STATE OF OKLAHOMA

2nd Session of the 54th Legislature (2014)

HOUSE BILL 2655	By:	Kern

AS INTRODUCED

An Act relating to schools; amending 70 O.S. 2011, Section 6-185, as last amended by Section 10, Chapter 223, O.S.L. 2012 (70 O.S. Supp. 2013, Section 6-185), which relates to competencies and methods to be incorporated into teacher preparation systems; requiring teacher candidates to study certain methods and strategies for English Language Learners; prohibiting school districts from employing or assigning English Language Learner teachers without certain license or certification; amending 70 O.S. 2011, Section 6-194, as amended by Section 10, Chapter 83, O.S.L. 2013 (70 O.S. Supp. 2013, Section 6-194), which relates to school district professional development programs; clarifying statutory language; requiring school districts to offer teacher training in English Language Learner instructional services for certain teachers; providing for codification; 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. 2011, Section 6-185, as last amended by Section 10, Chapter 223, O.S.L. 2012 (70 O.S. Supp. 2013, Section 6-185), 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 until July 1, 2014, and approved by the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability beginning July 1, 2014, 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, and
i.	require teacher candidates to study English Language acquisition and teaching methods and strategies for the instruction of English Language Learners;
3.   Until July 1, 2014, the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation and beginning July 1, 2014, the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability shall not require more than a four-year program of one hundred twenty-four (124) semester hours to complete a teacher education degree.
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.  Until July 1, 2014, each institution shall report annually to the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation and beginning July 1, 2013, to the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability 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.  The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education may facilitate the development of institution plans to assist institutions of higher education.
SECTION 2.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 6-189.3 of Title 70, unless there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
Beginning July 1, 2015, no school district shall employ or assign any teacher to serve as an English as a Second Language or English Language Learner teacher unless the teacher is licensed or certified to teach English as a Second Language.
SECTION 3.     AMENDATORY     70 O.S. 2011, Section 6-194, as  amended by Section 10, Chapter 83, O.S.L. 2013 (70 O.S. Supp. 2013, Section 6-194), is amended to read as follows:
Section 6-194.  A.  The district boards of education of this state shall establish professional development programs for the certified and licensed teachers and administrators of the district.  Programs shall be adopted by each board based upon recommendations of a professional development committee appointed by the board of education for the district.  For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2011, and June 30, 2012, a school district board of education may elect not to adopt and offer a professional development program for certified and licensed teachers and administrators of the district.  If a school district elects not to adopt and offer a professional development program, the district may expend any monies allocated for professional development for any purpose related to the support and maintenance of the school district as determined by the board of education of the school district.
B.  Each professional development committee shall include classroom teachers, administrators and parents, guardians or custodians of children in the school district and shall consult with a higher education faculty.  A majority of the members of the professional development committee shall be composed of classroom teachers.  The teacher members shall be selected by a designated administrator of the school district from a list of names submitted by the teachers in the school district.  The members selected shall be subject to the approval of a majority vote of the teachers in the district.  At a minimum, once every four (4) years the committee shall include at least one school counselor in its membership.
C.  In developing program recommendations, each professional development committee shall annually utilize a data-driven approach to analyze student data and determine district and school professional development needs.  The professional development programs adopted shall be directed toward development of competencies and instructional strategies in the core curriculum areas for the following goals:
1.  Increasing the academic performance data scores for the district and each school site;
2.  Closing achievement gaps among student subgroups;
3.  Increasing student achievement as demonstrated on state-mandated tests and the ACT;
4.  Increasing high school graduation rates; and
5.  Decreasing college remediation rates.
D.  Each professional development program may also include components on classroom management and student discipline strategies, outreach to parents, guardians or custodians of students, special education, and racial and ethnic education, which all personnel defined as teachers in Section 1-116 of this title shall be required to complete on a periodic basis.  The State Board of Education shall provide guidelines to assist school districts in developing and implementing racial and ethnic education components into professional development programs.
E.  At least once a year a professional development program shall be offered which includes a component of teacher training on recognition and reporting of child abuse and neglect which all teachers shall be required to complete.  Additionally at
F.  At least one time per year, beginning in the 2009-2010 school year, professional development training in the area of autism shall be offered and all resident teachers of students in early childhood programs through grade three shall be required to complete the autism training during the resident year and at least one time every three (3) years thereafter.  All other teachers and education support professionals of students in early childhood programs through grade three shall be required to complete the autism training at least one time every three (3) years.  The autism training shall include a minimum awareness of the characteristics of autistic children, resources available and an introduction to positive behavior supports to challenging behavior.
G.  At least once a year in school districts which have English Language Learners enrolled in the district, a professional development program shall be offered which includes a component of teacher training in providing language instruction services for English Language Learners which all teachers employed or assigned to serve as an English as a Second Language or English Language Learner teacher shall be required to complete.
H.  Each adopted program shall allow school counselors to receive at least one-third (1/3) of the hours or credit required each year through programs or courses specifically designed for school counselors.
Districts are authorized to utilize any means for professional development that is not prohibited by law including, but not limited to, professional development provided by the district, any state agency, institution of higher education, or any private entity.
D. I.  Except as otherwise provided for in this subsection, each licensed or certified teacher in this state shall be required by the district board of education to meet the professional development requirements established by the board, or established through the negotiation process.  Except as otherwise provided for in this subsection, the professional development requirements established by each board of education shall require every teacher to annually complete a minimum number of the total number of points required to maintain employment.  Failure of any teacher to meet district board of education professional development requirements may be grounds for nonrenewal of such teacher's contract by the board.  Such failure may also be grounds for nonconsideration of salary increments affecting the teacher.  For the fiscal years ending June 30, 2011, and June 30, 2012, a licensed or certified teacher shall not be required to complete any points of the total number of professional development points required.  Provided, a teacher may elect to complete some or all of the minimum number of points required for the two (2) fiscal years and any points completed shall be counted toward the total number of points required to maintain employment.  If a teacher does not complete some or all of the minimum number of points required for one (1) or both fiscal years, the total number of points required to maintain employment shall be adjusted and reduced by the number of points not completed.
E. J.  Each district shall annually submit a report to the State Department of Education on the district level professional development needs, activities completed, expenditures, and results achieved for each school year by each goal as provided in subsection C of this section.  If a school district elects not to adopt and offer a professional development program as provided for in subsection A of this section, the district shall not be required to submit an annual report as required pursuant to this subsection but shall report to the State Department of Education its election not to offer a program and all professional development activities completed by teachers and administrators of the school district.
F. K.  Subject to the availability of funds, the Department shall develop an online system for reporting as required in subsection E J of this section.  The Department shall also make such information available on its website.
SECTION 4.  This act shall become effective July 1, 2014.
SECTION 5.  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.

54-2-9781	KB	01/15/14