ENGR. H. B. NO. 1465 Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 ENGROSSED HOUSE BILL NO. 1465 By: West (Tammy), Hildebrant, and Deck of the House and Stanley of the Senate An Act relating to schools; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 17-113 and Section 1, Chapter 289, O.S.L. 2023 (70 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 18-114.15), which relate to teacher pay computations ; adding definition for military service; clarifying which branches of military service count for credit in determining teacher salaries; 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 17 -113, is amended to read as follows: Section 17-113. A. In determining annual increments for teacher salaries and in computing Founda tion Aid, time spent in military service during a period of national emergency shall be counted, not to exceed five (5) years prior to the current year. No more than five (5) years of such military service shall be used in determining eligibilit y or benefits under the Teachers ' Retirement System. B. For purposes of this section, the term "military service" shall include the United States Air Force, Army, Coast Guard, Marine ENGR. H. B. NO. 1465 Page 2 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Corps, Navy, Space Force, and the reserve components of these services, as well as the federal and state counterparts of both the Air National Guard and Army National Guard. SECTION 2. AMENDATORY Section 1, Chapter 289, O.S.L. 2023 (70 O.S. Supp. 202 4, Section 18-114.15), is amended to read as follows: Section 18-114.15. A. Beginning with the 2023 -2024 school year, certified personnel, as defined in Section 26 -103 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes this title, in the public schools of Oklahoma shall receive in salary and/or fringe benefits not less than the amounts specified in the following schedule: MINIMUM SALARY SCHEDULE National Years of Bachelor's Board Master's Doctor's Experience Degree Certification Degree Degree 0 $39,601 $40,759 $40,991 $42,381 1 $40,035 $41,193 $41,425 $42,815 2 $40,469 $41,628 $41,859 $43,249 3 $40,904 $42,062 $42,294 $43,684 4 $41,338 $42,496 $42,728 $44,118 5 $42,810 $43,968 $44,200 $45,590 6 $43,273 $44,432 $44,663 $46,054 7 $43,737 $44,895 $45,127 $46,517 8 $44,200 $45,358 $45,590 $46,980 ENGR. H. B. NO. 1465 Page 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 9 $44,663 $45,822 $46,054 $47,444 10 $46,684 $47,844 $48,568 $50,945 11 $47,177 $48,336 $49,061 $51,438 12 $47,670 $48,829 $49,554 $51,931 13 $48,162 $49,322 $50,047 $52,424 14 $48,655 $49,815 $50,539 $52,916 15 $50,167 $51,327 $52,052 $54,430 16 $50,660 $51,820 $52,545 $54,923 17 $51,153 $52,313 $53,038 $55,416 18 $51,646 $52,806 $53,531 $55,909 19 $52,139 $53,299 $54,024 $56,402 20 $52,652 $53,813 $54,538 $56,917 21 $53,145 $54,306 $55,031 $57,410 22 $53,639 $54,799 $55,524 $57,903 23 $54,132 $55,292 $56,018 $58,397 24 $54,625 $55,785 $56,511 $58,890 25 $56,049 $57,232 $57,971 $60,395 Master's Degree + Years of National Board Experience Certification 0 $42,149 1 $42,583 2 $43,018 3 $43,452 ENGR. H. B. NO. 1465 Page 4 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 4 $43,886 5 $45,358 6 $45,822 7 $46,285 8 $46,749 9 $47,212 10 $49,728 11 $50,221 12 $50,713 13 $51,206 14 $51,699 15 $53,212 16 $53,705 17 $54,198 18 $54,691 19 $55,184 20 $55,698 21 $56,192 22 $56,685 23 $57,178 24 $57,671 25 $59,153 B. 1. When determining the Minimum Salary Schedule, "fringe benefits" shall mean all or part of retirement benefits, excluding ENGR. H. B. NO. 1465 Page 5 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 the contributions made pursuant to subsection A of Section 17 -108.1 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes this title and the flexible benefit allowance pursuant to Section 26 -105 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes this title from the flexible benefit allowance funds disbursed by the State Board of Education and the State Board of Career and Technology Education pursuant to Section 26 -104 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes this title. 2. If a school district intends to provide retirement benefits to a teacher such that the teacher 's salary would be less than the amounts set forth in the minimum salary schedule specified in subsection A of this section, the district shall be required to provide written notification to the teacher prior to his or her employment or, if already employed by the district, no later than thirty (30) days prior to the date the district elects to provide retirement benefits such that the teacher 's salary would be less than the minimum salary schedule. C. Any of the degrees referred to in this section shall be from a college recognized by the State Board of Education. The Board shall accept teaching experience from out -of-state school districts that are accredited by the State Board of Education or appropriate state accrediting agency for the districts. The Board shall accept teaching experience from out -of-country schools that are accredited or otherwise endorsed by the appropriate national or regional accrediting or endorseme nt authority. Out-of-country certification ENGR. H. B. NO. 1465 Page 6 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 documentation in a language other than English shall be analyzed by an educational credential evaluation service in accordance with industry standards and guidelines and approved by the State Department of Education. The person seeking to have credit granted for out-of-country teaching experience shall be responsible for all costs of the analysis by a credential evaluation service. The Board shall accept teaching experience from primary and secondary schools that are operated by the United States Department of Defense or are affiliated with the United States Department of State. D. For the purpose of state salary increments and retirement, no teacher shall be granted credit for more than five (5) years of active duty in the military service , as defined in Section 17-113 of this title, or out-of-state or out-of-country teaching experience as a certified teacher or its equivalent. Nothing in this section shall prohibit boards of education from crediting more years of experience on district salary schedules than those allowed for state purposes. E. The State Board of Education shall recognize, for purposes of certification and salary increments, all the years of experience of a: 1. Certified teacher who teaches in the educational program of the Department of Corrections, beginning with fiscal year 1981; 2. Vocational rehabilitation counselor under the Department of Human Services if the counselor was employed as a certified teacher ENGR. H. B. NO. 1465 Page 7 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 by the State Department of Educa tion when the Division of Vocational Rehabilitation was transferred from the State Board of Career and Technology Education or the State Board of Education to the Oklahoma Public Welfare Commission on July 1, 1968; 3. Vocational rehabilitation c ounselor which were completed while employed by the Department of Human Services if such counselor was certified as a teacher or was eligible for certification as a teacher in Oklahoma; 4. Certified teacher which were completed while employed by the Child Study Center located at University Hospital, if the teacher was certified as a teacher in Oklahoma; and 5. Certified school psychologist or psychometrist which were completed while employed as a doctoral intern, psychological assistant, or psychologist w ith any agency of the State of Oklahoma if the experience primarily involved work with persons of school - or preschool-age and if the person was, at the time the experience was acquired, certified as, or eligible for certification as, a school psychologist or psycho metrist. F. The provisions of this section shall not apply to teachers who have entered into postretirement employment with a public school in Oklahoma and are still receiving a monthly retirement benefit. G. If a person employed as certified p ersonnel, as defined in Section 26-103 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes this title, by a school district during the 2022 -2023 school year was receiving a ENGR. H. B. NO. 1465 Page 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 salary above the step level indicated by the State Minimum Salary Schedule for the 2022 -2023 school year, th e person shall receive a salary increase amount equal to the amount indicated in subsection A of this section for the step level indicated for the person, provided they remain employed by the same district, unless the hours or the duties of the c ertified personnel are reduced proportionately. H. If a school district does not receive Foundation or Salary Incentive Aid pursuant to Section 18 -200.1 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes this title, funds shall be allocated by the State Board of Education to imp lement the salary increases indicated in subsection A of this section. I. Persons employed as classroom instructional employees of technology center school districts supervised by the State Board of Career and Technology Education shall receive a salary increase amount equal to the amount indicated in subsection A of this section for the step level indicated for the person, provided they remain employed by the same technology center school district, unless the hours or the duties of the classroom instructi onal employees are reduced proportionately. J. Persons employed as correctional teachers or vocational instructors by the Department of Corrections pursuant to Section 510.6a of Title 57 of the Oklahoma Statutes or persons employed as teachers by the Office of Juvenile Affairs shall receive a salary ENGR. H. B. NO. 1465 Page 9 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 increase amount equal to the amount indicated in subsection A of this section for the step level indicated for the person, provided they remain employed by the same Department of Corrections or Office of Juvenile Affairs facility, unless the hours or the duties of the correctional teachers, vocational instructors, or teachers are reduced proportionately. K. Persons employed as teachers by the State Department of Rehabilitation Services shall receive a salary increase amount equal to the amount indicated in subsection A of this section for the step level indicated for the person, provided they remain employed by the State Department of Rehabilitation Services, unless the hours or the duties of the teachers are re duced proportionately. SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025. 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. ENGR. H. B. NO. 1465 Page 10 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 Passed the House of Representatives the 11th day of March, 2025. Presiding Officer of the House of Representatives Passed the Senate the ___ day of __________, 2025. Presiding Officer of the Senate