| 43 | | - | [ teachers - certification - stipends - calculations |
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| 44 | | - | - Revolving Fund - allocations - effective date - |
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| 45 | | - | emergency ] |
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| 62 | + | |
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| 63 | + | AS INTRODUCED |
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| 64 | + | |
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| 65 | + | An Act relating to teachers; amending 70 O.S. 2021, |
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| 66 | + | Section 6-190, as last amended by Section 1, Chapter |
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| 67 | + | 122, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 20 24, Section 6-190), |
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| 68 | + | which relates to teacher certification; directing |
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| 69 | + | stipends, rather than salary increases, be provided |
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| 70 | + | to teachers provided with certain certificates; |
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| 71 | + | prohibiting stipends from being included in certain |
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| 72 | + | calculations; amending Section 2, Chapter 359, O.S.L. |
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| 73 | + | 2022, as amended by Section 2, Chapter 122, O.S.L. |
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| 74 | + | 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 6 -190.2), which |
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| 75 | + | relates to the Teacher Empowerment Revolving Fund; |
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| 76 | + | modifying purpose of allocations; providing an |
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| 77 | + | effective date; and declaring an emer gency. |
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| 46 | 78 | | |
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| 47 | 79 | | |
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| 48 | 80 | | |
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| 49 | 81 | | |
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| 50 | 82 | | |
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| 51 | 83 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: |
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| 52 | 84 | | SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 6 -190, as |
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| 53 | 85 | | last amended by Section 1, Chapter 122, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. |
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| 54 | 86 | | 2024, Section 6-190), is amended to read as follows: |
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| 55 | 87 | | Section 6-190. A. The board of education of each school |
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| 56 | 88 | | district shall employ and contract in writing, as required in |
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| 57 | 89 | | Section 6-101 of this title, only with persons certified to teach by |
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| 58 | 90 | | the State Board of Education in accordance with t he Oklahoma Teacher |
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| 90 | 146 | | 1. Has successfully completed the teacher education program |
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| 91 | 147 | | required by the Commission for Educational Quality and |
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| 92 | 148 | | Accountability; |
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| 93 | 149 | | 2. Has graduated from an accredited institution of higher |
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| 94 | 150 | | education that has approval or accreditation for teacher education; |
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| 95 | 151 | | 3. Has met all other requirements as may be established by the |
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| 96 | 152 | | Board; |
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| 97 | 153 | | 4. Has made the necessary application and paid the competency |
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| 98 | 154 | | examination fee in an amount and as prescribed by the Commission; |
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| 99 | 155 | | 5. Has successfully completed the competency examination |
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| 100 | 156 | | required in Section 6 -187 of this title; and |
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| 101 | 157 | | 6. Beginning November 1, 2001, has on file with the Board a |
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| 102 | 158 | | current Oklahoma criminal history re cord from the Oklahoma State |
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| 103 | 159 | | Bureau of Investigation as well as a national criminal history |
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| 104 | 160 | | record check as defined in Section 150.9 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma |
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| 105 | 161 | | Statutes. Upon receipt of the Oklahoma criminal history record, the |
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| 106 | 162 | | Board may issue a temporary certificate which shall be effective |
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| 107 | 163 | | until receipt of the national fingerprint -based criminal history |
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| 108 | 164 | | record. The person applying for a certificate shall be responsible |
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| 109 | 165 | | for the cost of the criminal history records. |
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| 141 | 221 | | 2. Holds certification from the Nationa l Board for Professional |
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| 142 | 222 | | Teaching Standards; |
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| 143 | 223 | | 3. Holds an out-of-country certificate and meets the |
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| 144 | 224 | | requirements set forth in subsection F of this section; or |
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| 145 | 225 | | 4. Has successfully completed a competency examination used in |
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| 146 | 226 | | the majority of other states or co mparable customized exam and meets |
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| 147 | 227 | | the requirements set forth in subsection H of this section. |
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| 148 | 228 | | D. Beginning July 1, 2004, any person applying for initial |
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| 149 | 229 | | Oklahoma certification shall have on file with the Board a current |
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| 150 | 230 | | Oklahoma criminal history record f rom the Oklahoma State Bureau of |
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| 151 | 231 | | Investigation as well as a national criminal history record check as |
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| 152 | 232 | | defined in Section 150.9 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes. Upon |
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| 153 | 233 | | receipt of the Oklahoma criminal history record, the Board may issue |
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| 154 | 234 | | a temporary certificate which shall be effective until receipt of |
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| 155 | 235 | | the national fingerprint -based criminal history record. The person |
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| 156 | 236 | | applying for a certificate shall be responsible for the cost of the |
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| 157 | 237 | | criminal history records. |
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| 158 | 238 | | E. Any person holding a valid certificate, issued prior to |
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| 159 | 239 | | January 1, 1997, shall be a certified teacher for purposes of the |
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| 160 | 240 | | Oklahoma Teacher Preparation Act, subject to any professional |
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| 192 | 296 | | requirements established by the Board. The certificate to teach |
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| 193 | 297 | | shall only be for those subject areas and grade levels most closely |
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| 194 | 298 | | aligned to the subject areas and grade levels recognized on the out - |
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| 195 | 299 | | of-country certificate. |
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| 196 | 300 | | 2. A person who meets the requirements of paragraph 1 of this |
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| 197 | 301 | | subsection shall not be required to take any competency examinations |
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| 198 | 302 | | in those subject areas and grad e levels most closely aligned to the |
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| 199 | 303 | | subject areas and grade levels recognized on the out-of-country |
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| 200 | 304 | | certificate. |
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| 201 | 305 | | 3. A person who meets the requirements of paragraph 1 of this |
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| 202 | 306 | | subsection shall have on file with the Board a current Oklahoma |
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| 203 | 307 | | criminal history record check from the Oklahoma State Bureau of |
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| 204 | 308 | | Investigation as well as a national criminal history record check as |
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| 205 | 309 | | defined in Section 150.9 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes. Upon |
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| 206 | 310 | | receipt of the Oklahoma criminal history record check, the Board may |
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| 207 | 311 | | issue a temporary certificate which shall be effective until receipt |
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| 208 | 312 | | of the national fingerprint-based criminal history record check. |
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| 209 | 313 | | The person applying for a certificate shall be responsible for the |
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| 210 | 314 | | cost of the criminal history record checks. |
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| 242 | 370 | | G. 1. The Board shall issue a certificate to teach to a per son |
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| 243 | 371 | | who holds a valid out -of-state certificate. The certificate to |
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| 244 | 372 | | teach shall only be for those subject areas and grade levels most |
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| 245 | 373 | | closely aligned to the subject areas and grade levels recognized on |
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| 246 | 374 | | the out-of-state certificate. |
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| 247 | 375 | | 2. A person who meets t he requirements of paragraph 1 of this |
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| 248 | 376 | | subsection shall not be required to take any competency examinations |
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| 249 | 377 | | in those subject areas and grade levels most closely aligned to the |
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| 250 | 378 | | subject areas and grade levels recognized on the out -of-state |
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| 251 | 379 | | certificate. |
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| 252 | 380 | | 3. A person who meets the requirements of this subsection shall |
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| 253 | 381 | | have on file with the Board a current Oklahoma criminal history |
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| 254 | 382 | | record check from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation as well |
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| 255 | 383 | | as a national criminal history record check as defined in Secti on |
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| 256 | 384 | | 150.9 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes. Upon receipt of the |
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| 257 | 385 | | Oklahoma criminal history record check, the Board may issue a |
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| 258 | 386 | | temporary certificate which shall be effective until receipt of the |
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| 259 | 387 | | national fingerprint -based criminal history record check. The |
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| 260 | 388 | | person applying for a certificate shall be responsible for the cost |
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| 261 | 389 | | of the criminal history record checks. |
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| 292 | 444 | | those subject areas and grade levels that correspond with a |
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| 293 | 445 | | certification area used in Oklahoma. |
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| 294 | 446 | | 2. A person who meets the requirements of paragraph 1 of this |
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| 295 | 447 | | subsection shall have on file with the Boa rd a current Oklahoma |
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| 296 | 448 | | criminal history record check from the Oklahoma State Bu reau of |
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| 297 | 449 | | Investigation as well as a national criminal history record check as |
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| 298 | 450 | | defined in Section 150.9 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes. Upon |
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| 299 | 451 | | receipt of the Oklahoma criminal history record check, the Board may |
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| 300 | 452 | | issue a temporary certificate which shall be effective until receipt |
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| 301 | 453 | | of the national fingerprint -based criminal history record check. |
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| 302 | 454 | | The person applying for a certificate shall be responsible for the |
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| 303 | 455 | | cost of the criminal history record checks. |
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| 304 | 456 | | I. 1. The Board may establish new levels of teach er |
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| 305 | 457 | | certificates: advanced, lead, and master. Each level shall have a |
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| 306 | 458 | | salary increase requirement stipend paid with state dollars from the |
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| 307 | 459 | | lottery funds as provided in Section 7 13 of Title 3A of the Oklahoma |
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| 308 | 460 | | Statutes. The advanced certificate shall include a salary increase |
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| 309 | 461 | | stipend of Three Thousand Dollars ($3,000.00), the lead certificate |
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| 310 | 462 | | shall include a salary increase stipend of Five Thousand Dollars |
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| 311 | 463 | | ($5,000.00), and the mas ter certificate shall include a salary |
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| 312 | 464 | | increase stipend of Ten Thousand Dollar s ($10,000.00). |
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| 343 | 519 | | with an enrollment of fewer than one thousand students shall be paid |
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| 344 | 520 | | a one-time award in addition to the salary increases stipends |
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| 345 | 521 | | provided in paragraph 1 of this subsection: |
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| 346 | 522 | | a. One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500 .00) for an |
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| 347 | 523 | | advanced certificate, |
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| 348 | 524 | | b. Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500 .00) for a |
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| 349 | 525 | | lead certificate, and |
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| 350 | 526 | | c. Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) for a master |
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| 351 | 527 | | certificate. |
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| 352 | 528 | | 3. School districts may identify and designate the highest |
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| 353 | 529 | | quality teachers for a dvanced, lead, and master certificates. |
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| 354 | 530 | | Participating districts shall submit designation plans to the State |
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| 355 | 531 | | Department of Education for evaluation and approval. Districts |
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| 356 | 532 | | shall have local control and flexibility in determining how to |
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| 357 | 533 | | evaluate teachers an d assign designations, but, at a minimum, the |
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| 358 | 534 | | designation system shall include a teacher observation, out -of- |
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| 359 | 535 | | classroom time, and a student performance component. |
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| 360 | 536 | | a. Teacher observation shall be based on the district ’s |
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| 361 | 537 | | selected Oklahoma Teacher and Leader E ffectiveness |
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| 362 | 538 | | Evaluation System (TLE) evaluation tool or an |
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| 363 | 539 | | alternate method of evaluation; provided, the method |
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| 394 | 594 | | b. Each school district that elects to participate in |
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| 395 | 595 | | assigning advanced, lead, and master teacher |
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| 396 | 596 | | certificates shall include an out -of-classroom |
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| 397 | 597 | | component for its assigned teachers to allow for |
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| 398 | 598 | | professional growth opportunities while staying in the |
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| 399 | 599 | | classroom. How out-of-classroom time is allotted and |
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| 400 | 600 | | managed shall be determined by the school district and |
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| 401 | 601 | | submitted as part of its designation plan to the State |
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| 402 | 602 | | Department of Education for review and approval. |
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| 403 | 603 | | c. Student performance measures may be determined by the |
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| 404 | 604 | | district and may include, but shall not be limited to, |
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| 405 | 605 | | pre- and post-tests, summative or fo rmative, and |
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| 406 | 606 | | portfolios. The school district application shall |
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| 407 | 607 | | show evidence of validity and reliability of the |
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| 408 | 608 | | measures. |
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| 409 | 609 | | Districts may use additional factors in determining whi ch |
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| 410 | 610 | | teachers are eligible to receive a designation, such as student |
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| 411 | 611 | | surveys, teacher leadership responsibilities, teacher mentorship |
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| 412 | 612 | | responsibilities, family surveys, demonstration of district core |
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| 413 | 613 | | values, teacher peer surveys, and contributions to the broa der |
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| 414 | 614 | | school community. No more than ten percent (10%) of each school |
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| 444 | 668 | | 4. If a school district chooses to participate in this program, |
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| 445 | 669 | | the state shall provide the increased salary stipend amounts |
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| 446 | 670 | | indicated for advanced, lead, and master certificates in paragraph 1 |
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| 447 | 671 | | of this subsection above the base pay. |
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| 448 | 672 | | 5. School districts that designate teachers for advanced, lead, |
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| 449 | 673 | | and master certificates do not have to p articipate in annual TLE |
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| 450 | 674 | | evaluations for the designated teachers. |
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| 451 | 675 | | 6. School districts may designate teachers for advanced, lead, |
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| 452 | 676 | | or master certificates two times per year, once prior to the |
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| 453 | 677 | | beginning of the school year, and once prior to the beginning of the |
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| 454 | 678 | | second semester. Teachers statewide who receive these designations |
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| 455 | 679 | | shall be placed in professional development cohorts and provided |
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| 456 | 680 | | additional training opportunities from the State Department of |
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| 457 | 681 | | Education. |
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| 458 | 682 | | 7. After initial approval by the State Depar tment of Education, |
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| 459 | 683 | | the Department shall review and validate each participatin g school |
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| 460 | 684 | | district’s teacher evaluation system biennially. |
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| 461 | 685 | | 8. The State Department of Education shall annually report the |
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| 462 | 686 | | school districts participating in the program, the numbe r of |
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| 463 | 687 | | advanced, lead, and master certificates awarded, and the total |
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| 464 | 688 | | amount in state funding that was distributed to teachers from the |
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| 494 | 742 | | 9. The selection criteria; designation of ad vanced, lead, or |
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| 495 | 743 | | master teachers; and any associated salary increases stipend amounts |
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| 496 | 744 | | shall not be subject to collective bargaining. |
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| 497 | 745 | | 10. Stipends provided pursuant to this subsection shall not be |
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| 498 | 746 | | included in the calculation of the teacher ’s salary for purposes of |
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| 499 | 747 | | meeting the district or statutory minimum salary schedule or for |
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| 500 | 748 | | purposes of calculating Teachers ’ Retirement System of Oklahoma |
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| 501 | 749 | | contributions or benefits. |
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| 502 | 750 | | J. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to implement |
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| 503 | 751 | | a renewal schedule and asso ciated fees for advanced, lead, and |
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| 504 | 752 | | master teaching certificates. The rules s hall allow a teacher that |
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| 505 | 753 | | no longer meets the requirements of an advanced, lead, or master |
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| 506 | 754 | | teaching certificate to make application for the standard teaching |
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| 507 | 755 | | certificate. |
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| 508 | 756 | | K. The terms of the contracts issued to those holding advanced, |
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| 509 | 757 | | lead, and master teaching certificates shall include the following: |
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| 510 | 758 | | 1. Advanced: an additional five (5) days to be used to |
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| 511 | 759 | | strengthen instructional leadership. A person with an advanced |
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| 512 | 760 | | teaching certificate shall receive an annual salary increase stipend |
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| 513 | 761 | | of Three Thousand Dollars ($3,000.00) or the district ’s daily rate |
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| 514 | 762 | | of pay, whichever is higher, in addition to the salary for which the |
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| 515 | 763 | | teacher qualifies pursuant to Section 18 -114.15 of this title. This |
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| 545 | 817 | | Statutes and shall be paid as regular annual compensation directly |
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| 546 | 818 | | to teachers through school districts; |
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| 547 | 819 | | 2. Lead: an additional ten (10) days to be used to strengthen |
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| 548 | 820 | | instructional leadership. A person with a lead teaching certificate |
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| 549 | 821 | | shall receive an annual salary increase stipend of Five Thousand |
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| 550 | 822 | | Dollars ($5,000.00) or the district ’s daily rate of pay, whichever |
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| 551 | 823 | | is higher, in addition to the salary for which the teacher qualifies |
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| 552 | 824 | | pursuant to Section 18 -114.15 of this title. This increase stipend |
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| 553 | 825 | | shall be funded by state dollars from the lottery funds as provided |
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| 554 | 826 | | in Section 713 of Title 3A of the Oklahoma Statutes and shall be |
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| 555 | 827 | | paid as regular annual compensation directly to teachers through |
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| 556 | 828 | | school districts; and |
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| 557 | 829 | | 3. Master: an additional fifteen (15) days to be used to |
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| 558 | 830 | | strengthen leadership. A person with a master teaching certificate |
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| 559 | 831 | | shall receive an annual salary increase stipend of Ten Thousand |
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| 560 | 832 | | Dollars ($10,000.00) or the district ’s daily rate of pay, whichever |
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| 561 | 833 | | is higher, in addition to the salary for which the teacher qualifies |
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| 562 | 834 | | pursuant to Section 18 -114.15 of this title. This increase stipend |
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| 563 | 835 | | shall be funded by s tate dollars from the lottery funds as provided |
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| 564 | 836 | | in Section 713 of Title 3A of the Oklahoma Statutes and shall be |
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| 565 | 837 | | paid as regular annual compensation directly to teachers through |
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| 566 | 838 | | school districts. |
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| 596 | 892 | | certificate, the terms of the contracts required in this subsection |
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| 597 | 893 | | shall be subject to approval by the new employing school district. |
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| 598 | 894 | | L. Beginning in the 2022 -2023 school year, the Department shall |
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| 599 | 895 | | make the teaching certificates provided for in this section |
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| 600 | 896 | | available for any person who has received a recommendation from his |
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| 601 | 897 | | or her school district and who meets the eligibility criteria as |
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| 602 | 898 | | outlined in each school district ’s teacher evaluation system |
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| 603 | 899 | | provided for in subsection I of this section. |
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| 604 | 900 | | M. The funding necessary for the administration of this section |
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| 605 | 901 | | shall be provided from the Teacher Empowerment Revolving Fund |
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| 606 | 902 | | created in Section 6 -190.2 of this title. If funding for the |
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| 607 | 903 | | administration of the te aching certificates listed in subsection I |
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| 608 | 904 | | is not available, the Department sh all not be required to fulfill |
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| 609 | 905 | | the requirements listed in subsections I, K, and L of this section. |
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| 610 | 906 | | N. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules to |
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| 611 | 907 | | implement the provis ions of Section 6-180 et seq. of this title. |
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| 612 | 908 | | SECTION 2. AMENDATORY Section 2, Chapter 359, O.S.L. |
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| 613 | 909 | | 2022, as amended by Section 2, Chapter 122, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. |
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| 614 | 910 | | Supp. 2024, Section 6 -190.2), is amended to read as follows: |
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| 615 | 911 | | Section 6-190.2. A. There is hereby created in the State |
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| 616 | 912 | | Treasury a revolving fund for the State Department of Education to |
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| 617 | 913 | | be designated the “Teacher Empowerment Revolving Fund ”. The |
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| 647 | 967 | | under the control and management of the State Department of |
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| 648 | 968 | | Education. Expenditures from the Teacher Empowerment Revolving Fund |
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| 649 | 969 | | shall be budgeted and expended as provided for in subsection B of |
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| 650 | 970 | | this section. |
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| 651 | 971 | | B. The State Department of Education shall utilize the funds |
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| 652 | 972 | | for the program outlined in Section 6 -190 of this title. Funding |
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| 653 | 973 | | shall be allocated to school districts to provide the increased |
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| 654 | 974 | | salary stipend amounts indicated for advanced, lead, an d master |
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| 655 | 975 | | certificates as provided for in subsection I of Section 6 -190 of |
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| 656 | 976 | | this title on a first -come, first-served basis until the cash is |
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| 657 | 977 | | exhausted for the school year. |
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| 658 | 978 | | SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025. |
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| 659 | 979 | | SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation |
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| 660 | 980 | | of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby |
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| 661 | 981 | | declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and |
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| 662 | 982 | | be in full force from and after its passage and approval. |
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