from the compensation of a teacher 
for purposes of calculating retirement pursuant to the Teachers ’ 
Retirement System of Oklahoma and shall not be subje ct to taxes 
levied by the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (F.I.C.A.), to the 
extent an exemption is provided by federal law. 
B.  A school district board of education may ado pt an 
academically based, district incentive pay plan for the classroom 
teachers in the district.  The district may adopt any incentive pay 
plan consistent with th e requirements of this section, which may 
include any incentive pay plan developed by the Sta te Board of 
Education pursuant to this section. The school district board of 
education shall appoint an advisory committee consisting of 
teachers, parents, busine ss persons or farmers, and other local 
citizens to advise the board in formulating an incenti ve pay plan.  
Prior to the adoption of a plan, the board of education shall pla ce   
 
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the plan on the school board agenda for public comment and shall 
submit the plan to the State Board of Education for final approval 
on or before March 1 prior to implementati on of the plan during the 
succeeding school year.  The board of education shall comply with 
the provisions of this subsection for any year a plan is to be 
modified. 
C.  A school district shall be required to adopt and i mplement 
an academically based , district incentive pay plan for any sc hool 
year following the receipt by the school district board of 
education, of a petition signed by twenty percent (20%) of the 
classroom teachers employed in the district which calls for the 
adoption of an incentive pay pla n for the district. 
D.  Student test scores shall not be the sole criterion for 
allocation of incentive pay under any plan developed or approved by 
the Board. 
E.  For the purposes of this section only, “classroom teacher” 
shall mean any employee who holds certification and assignment 
outside the classification of administrator. 
F.  The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules 
necessary for the effective imple mentation and administration of 
this section. 
G.  Each school district board of education sha ll provide for a 
local evaluation committee which shall advise the board on whi ch   
 
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teachers are to receive incentive pay awards and the amount of each 
incentive pay award according to the plan. 
H.  Nothing herein shall p reclude a school district from 
supplementing any monies appropriated t o the district for the 
purposes of funding the incentive pay plan of the district with 
monies from the general fund for the district. 
SECTION 4.     AMENDATORY     70 O.S. 2021, Section 5-141.4, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 5-141.4. A.  1.  In addition to incentive pay pl ans 
authorized pursuant to Section 5-141.2 of this title, beginning with 
the 2012-13 school year, a school district may implement an 
incentive pay plan that rewards teachers who are increasing student 
and school growth in achievement. 
2.  Teacher performan ce shall be measured using the Oklahoma 
Teacher and Leader Effectiveness Evaluation S ystem (TLE) as set 
forth in Section 6-101.16 of this title. 
3.  Individual teacher incentive pay awards shall be based upon: 
a. achieving either a “superior” or “highly effective” 
rating under the TLE, and 
b. grade level, subject area, or school level perf ormance 
success. 
B.  1.  Beginning with the 2012 -13 school year, a school 
district may implement an incentive pay plan as auth orized pursuant 
to this section.   
 
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2.  For purposes of this section, “leader” means a principal, 
assistant principal or any other sc hool administrator who is 
responsible for supervising classroom teachers. 
3.  School leader effectiveness shall be measured us ing the 
Oklahoma Teacher and Leader Effective ness Evaluation System (TLE) as 
set forth in Section 6-101.16 of this title. 
4.  Individual school leader incentive pay awards shall be bas ed 
upon: 
a. achieving either a “superior” or “highly effective” 
rating under the TLE, and 
b. grade level, subject are a, or school level performance 
success. 
C.  Incentive pay plans implemented pursuant to subsections A 
and B of this section shall be develo ped through a collaborative 
planning process involving stakeholders, inc luding teachers and 
school leaders. 
D.  In addition to individual teacher and leader incentive pay 
plans, as authorized pursuant t o this section, School districts may 
develop and implement incentive pay systems for: 
1.  Teaching in critical shortage subjec t areas including, but 
not limited to, foreign language; 
2. Teachers and leaders who work in schools identified as in 
need of improvement as determined by the State Board of Education;   
 
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3.  Teaching in the subject areas of Science science, Technology 
technology, Engineering engineering, and Math mathematics (STEM); or 
4.  Teachers and leaders who work in schools or school districts 
designated by the State Board of Education as hard -to-staff. For 
purposes of this section, “leader” means a principal, assista nt 
principal, or any other school administrat or who is responsible for 
supervising classroom teachers. 
E. B.  1.  Prior to impleme ntation of any incentive pay plan 
developed pursuant to this section, the school district bo ard of 
education shall place the p lan on the agenda for public comment at a 
meeting of the district board of education. 
2.  After approval of the incentive pay plan , the school 
district board of education shall submit th e plan to the State Board 
of Education for final approval.  Within six ty (60) days of receipt 
of the plan, the Stat e Board shall review and approve or reject the 
plan.  If it is determined that the pl an meets the requirements of 
this section, the State Boa rd shall approve the plan.  If the p lan 
does not meet the requirements of this section, the State Board 
shall reject the plan and provide written notification to the school 
district board of education along with the grounds for rejection. 
3.  The district board of education shall comply with the 
provisions of this subsection for any year a plan is to be modified. 
F. C.  Any incentive pay award shall be an annual award and 
shall not be a part of a conti nuing contract for an employee.  Any   
 
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incentive pay award to any teacher or leader shall not exceed more 
than fifty percent (50 %) of the regular salary of the teacher or 
leader, exclusive of fringe benefits or extra duty pay.  Any 
incentive pay awards recei ved shall be excluded from compensation 
for purposes of calculating retirement pursuant to t he Teachers’ 
Retirement System of Oklahoma and shall not be subject to taxes 
levied by the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (F.I.C.A.), to the 
extent such exemption is provided by federal law. 
SECTION 5.     AMENDATORY     70 O.S. 2021 , Section 6-101.3, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 6-101.3. As used in Section 6-101 et seq. of this 
title: 
1. “Administrator” means a duly certified perso n who devotes a 
majority of time to service as a superin tendent, elementary 
superintendent, principal, supervisor, vice princi pal, or in any 
other administrative or superv isory capacity in the school district; 
2.  “Dismissal” means the discontinuance of th e teaching service 
of an administrator or teacher during the term of a written 
contract, as provided by law; 
3.  “Nonreemployment” means the nonrenewal of the contract of an 
administrator or teacher upon expiration of the contract; 
4.  “Career teacher” means a teacher who: 
a. is employed by a school district pr ior to the 2017-
2018 school year and has completed three (3) or more   
 
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consecutive complete school years as a teacher in one 
school district under a written continuing or 
temporary teaching contract, or 
b. is employed for the first time by a school district 
under a written continuing or tempor ary teaching 
contract during the 2 017-2018 school year and 
thereafter: 
(1) has completed three (3) consecutive complete 
school years as a teacher in one school dist rict 
under a written continuing or temporary teaching 
contract and has achieved a district e valuation 
rating of “superior” as measured pursuant to the 
TLE as set forth in Section 6-101.16 of this 
title for at least two (2) of the three (3) 
school years, 
(2) has completed four (4) consecutive complete 
school years as a teacher in one school distri ct 
under a written continuing or t emporary teaching 
contract, has averaged a di strict evaluation 
rating of at least “effective” as measured 
pursuant to the TLE for the four-year period, and 
has received district evaluati on ratings of at 
least “effective” for the last two (2) years of 
the four-year period, or   
 
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(3) has completed four (4 ) or more consecutive 
complete school years in one school district 
under a written continuing or temporary teaching 
contract and has not met the requirements of 
subparagraph a or b of this paragraph, only if 
the principal of the school at which the teacher 
is employed submits a petition to the 
superintendent of the school district requesti ng 
that the teacher be granted career status, the 
superintendent agrees with the petition, a nd the 
school district board of ed ucation approves the 
petition.  The principal shall specify in the 
petition the underlying facts supporting the 
granting of career status to the teacher; 
5.  “Teacher hearing” means the hearing before a school district 
board of education after a recommenda tion for dismissal or 
nonreemployment of a te acher has been made but before any final 
action is taken on the recommendation, held for the purpose of 
affording the teacher all rights guar anteed by the United States 
Constitution and the Constitution of Oklah oma under circumstances 
and for enabling the board to determine whether to approve or 
disapprove the recommendation; 
6.  “Probationary teacher” means a teacher who:   
 
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a. is employed by a school district prior to the 2017 -
2018 school year and has completed fewer than three 
(3) consecutive complete schoo l years as a teacher in 
one school district under a written teaching contract, 
or 
b. is employed for the first time by a school district 
under a written teaching contract during the 2017-2018 
school year and thereafter and has not met the 
requirements for career teacher as provided in 
paragraph 4 of this section; 
7.  “Suspension” or “suspended” means the temporary 
discontinuance of the services of an administrator or teacher, as 
provided by law; and 
8.  “Teacher” means a person defined as a teacher has the same 
meaning as provided for in Section 1-116 of this title; and 
9.  “District evaluation rating” means the rating issued based 
on the components of the TLE as set forth in subs ection B of Section 
6-101.16 of this title. 
SECTION 6.     AMENDATORY     70 O.S. 2021, Section 6-101.10, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 6-101.10. A.  Each school district board of education 
shall may maintain and annually review , following consultation with 
or involvement of representatives selected by local teachers, a 
written policy of evaluation and corresponding professional   
 
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development for all teachers and administrators.  In those school 
districts in which there exists a pr ofessional negotiations 
agreement made in accordance with Section 509.1 et seq. of this 
title, the procedure for evaluating members of the negotiations unit 
and any standards of performance and conduct proposed for adopt ion 
beyond those established by the State Board of Education shall be 
negotiable items. Nothing in this section shall be construed to 
annul, modify, or to preclude the renewal or continuing of any 
existing agreement heretofore entered into between any sch ool 
district and any organizational representative of its employees.  
Every A school district policy of evaluation adopted by a board of 
education shall may: 
1.  Be based upon a set of minimum criteri a developed by the 
State Board of Education, which shall be revised and based upon the 
Oklahoma Teacher and Leader Effectivene ss Evaluation System (TLE) 
developed by the State Board of Education as provided in Section 6-
101.16 of this title.  The revisions to each policy of evaluation 
shall be phased in accordi ng to the following schedule: 
a. for the 2014-2015, 2015-2016 and 2016-2017 school 
years, the evaluation rating of teachers and 
administrators shall be based on the qualitative 
component of the TLE.  For the 2016-2017 school year, 
the State Department of E ducation shall work with 
school districts to develop individualized pr ograms of   
 
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professional development as describ ed in subsection B 
of this section.  However, nothing in this 
subparagraph shall prec lude a school district with an 
average daily attendance of more than thirty-five 
thousand (35,000) from continuing to use quan titative 
components which the district has in corporated at its 
own expense prior to the 2015-2016 school year into 
its evaluation system of teachers and administrators, 
as defined by the district’s written policy, 
b. for evaluations of teachers and adminis trators 
conducted during the 2017-2018 school year, and each 
school year thereafter, school districts shall 
incorporate and put in to operation the qualitative 
component of the TLE as pro vided for in subsection B 
of Section 6-101.16 of this title into the e valuations 
used in all school sites within th e district.  For the 
2017-2018 school year, and each school year 
thereafter, teachers and administrators shall receive 
a district evaluation rating based on the components 
of the TLE as set forth in subsection B of Section 6-
101.16 of this title.  For the 2017-2018 school year, 
school districts shall incorporate the individualized 
programs of professional development as described in   
 
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subsection B of this section on a pilot program basis, 
and 
c. for evaluations of teachers and administrators 
conducted during the 2018-2019 school year, and each 
school year thereafter, school districts shall fu lly 
incorporate and put into operation the individualize d 
programs of professional developme nt as described in 
subsection B of this section school district board of 
education; 
2.  Be prescribed in writing at the time of adoption and at all 
times when amendments to the policy are adopted.  The original 
policy and all amendments to the policy shall be promptly made 
available to all persons subject to the policy; 
3.  Provide that all evaluations be made in writing and that 
evaluation documents and responses th ereto be maintained in a 
personnel file for each evaluat ed person; 
4.  Provide that every pr obationary teacher receive formati ve 
feedback from the evaluation process at le ast two times per school 
year, once during the fall semester and once during the spri ng 
semester; 
5.  Provide for the development of a focuse d and individualized 
program of professional development for the teach er or 
administrator;   
 
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6. Provide that every teacher be evaluated once every year, 
except for career teachers receiving a district evaluation rating of 
“superior” or “highly effective” under the TLE who may be evaluated 
once every three (3) years for the frequency of evaluation of 
teachers and administrators; and 
6. 7.  Provide that, except for the evaluation of 
superintendents of ind ependent and elementary school districts and 
superintendents of area school districts who shall be evaluated by 
the school district board of education, all and the evaluation of 
certified personnel shall be evaluated by a principal, assistant 
principal, designee of the principal, supervisor, content expert, 
department chair, peer committee , or other trained persons or groups 
of persons designated by the school district boar d of education. 
B.  1.  Every policy of professional development adopted by a 
school district board of education shall provide for the develo pment 
of a focused and individualize d program of professional developm ent 
for the teacher or administrator that is consistent with the 
qualitative component of the TLE.  The policy of professional 
development shall: 
a. establish an annual professional grow th goal for the 
teacher or administr ator that is developed by the 
teacher or administrator in collaboration with th e 
evaluator,   
 
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b. be tailored to address a specific area or criteria 
identified through the qualitative component of the 
TLE, 
c. allow the teacher or administrator to actively eng age 
with learning practices that a re evidence-based, 
researched practices that are correlated with 
increased student achievement, and 
d. be supported by resources t hat are easily available 
and supplied by the school dist rict and the State 
Department of Education. 
2.  School districts shall monitor compliance with each 
individualized program of professional development implemented 
pursuant to this subsection.  All pro fessional development completed 
pursuant to an individua lized program of professional develo pment 
shall count toward the total number of points a teacher or 
administrator is required to complete as established by a school 
district board of education pursua nt to Section 6-194 of this title.  
The implementation o f the individualized program of prof essional 
development required by t his subsection shall not be construed as 
increasing the professional development points requirements. 
3.  Individualized programs of professional development required 
by this subsection may include but are not limited to t he following 
learning practices: 
a. presenter-led workshops,   
 
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b. individual or faculty studies of books, scholarly 
articles and video productions, 
c. peer observations, 
d. committee studies to address student achievement 
issues, 
e. work related to a specifi c subject area or areas 
associated with obtaining an advanced degree or 
professional certification, 
f. action research projects designed to improve student 
achievement, and 
g. participation in local, regional or state in itiatives 
associated with the develo pment or implementation of 
curriculum standards. 
C. All individuals designated by the school district board of 
education to conduct the personnel evaluations shall be required to 
participate in training conducted by the State Department of 
Education or training provided by the school dist rict using 
guidelines and materials developed by the State Department of 
Education prior to conducting evaluations. 
D. The State Department of Education shall may develop and 
conduct workshops pursuant to statewide criter ia which train 
individuals in conducting evaluations. 
E.  The State Board of Ed ucation shall monitor compliance with 
the provisions of this section by school distri cts.   
 
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F.  The State Board of Education shall study contin ued 
implementation of the TLE to pro duce a system that promotes 
reflection and professional growth for teachers and leaders. 
G.  Refusal by a school district to comply with the provisions 
of this section shall be grounds for withholding State Aid funds 
until compliance occurs. 
H. C.  Data collected pursuant to this section pursuant to a 
school district’s evaluation policy shall not be subject to the 
Oklahoma Open Meeting Act or the Oklahoma Open Record s Act. 
SECTION 7.     AMENDATORY     7 0 O.S. 2021, Section 6 -101.11, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 6-101.11. Whenever any evaluation is made of a teacher 
or administrator pursuant to the provisions of Section 6-101.10 of 
this title, a true copy of the evaluation shall be presented to the 
person evaluated, who shall ack nowledge the written evaluation by 
signing the original.  Within two (2) weeks after the evaluation, 
the person evaluated may respond, and said the response shall be 
made part of the record.  Except by order of a court of com petent 
jurisdiction, evaluation docu ments and the responses thereto sh all 
be available only to the evaluated person , the board of education, 
the administrative staff making the evaluation, the bo ard and 
administrative staff of any school to which such the evaluated 
person applies for employment , and such other persons as are 
specified by the teacher in writing and shall be subject to   
 
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disclosure at any hearing involving a teacher or administrator ’s 
dismissal or nonrenewal from employment.  Data collected pursuan t to 
Section 6-101.10 shall be avail able to authorized representatives of 
the State Department of Education and its contracting designees who 
must be contractually bound to the Department to maintain 
confidentiality of all information received from the Dep artment when 
such evaluation data is used by the Department for data 
collection/analysis purposes under the Oklahom a Teacher and Leader 
Effectiveness Evaluation System, and such other persons as are 
specified by the teacher in writing and shall be subject to 
disclosure at any hearing involvi ng a teacher or administrator ’s 
dismissal or nonrenewal from employment. 
SECTION 8.     AMENDATORY    70 O.S. 2021, Section 6-101.13, is 
amended to read as follows: 
Section 6-101.13. A.  Whenever the school district board of 
education or the administration of a school d istrict shall determine 
that the dismissal or nonreemployment of a full-time certified 
administrator from the administrat ive position within the school 
district should be effected, the a dministrator shall be entitled to 
the following due process procedures : 
1.  A statement shall be submitted to the a dministrator in 
writing prior to the dismissal or nonreemployment which stat es the 
proposed action, lists the reasons for effecting the actio n, and   
 
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notifies the administrator of his or her right to a hearing bef ore 
the school district board of education pr ior to the action; and 
2.  A hearing before the school district board of edu cation 
shall be granted upon the request of the administrator pri or to the 
dismissal or nonreemployme nt.  A request for a hearing shall be 
submitted to the board of education not l ater than ten (10) days 
after the administrator has been notified of the pro posed action. 
B.  Failure of the administrator to request a heari ng before the 
school district board of education within ten (10) days after 
receiving the written statement shall c onstitute a waiver of the 
right to a hearing. No decision of the board of e ducation 
concerning the dismissal or nonreemployment of a full -time certified 
administrator shall be effective until the administrator has been 
afforded due process as specified in this section.  The decision of 
the school district board of education conce rning the dismissal or 
nonreemployment, following the hearing, sh all be final. 
C.  Beginning with the 2017-2018 school year and thereaf ter, a 
principal who has received district ev aluation ratings of 
“ineffective” as measured pursuant to the TLE as set for th in 
Section 6-101.16 of this title for two (2) consecutive scho ol years 
may be dismissed or not ree mployed by the school district, su bject 
to the due process procedures of this s ection. 
SECTION 9.    AMENDATORY    70 O.S. 2021, Sectio n 6-101.22, is 
amended to read as follows:   
 
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Section 6-101.22. A.  Subject to the provisions of the Te acher 
Due Process Act of 1990, a c areer teacher may be dismissed or not 
reemployed for: 
1.  Willful neglect of duty; 
2.  Repeated negligence in performance of duty; 
3.  Mental or physical abuse to a child; 
4.  Incompetency; 
5.  Instructional ineffectivenes s; 
6.  Unsatisfactory teaching per formance; 
7.  Commission of an act of moral t urpitude; or 
8.  Abandonment of contract. 
B.  Subject to the provisions of t he Teacher Due Process Act of 
1990, a probationary teacher may be dismissed or not reemployed for 
cause. 
C.  During the 2017-2018 school year and thereafter: 
1.  A career teacher w ho has received a district evaluation 
rating of “ineffective” for two (2) consecutive school years shall 
be dismissed or not reemployed on th e grounds of instructional 
ineffectiveness by the school district, sub ject to the provisions of 
the Teacher Due Process Act of 1990.  However, the superintendent 
may recommend and the school district board of education may approve 
continued employment of t he teacher; and 
2.  A career teacher who has received a district evalu ation 
rating of “needs improvement” or lower for three (3) consecutive   
 
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school years may be dismissed or not reemployed on the grounds of 
instructional ineffectiveness by the school distr ict, subject to the 
provisions of the Teacher Due Process Act of 1990. 
D.  During the 2017-2018 school year and the reafter: 
1.  A probationary teacher who has received a district 
evaluation rating of “ineffective” as measured pursuant to the TLE 
for two (2) consecutive school years may be di smissed or not 
reemployed by the school district subject to the provisions of t he 
Teacher Due Process Act of 1990; and 
2.  A probationary teacher who has n ot attained career teacher 
status within a four -year period may be dismissed or not reemployed 
by the school district, subject to the p rovisions of the Teacher Due 
Process Act of 1990. 
E. A teacher shall be dismissed or not reemployed, unless a 
presidential or gubernatorial pardon has been issued, if during the 
term of employment the teacher is convicted in this state, the 
United States, or another state of: 
1.  Any sex offense sub ject to the Sex Offenders Registration 
Act in this state or subject to anoth er state’s or the federal sex 
offender registration provisions; o r 
2.  Any felony offense. 
F. D.  A teacher may be dismissed, refused e mployment, or not 
reemployed after a finding that such person has engaged in acts that 
could form the basis of criminal c harges sufficient to result in the   
 
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denial or revocation of a cert ificate for a reason set forth in 
subparagraph a of paragraph 6 of Sec tion 3-104 of this title. 
G. E.  As used in this section, “abandonment of contract” means 
the failure of a teacher to rep ort at the beginning of the contract 
term or otherwise perform th e duties of a contract of employment 
when the teacher has accepted oth er employment or is performing work 
for another employer that prevents the teacher from fulfilling the 
obligations of the contract of employment. 
H. F.  A school district shall notify th e State Board of 
Education within ten (10) days of the dismissal or no nreemployment 
of a probationary or career tea cher for reasons outlined in 
subsection F D of this section. 
SECTION 10.     AMENDATORY     70 O.S. 2021, Section 6 -101.23, 
is amended to read as follows: 
Section 6-101.23. A.  The dismissal, s uspension, and 
nonreemployment provisions of the Teacher Due Process Act of 1990 
shall not apply to: 
1.  Substitute teach ers; 
2.  Adult education teachers; and 
3.  Teachers who are emplo yed on temporary contracts. 
B.  The dismissal and suspension provision s of the Teacher Due 
Process Act of 1990 shal l apply to teachers who are employed on 
temporary contracts for a complete s chool year and to teachers who 
are employed in positions fully fu nded by federal or private   
 
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categorical grants, except that such teache rs shall be employed only 
for the duration of the temporary contract or the grant. 
C.  The evaluation provisions in Secti ons 6-101.10 and 6-101.11 
of this title and in the Teacher Due Pr ocess Act of 1990 shall apply 
to teachers who are employed on temporar y contracts for a complete 
school year and to teachers who are employed in positions fully 
funded by federal or private c ategorical grants, except that such 
teachers shall be employed on ly for the duration of the temporary 
contract or the grant. 
D. Teachers other than those specifically excepted in 
subsection A of this section who are employed on contracts shall be 
afforded all substantive and procedural rights set forth in the 
Teacher Due Process Act of 1990 including the dismissal, suspension, 
and nonreemployment provisions applicable to probationa ry or career 
teachers as defined in Section 6-101.3 of this title. 
E. D. On and after the effective date of this act July 1, 1999, 
any teacher who has wor ked a complete school year under a t emporary 
contract in a school dist rict shall be granted a year of service 
credit toward career status in that district. 
F. E.  No teacher shall be hired on a temporary contract by a 
school district for more than four sem esters or on multiple 
temporary contracts by a school district that to gether are for more 
than four semesters, except for a:   
 
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1.  Teacher hired to replace a teacher who is on an approved 
leave of absence and who is expected to return to employment with 
the school district; or 
2.  Teacher who is a retired member of the Teacher s’ Retirement 
System of Oklahoma. 
G. F. No teacher shall be offered a temp orary contract with a 
school district without a full written disclosure at the time a 
position is offered by th e administration of the school distr ict 
which sets forth the terms and conditions of the temporary contract.  
In the event the school district fa ils to provide such written 
disclosure, the teacher shall be considered as employed on a 
continuing contract ba sis. 
H. G.  On and after the effective date of this act July 1, 1999, 
no teacher who is employed on a continuing contract basis by a 
school district shall be reemployed on a temporary contract in that 
school district. 
SECTION 11.     AMENDATORY     70 O.S. 2021, Section 6-101.24, 
is amended to read as follows: 
Section 6-101.24. A.  Upon full implementation of the Oklahoma 
Teacher and Leader Effectivenes s Evaluation System (TLE) as set 
forth in Section 6-101.10 of this title, when a teacher receives a 
rating as measured pursuant to the TLE as set forth in Section 6 -
101.16 of this title that may lead to a recommendation for the 
dismissal or nonreemployment of the teacher or when When an   
 
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administrator who has the responsibility of evaluating a teacher 
under an evaluation policy adopted pursuant to Section 6-101.10 of 
this title identifies poor performance or conduct that the 
administrator believes may lead t o a recommendation for the 
dismissal or nonreemployment of the teacher, the administrator 
shall: 
1.  Admonish the teacher, in writing, and make a reasonable 
effort to assist the teacher in correcting the poor performance or 
conduct; and 
2.  Establish a reasonable time for improvement, not to exceed 
two (2) months, taking into consideration the rating on the 
evaluation or the nature and gravi ty of the performance or conduct. 
B.  If the teacher does not correct the poor performance or 
conduct cited in the adm onition within the time specified, the 
administrator shall may make a recommendation to the superinten dent 
of the school district for the dismissal or nonreemployment of th e 
teacher. 
C.  Whenever a member of the board of education, superintendent, 
or other administrator identifies poor performance or conduct that 
may lead to a recommendation for dismissal or nonreemployment of a 
teacher within the district, the administrator who has 
responsibility for evaluation of the teacher under an evaluation 
policy adopted pursuant to Section 6-101.10 of this title shall be 
informed, and that administrator shall comply with the procedures   
 
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set forth in this section.  If the administrator fails or refuses to 
admonish the teacher within ten (10) days after being so informe d by 
the board, superintendent, or other administrator, such board, 
superintendent, or other administrator shall admonish the teacher 
pursuant to the provisions of this sec tion. 
D.  Repeated negligence in performance of duty, willful neglect 
of duty, incompetency, instructional ineffectiveness, or 
unsatisfactory teaching performance , for a career teacher , or any 
cause related to inadequate t eaching performance for a probatio nary 
teacher, shall not be a basis for a recommendation to dismiss or not 
reemploy a teacher unless and until the provisions of this section 
have been complied with. 
SECTION 12.     AMENDATORY     70 O.S. 2021, Section 6 -190, as 
amended by Section 3, Chapter 35 9, O.S.L. 2022 (70 O.S. Supp. 2022, 
Section 6-190), is amended to read as follows: 
Section 6-190. A.  The board of education of each sc hool 
district shall employ and contract in writing, as required in 
Section 6-101 of this title, o nly with persons certif ied to teach by 
the State Board of Education in accordance with the Oklahoma Teacher 
Preparation Act, except as otherwise provided for b y Section 6-101 
of this title and by other law. 
B.  The Board shall issue a certificate to teach to any person 
who:   
 
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1.  Has successfully completed the teacher education program 
required by the Commission for Educational Quality and 
Accountability; 
2.  Has graduated from an accredited institution of higher 
education that has approval or accreditatio n for teacher education; 
3.  Has met all other requirements as may be established by the 
Board; 
4.  Has made the necessary application and paid the competency 
examination fee in an amount and as prescribed by the Commission; 
5.  Has successfully complet ed the competency examination 
required in Section 6-187 of this title; and 
6.  Beginning November 1, 2001, has on file with the Board a 
current Oklahoma criminal his tory record from the Oklahoma State 
Bureau of Investigation as well as a national criminal history 
record check as defin ed in Section 150.9 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma 
Statutes.  Upon receipt of the Oklahoma criminal history record, the 
Board may issue a temporary certificate which shall be effective 
until receipt of the national fingerprint -based criminal history 
record.  The person applying for a certificate shall be responsible 
for the cost of the criminal history records. 
C.  The Board shall issue a cer tificate to teach to any person 
who: 
1.  Holds an out-of-state certificate and meets the requirements 
set forth in subsection G of this section;   
 
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2.  Holds certification from the National Board for Professional 
Teaching Standards; 
3.  Holds an out-of-country certificate and meets the 
requirements set forth in subsection F of this section; or 
4.  Has successfully completed a competency examination used in 
the majority of other states or comparable customized exam and meets 
the requirements set forth in subsec tion H of this section. 
D. Beginning July 1, 2004, any person applying for initial 
Oklahoma certification shall have on file with the Board a current 
Oklahoma criminal history record from the Oklahoma State Bureau of 
Investigation as well as a national cr iminal history record check as 
defined in Section 150.9 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes.  Upon 
receipt of the Oklah oma criminal history record, the Board may issue 
a temporary certificate which shall be effective until receipt of 
the national fingerpr int-based criminal history record.  The person 
applying for a certificate shall be r esponsible for the cost of the 
criminal history records. 
E.  Any person holding a valid certificate, issued prior to 
January 1, 1997, shall be a certified teacher for purpo ses of the 
Oklahoma Teacher Preparation Act, subject to any professional 
development requirements prescribed by the Okla homa Teacher 
Preparation Act or by the State Board of Education. 
F.  1. The Board shall issue a certificate to teach to a person 
who holds a valid out-of-country certificate and meets any   
 
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requirements established by t he Board.  The certificate to teach 
shall only be for those subject areas and grade levels most closely 
aligned to the subject areas and grade levels recognized on the out-
of-country certificate. 
2.  A person who meets the requirements of paragraph 1 of t his 
subsection shall not be required to take any competency examinations 
in those subject areas and grade levels most closely aligned to the 
subject areas and grade levels rec ognized on the out-of-country 
certificate. 
3.  A person who meets the requiremen ts of paragraph 1 of this 
subsection shall have 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 the Oklahoma Statutes .  Upon 
receipt of the Oklahoma criminal history record check, the Board may 
issue a temporary certificate which shall be effective until receipt 
of the national fingerprint-based criminal history record check .  
The person applying for a certificate shall be responsib le for the 
cost of the criminal history record checks. 
4.  The Board shall promulgate rules establishing a process by 
which out-of-country certificates will be reviewed and evaluated for 
purposes of awarding a certi ficate to teach pursuant to this 
subsection.   
 
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G.  1.  The Board shall issue a certificate to teach to a person 
who holds a valid out-of-state certificate.  The certificate to 
teach shall only be for those subject areas and grade levels most 
closely aligned to the subject areas and grade levels rec ognized on 
the out-of-state certificate. 
2.  A person who meets the requirements of paragraph 1 of this 
subsection shall not be required to take any competency examinations 
in those subject areas and grade levels most closely aligned to the 
subject areas and grade levels recognized on the out-of-state 
certificate. 
3.  A person who meets the requirements of this subsection shall 
have on file with the Board a current Oklahoma criminal history 
record check from the O klahoma State Bureau of Investigation as wel l 
as a national criminal history record check as defined in Section 
150.9 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes.  Upon receipt of the 
Oklahoma criminal history record check, the Board may issue a 
temporary certificate which shall be effective until receipt of the 
national fingerprint-based criminal history record check.  The 
person applying for a certificate shall be responsible for the cos t 
of the criminal history record checks. 
H.  1.  The Board shall issue a ce rtificate to teach to a person 
who has successfully completed a competency exam used in a majority 
of the other states.  The certificate to teach shall only be for   
 
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those subject areas and grade levels that correspond with a 
certification area used in Oklah oma. 
2.  A person who meets the requirements of paragraph 1 of this 
subsection shall have on file with the Board a current Oklahoma 
criminal history record check from the Oklahoma S tate Bureau of 
Investigation as well as a national criminal history record check as 
defined in Section 150.9 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes.  Upon 
receipt of the Oklahoma criminal history record check, the Board may 
issue a temporary certificate whic h shall be effective until receipt 
of the national fingerprint -based criminal history record check .  
The person applying for a certificate shall be responsible for the 
cost of the criminal history record checks. 
I. 1. The Board may establish new levels of teacher 
certificates:  advanced, lead, and master.  Each level shall have a 
minimum salary increase requirement paid by the school district and 
matched with state dollars from the lottery funds as provided in 
Section 713 of Title 3A of the Oklahoma Statutes.  The advanced 
certificate shall include a minimum salary increase of Three 
Thousand Dollars ($3,000.00), the lead certificate shall include a 
minimum salary increase of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), and 
the master certificate shall include a minimum salary increase of 
Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00) and maximum salary increase of 
Forty Thousand Dollars ($40,000.00).   
 
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2.  A teacher who works in a school with an enrollment of forty 
percent (40%) or more of students who are economically disadvantaged 
as defined in Section 18-109.5 of this title or a school district 
with an enrollment of fewer than one thousand students shall be paid 
a one-time award in addition to the salary increases provided in 
paragraph 1 of this subsection: 
a. One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00) for an 
advanced certificate, 
b. Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00) for a 
lead certificate, and 
c. Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) for a master 
certificate. 
3.  School districts may identify and designate the highest 
quality teachers for advanced, lead, and master certificates.  
Participating districts shall submit designation plans to the State 
Department of Education for evaluation and approval.  Districts 
shall have local control and flexibility in determining how to 
evaluate teachers and assign designations, but, at a minimum, the 
designation system shall include a teacher observation, out-of-
classroom time, and a student performance component.: 
a. Teacher an evidence-based observation shall be based 
on the district’s selected Teacher and Leader 
Effectiveness Evaluation System (TLE) evaluation tool 
or an alternate method of evaluation; provided, the   
 
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method is evidenced-based.  Alternate methods of 
evaluation shall not replace the requirements of 
Section 6-101.16 of this title., 
b. Each school district that elects to participate in 
assigning advanced, lead, and master teacher 
certificates shall include an out-of-classroom 
component for its assigned teachers to allow for 
professional growth opportunities while staying in the 
classroom.  How out-of-classroom time is allotted and 
managed shall be determined by the school district and 
submitted as part of its designation plan to the State 
Department of Education for review and approval., and 
c. Student student performance measures may be determined 
by the district and which may include, but shall not 
be limited to, pre- and post-tests, summative or 
formative, and portfolios.  The school district 
application shall show evidence of validity and 
reliability of the measures. 
Districts may use additional factors in determining which 
teachers are eligible to receive a designation, such as student 
surveys, teacher leadership responsibilities, teacher mentorshi p 
responsibilities, family surveys, demonstration of district core 
values, teacher peer surveys, and contributions to the broader 
school community. No more than ten percent (10%) of each school   
 
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district’s teachers may be designated as an advanced, lead, or 
master teacher in any given school year. 
4.  If a school district chooses to participate in this program, 
the state shall match the amount the district pays above base pay, 
up to Forty Thousand Dollars ($40,000.00) per teacher. 
5.  School districts that designate teachers for advanced, lead, 
and master certificates do not have to participate in annual TLE 
evaluations for the designated teachers. 
6. School districts may designate teachers for advanced, lead, 
or master certificates two times per year, once prior to the 
beginning of the school year, and once prior to the beginning of the 
second semester.  Teachers statewide who receive these designations 
shall be placed in professional development cohorts and provided 
additional training opportunities from t he State Department of 
Education. 
7. 6.  After initial approval by the State Department of 
Education, the Department shall review and validate each 
participating school district’s teacher evaluation system 
designation plan biennially. 
8. 7.  The State Department of Education shall annually report 
the school districts partici pating in the program, the number of 
advanced, lead, and master certificates awarded, and the total 
amount in state match funding that was distributed to teachers .   
 
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J. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to implement 
a renewal schedule and as sociated fees for advanced, lead, and 
master teaching certificates.  The rules shall allow a teacher that 
no longer meets the requirements of an advanced, lead, or master 
teaching certificate to make application for the standard teaching 
certificate. 
K. The terms of the contracts issued to those holding advanced, 
lead, and master teaching certificates shall include the following: 
1. Advanced:  an additional five (5) days to be used to 
strengthen instructional leadership.  A person with an advanced 
teaching certificate shall receive an annual salary increase of at 
least Three Thousand Dollars ($3,000.00) or the district’s daily 
rate of pay, whichever is higher, in addition to the salary for 
which the teacher qualifies pursuant to Section 18-114.14 of this 
title.  This increase shall be matched by state dollars from the 
lottery funds as provided in Section 713 of Title 3A of the Oklahoma 
Statutes and shall be paid as regular annual compensation directly 
to teachers through school districts; 
2. Lead:  an additional ten (10) days to be used to strengthen 
instructional leadership.  A person with a lead teaching certificate 
shall receive an annual salary increase of at least Five Thousand 
Dollars ($5,000.00) or the district’s daily rate of pay, whichever 
is higher, in addition to the salary for which the teacher qualifies 
pursuant to Section 18-114.14 of this title.  This increase shall be   
 
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matched by state dollars from the lottery funds as provided in 
Section 713 of Title 3A of the Oklahoma Statutes and shall be paid 
as regular annual compensation directly to teachers through school 
districts; and 
3.  Master:  an additional fifteen (15) days to be used to 
strengthen leadership.  A person with a master teaching certificate 
shall receive an annual salary increase of at least Ten Thousand 
Dollars ($10,000.00) or the district’s daily rate of pay, whichever 
is higher, in addition to the salary for which the teacher qualifies 
pursuant to Section 18-114.14 of this title.  This increase, up to 
Forty Thousand Dollars ($40,000.00), shall be matched by state 
dollars from the lottery funds as provided in Section 713 of Title 
3A of the Oklahoma Statutes and shall be paid as regular annual 
compensation directly to teachers through school districts. 
If a person with an advanced, lead, or master teaching 
certificate changes school districts during the life of the 
certificate, the terms of the c ontracts required in this subsection 
shall be subject to approval by the new employing school district. 
L. Beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, the Department shall 
make the teaching certificates provide d for in this section 
available for any person who has received a recommendation from his 
or her school district and who meets the eligibility criteria as 
outlined in each school district’s teacher evaluation system 
designation plan provided for in subsection I of this section.   
 
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M.  The funding necessary for the administration of this section 
shall be provided from the Teacher Empowerment Revolving Fund 
created in Section 2 6-190.2 of this act title.  If funding for the 
administration of the teaching certificates listed in subsection I 
is not available, the Department shall not be required to fulfill 
the requirements listed in subsections I, K, and L of this section. 
N. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules to 
implement the provisions of Section 6-180 et seq. of this title. 
SECTION 13.    REPEALER     70 O.S. 2021, Sections 6-101.16 and 
6-101.31, are hereby repealed. 
SECTION 14.  This act shall become effective July 1, 2023. 
SECTION 15.  It being immediately necessary for the preservation 
of the public peace, h ealth, or safety, an emergency is hereb y 
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and 
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.   
 
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Passed the Senate the 7th day of March, 2023. 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the Senate 
 
 
Passed the House of Representatives the ____ day of __________, 
2023. 
 
 
  
 	Presiding Officer of the House 
 	of Representatives