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SENATE FLOOR VERSION
April 15, 2025
AS AMENDED
ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 1955 By: Waldron, Rosecrants, and
Deck of the House
and
Reinhardt of the Senate
An Act relating to education; amending 70 O.S. 2021,
Section 6-204.2, which relates to the Education
Leadership Oklahoma program; updating references;
clarifying award coverage; increasing maximum amount
of award; changing conditions for repayment;
authorizing reimbursement under certain conditions;
expanding certain mentor program; and providin g an
effective date.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 6 -204.2, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 6-204.2. A. The Oklahoma Commission for Teacher
Preparation Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability
and the State Board of Education are authorized to establish the
Education Leadership Oklahoma program.
B. The purposes of the Education Leadership Oklahoma program
are to:
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1. Provide teachers thro ughout the state inf ormation about
National Board certification and the Education Leadership Oklahoma
program services;
2. Provide technical assistance and National -Board-certified
mentors to all teachers seeking National Board certification upon
request;
3. Reward teachers who are seeking National Board certification
by awarding them a portion of the application processing charge and
assessment fee and scholarship National Board certification cost as
provided in subsection D of this section; and
4. Provide recognition to N ational-Board-certified teachers.
C. To fulfill the objectives of the Education Leadership
Oklahoma Act, the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation shall:
1. Inform teachers of the Education Leadership Oklahoma program
and services it provides to teachers seeking National Board
certification, emphasizing recruiting efforts toward teachers at
high-poverty schools, schools identified as in need of improvement
and in counties districts with the lowest percentage of teachers who
have achieved National Bo ard certification; and
2. Ensure that all teachers seeking National Board
certification receive adequate information regarding the level of
commitment required to acquire National Board certification.
D. The Commission shall select no t more than one hundred
applicants to participate in the program each fiscal year for whom
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the Commission shall pay one-half (1/2) of the application
processing charge and assessment fee for National Board
certification. The total amount paid by the Commi ssion shall not
exceed One Thousand Three Hundred Dollars ($1,300.00). In addition
the Commission shall also provide to the selected applicants a
scholarship in the amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) to cover
other expenses associated with obtaining National Board
certification up to One Thousand Eight Hundred Dollars ($1,800.00)
of the National Board certification cost .
E. The Commission shall promulgate rules establishing a process
for accepting applications for the Education Leadership Oklahoma
program and for provi ding to applicants selected for the program up -
front payment of the application processing charge and assessment
fee and scholarship National Board certification cost . If a
selected applicant who receives the up -front payment does not
complete National Board certification within three (3) years fulfill
all submission requirements for National Board certification as
established by the certification vendor within the maximum allowable
time frame, the applicant will be required to repay th e full amount
of the component fees paid on his or her behalf , the applicant shall
repay the Commission the full amount paid by the Commission pursuant
to subsection D of this section. All Subject to the availability of
funding, all selected applicants wh o do not receive an up -front
payment and successfully complete National Board certification shall
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be reimbursed by the Commission for the application processing
charge and assessment fee National Board certification cost . The
total amount of reimbursement paid by the Commission shall not
exceed One Thousand Three Hundred Dollars ($1,300.00) One Thousand
Eight Hundred Dollars ($1,800.00) .
F. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Oklahoma
Commission for Teacher Preparation contract with Southeastern
Oklahoma State University to establish Education Leadership Oklahoma
program training in higher education teacher preparation programs in
the state to assist teachers in meeting the requirements to obtain
National Board certification.
G. All Subject to the availability of fu nding, all teachers
seeking initial National Board certification either through the
Education Leadership Oklahoma Scholarship program or paying their
own way shall be eligible to participate in Education Leadership
Oklahoma program training mentoring for up to three (3) years to
assist them in meeting the requirements of the National Board
certification process, free of charge.
H. G. Subject to district board of education policy or
collective bargaining agreement, additional professiona l leave days
may be granted to teachers seeking National Board certification for
National Board certification portfolio development. During the two
(2) days of the additional professional days granted to teachers for
National Board certification portfolio development, a substitute
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teacher shall be provided by the school district at no cost to the
teacher.
I. H. 1. The State Board of Education shall provide to
teachers who attained National Board certification prior to June 30,
2013, a bonus in the amount of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00)
annually over a ten-year period, to be paid no later than January 31
each year. The Board shall provide a bonus to any teacher who
attains National Board certification after June 30, 2013, if the
teacher was selected for the Education Leadership Oklahoma program
before June 30, 2013, or the teacher has submitted an application
for National Board certification to the National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards before June 30, 2013.
2. The teachers eligible to re ceive the annual bon us as
provided for in paragraph 1 of this subsection shall receive the
annual bonus for the ten -year duration of their National Board
certification and so long as they are teaching in the classroom
full-time in an Oklahoma public school . No school or school
district shall be liable for payment of bonuses pursuant to this
section.
3. The bonus shall not be included in the calculation of the
teacher's salary for purposes of meeting the district or statutory
minimum salary schedule or for purposes of compensating Oklahoma
Teachers' Retirement System contributions or benefits.
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4. Teachers eligible to receive the annual bonus as provided
for in paragraph 1 of this subsection shall not be eligible to
receive the additional salary increment f or National Board
certification as set forth in the minimum salary schedule in Section
3 18-114.15 of this act title.
5. Teachers who attain National Board certification after June
30, 2013, shall be eligible to receive the additional salary
increments for National Board cer tification as set forth in the
minimum salary schedule in Section 3 18-114.15 of this act title.
6. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules for a
process by which a National -Board-certified teacher will verify
that:
a. the National Board certification has not lapsed,
b. the teacher is still a full -time teacher, and
c. for teachers eligible for the bonus, the teacher has
not exceeded the limit of annual bonus payments as
provided for in paragraph 1 of this subsection.
J. I. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Oklahoma
State Regents for Higher Education incorporate the National Board
certification portfolio development into all programs in education
leading to a master's level degree.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
April 15, 2025 - DO PASS AS AMENDED