ENROLLED HOUSE
BILL NO. 2004	By:	Wright (Harold), McDaniel (Jeannie), Shelton, Cannaday and Collins of the House

				   and

		Stanislawski and Johnson (Constance) of the Senate

An Act relating to schools; amending 70 O.S. 2001, Section 6-185, as last amended by Section 2 of Enrolled House Bill No. 2747 of the 2nd Session of the 52nd Oklahoma Legislature, which relates to competencies and methods to be incorporated into teacher preparation systems; adding mental health training; 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. 2001, Section 6-185, as last amended by Section 2 of Enrolled House Bill No. 2747 of the 2nd Session of the 52nd Oklahoma Legislature, is amended to read as follows:

Section 6-185.  A.  The following competencies and methods shall be incorporated into the programs approved by the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation for the competency-based teacher preparation system provided for the Oklahoma Teacher Preparation Act:

1.  The teacher preparation system shall include, but not be limited to, the following competencies:

a.	excellence in the arts and sciences,

b.	an in-depth knowledge of the subject matter to be taught,

c.	the ability to identify and cultivate talent and potential in students,

d.	an understanding of child and human development,

e.	teaching skills developed through a variety of learning experiences,

f.	the ability to interact effectively with all students,

g.	skills necessary for working with parents, guardians and custodians of students in the education process,

h.	skills necessary to involve the community in education,

i.	skills to foster teamwork within and among schools,

j.	for administrators, skills necessary to be an effective leader of a school or school district, and

k.	skills in effective classroom management and student discipline;

2.  The preservice program shall include the following methods to achieve the competencies listed in paragraph 1 of this subsection:

a.	require teacher candidates to study arts and sciences at the undergraduate level,

b.	require secondary and elementary/secondary teacher candidates to have undergraduate majors, or their equivalents, in a subject area, and require teacher candidates in early childhood, elementary, and special education to have subject area concentrations which allow qualification as a generalist,

c.	require teacher candidates to study the individuality of students, the capacity of students to learn and the process of learning,

d.	integrate curriculum from other disciplines with the  education curriculum,

e.	require teacher candidates to have training experiences and personal contact with parents, guardians or custodians of school-age children,

f.	require teacher candidates to have community involvement experience,

g.	structure courses so as to require teamwork activities, and

h.	require teacher candidates to study, in existing coursework, substance abuse symptoms identification and prevention, mental illness symptoms identification and mental health issues, classroom management skills, and classroom safety and discipline techniques;

3.  The Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation shall not require more than a four-year program of one hundred twenty-four (124) semester hours to complete a teacher education degree.  Provided, any program approved by the State Board of Education prior to July 1, 1995, which requires more hours may continue to require such hours.  Any program approved prior to July 1, 1995, which requires more than one hundred twenty-four (124) semester hours for a teacher education degree shall implement requirements for this program without additional hours.

B.  It is the intent of the Legislature that institutions of higher education which offer teacher education programs hold such programs accountable for meeting the licensure and certification competencies approved by the State Board of Education.  It is the intent of the Legislature that the teacher education programs incorporate a curriculum to achieve the competency-based system and include integration of the teacher preparation curricula with the arts and sciences departments curricula.  Each institution of higher education which seeks accreditation or approval for its teacher education program shall develop an institution plan which follows the State Board of Education competencies for licensure and certification.  In developing such institution plans, the higher education institution shall establish a process which seeks information and input from teacher preparation faculty, faculty from arts and sciences and other programs and disciplines which are appropriate, students within the teacher education program, teachers, administrators, parents, guardians or custodians of students and business and community leaders.  Each institution shall report annually to the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation the procedures used to inform the public regarding the institution's teacher education program and the manner through which public input is solicited and received.  The institution's plan shall be accessible to any interested party under the Oklahoma Open Records Act.  No institution of higher education's teacher education program shall be approved by the Commission unless the institution plan has been approved by that institution's governing board.  Initial institution plans shall be filed with the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation by January 1, 1997, and as required by the Commission thereafter.  The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education may facilitate the development of institution plans to assist institutions of higher education.

SECTION 2.  This act shall become effective July 1, 2010.

SECTION 3.  It being immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and 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.

Passed the House of Representatives the 21st day of May, 2010.

	
Presiding Officer of the House of
	Representatives

Passed the Senate the 24th day of May, 2010.

	
Presiding Officer of the Senate