ENROLLED HOUSE
BILL NO. 2790	By:	Ortega, Denney and Holland of the House

				and

		Ford of the Senate

An Act relating to schools; amending 70 O.S. 2011, Section 6-189, which relates to the licensure and certification system; modifying certification requirements for a superintendent of schools; amending 70 O.S. 2011, Section 6-204.2, which relates to the Education Leadership Oklahoma program; and extending certain dates.

SUBJECT:  Education

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:

SECTION 1.     AMENDATORY     70 O.S. 2011, Section 6-189, is amended to read as follows:

Section 6-189.  A.  The licensure and certification system required by the Oklahoma Teacher Preparation Act as part of the new teacher preparation system shall be competency-based.  The competencies for licensure and certification shall be integrated with competencies specified in Section 6-185 of this title.  By July 1, 1996, the State Board of Education shall adopt general competencies for licensure and certification, and by January 1, 1997, the Board shall have adopted full competencies and implemented the licensure and certification systems as required in this act.  No higher education courses or credit hours may be specified by the State Board of Education in rules for licensure or certification.  Nothing in the licensure and certification rules adopted by the Board shall prohibit the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education from adopting policies and procedures it deems appropriate for coursework, grade point average, or credit hours for teacher preparation at institutions in The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education.

B.  The certification requirements for a school principal not alternatively certified under subsection D of this section shall include not less than:

1.  Completion of a standard master's degree;

2.  Completion of a program in education administration approved by the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation with an emphasis on curriculum, instruction and building-level leadership skills;

3.  Any other professional education and requirements as may be fixed by the State Board of Education;

4.  A passing score on the subject area competency examination required in Section 6-187 of this title; and

5.  A minimum of two (2) years of successful teaching experience in public or private schools accredited by the State Board of Education or by the proper accrediting authority of another state of the United States.

C.  The certification requirements for a superintendent of schools not alternatively certified under subsection D of this section shall include not less than:

1.  Certification as a school principal or completion of the certification requirements for a school principal as set forth in subsection B of this section;

2.  Completion of a program in education administration approved by the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation with an emphasis on district-level leadership skills, and which shall include the following competencies:

a.	instructional leadership,

b.	organizational leadership, including education finance, education law, and risk management,

c.	collaborative and community leadership, and 

d. 	ethical leadership, or

The requirement in this paragraph shall not apply to any person who has completed an Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation approved Master’s Degree in Education Administration or has completed a program in education administration that included competencies that are substantially equal to those listed in this paragraph, and if the degree or program was completed between the effective date of this act and July 1, 2005;

3.  Any other professional education and requirements as may be fixed by the State Board of Education;

4.  A passing score on the subject area competency examination required in Section 6-187 of this title; and

5.  A minimum of two (2) years of administrative experience in public or private schools accredited by the State Board of Education or by the proper accrediting authority of another state of the United States.

D.  1.  The standards for alternative certification for superintendents of schools and principals shall include:

a.	the completion of a standard master’s degree,

b.	two (2) years of relevant work experience in a supervisory or administrative capacity,

c.	a passing score on the subject area competency examination required in Section 6-187 of this title, and

d.	filing with the director of teacher education at an Oklahoma accredited institution of higher education a plan for completing an alternative administrative preparation program within three (3) years.  Relevant work experience and coursework may be considered and applied to complete the plan.

2.  An alternative certificate for superintendent of schools and principals shall not exceed three (3) years and shall not be renewable.

3.  Upon successful completion of an alternative administrative preparation program by a participant, the State Board of Education shall issue a standard certificate for superintendent or principal, as applicable, to the applicant.

4.  Any person participating in an alternative certification program for superintendent of schools and principals on the effective date of this act shall be subject to the program requirements in effect prior to the effective date of this act.

E.  The certification requirements for a superintendent of a technology center school district shall include not less than a standard master’s degree, any other professional education requirements as may be fixed by the State Board of Education, and a minimum of four (4) years teaching, supervisory or administrative experience, which may include teaching of full-time adult students, in a technology center school district.  A person meeting the requirements set forth in subsection C of this section shall be eligible for a certificate for superintendent of a technology center school district.

F.  Certificates may be revoked by the State Board of Education for willful violation of any rule of the Board or of any federal or state law or other proper cause but only after sufficient hearing has been given before the Board.

G.  Teaching in a Head Start program or programs shall be used for renewal of a standard teaching certificate.

SECTION 2.     AMENDATORY     70 O.S. 2011, Section 6-204.2, is amended to read as follows:

Section 6-204.2  A.  Subject to the availability of funds, the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation 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:

1.  Provide teachers throughout the state information about National Board certification and the Education Leadership Oklahoma program scholarships and services;

2.  Provide technical assistance and National Board certified mentors to all teachers seeking National Board certification upon request;

3.  Provide scholarships, pursuant to the Education Leadership Oklahoma Act and Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation rules, for teachers seeking National Board certification;

4.  Provide a bonus to teachers who achieve National Board certification pursuant to the Education Leadership Oklahoma Act and State Board of Education rules;

5.  Reward teachers who achieve National Board certification without the financial support of the Education Leadership Oklahoma program by awarding them the application fee and the amount of the scholarship given to Education Leadership Oklahoma participants pursuant to this section and commission rules; and

6.  Provide recognition to National Board certified teachers.

C.  Except as otherwise provided for in subsection P of this section, 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 the scholarships and services it provides to teachers seeking National Board certification, emphasizing recruiting efforts toward teachers at high-poverty schools, low-achieving schools and in counties with the lowest percentage of teachers who have achieved National Board certification;

2.  Collect and review applications to the scholarship program from interested teachers;

3.  Establish an applicant review committee for the purpose of identifying scholarship recipients pursuant to the Education Leadership Oklahoma Act for the Education Leadership Oklahoma program; and

4.  Ensure that all scholarship recipients, alternates, and teachers seeking National Board certification independently receive adequate information regarding the level of commitment required to acquire National Board certification.

D.  The applicant review committee shall:

1.  Consist of:

a.	five classroom teachers appointed by the State Board of Education, at least one of whom shall be a National Board certified teacher, if available,

b.	five classroom teachers appointed by the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation, at least one of whom shall be a National Board certified teacher, if available,

c.	three classroom teachers appointed by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, at least one of whom shall be a National Board certified teacher, if available, and

d.	a chair to be designated by the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation from among the appointed members; and

2.  Except as otherwise provided for in subsection P of this section, select up to four hundred teachers each year, of whom a minimum of twenty-five percent (25%) teach at schools on the school improvement list as determined by the State Board of Education pursuant to the No Child Left Behind Act or schools with more than fifty percent (50%) of students who qualify for the free and reduced price lunch program, and the appropriate number of alternates, who:

a.	have demonstrated a commitment to excellence in teaching,

b.	meet all eligibility requirements for potential certification as established by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards,

c.	are employed in an Oklahoma public school, and

d.	meet other requirements of the Commission.

E.  Subject to the availability of funds appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of this subsection and except as otherwise provided for in subsection P of this section, the application fee for National Board certification shall be paid for scholarship recipients by the Commission, and scholarship recipients shall be provided a scholarship in the amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) to cover other expenses associated with obtaining National Board certification.

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.  Except as otherwise provided for in subsection P of this section, all teachers seeking National Board certification shall be eligible to participate in Education Leadership Oklahoma program training to assist them in meeting the requirements of the National Board certification process, free of charge.

H.  The Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation shall promulgate rules for the selection of scholarship recipients, the selection and utilization of alternates, the payment and reimbursement of application fees, and the issuance of scholarships.

I.  Subject to district board of education policy or collective bargaining agreement, additional professional 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 teacher shall be provided by the school district at no cost to the teacher.

J.  Except as otherwise provided for in subsection P of this section, the State Board of Education shall provide all teachers who attain National Board certification a bonus in the amount of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) annually no later than January 31 for as long as they maintain their National Board certification and 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.

K.  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.

L.  The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules for the provision of the bonus pursuant to this section to include, but not be limited to, a process by which a National Board certified teacher will verify that:

1.  The National Board certification has not lapsed; and

2.  The teacher is still a full-time teacher.

M.  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.

N.  Upon implementation of this subsection as provided for in subsection O of this section, the State Board of Education shall provide all teachers who attain National Board certification a bonus in the amount of Seven Thousand Dollars ($7,000.00) annually no later than January 31 for as long as they maintain their National Board certification and are full-time teachers in an Oklahoma public school.  No school or school district shall be liable for payment of bonuses pursuant to this section.  Upon implementation, the bonus provided for in this subsection shall replace the bonus provided for in subsection J of this section.

O.  Implementation of subsection N of this section shall be contingent upon the appropriation by the Legislature of state funds for the specific purpose of implementing subsection N of this section.  Nothing in this section shall prevent the State Board of Education or a school district board of education from utilizing private, local, or federal funds to implement subsection N of this section.

P.  1.  Except as otherwise provided, the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation shall not accept any applications for the Education Leadership Oklahoma program, award scholarships pursuant to the Education Leadership Oklahoma Act or pay the National Board certification application fee for scholarship recipients after June 30, 2010, through June 30, 2012 2013.  The Commission may pay any scholarship amounts or pay the National Board certification application fees incurred after June 30, 2010, for any teacher selected for the Education Leadership Oklahoma program before June 30, 2010.

2.  Except as otherwise provided, the State Board of Education shall not provide a bonus in the amount of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) as authorized in subsection J of this section beginning June 30, 2010, through June 30, 2012 2013, to any teacher who attains National Board certification after June 30, 2010, through June 30, 2012 2013.  The Board shall provide a bonus to any teacher who attains National Board certification after June 30, 2010, if the teacher was selected for the Education Leadership Oklahoma program before June 30, 2010, or the teacher has submitted an application for National Board certification to the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards before June 30, 2010.

Passed the House of Representatives the 18th day of May, 2012.

	
Presiding Officer of the House of
	Representatives

Passed the Senate the 24th day of May, 2012.

	
Presiding Officer of the Senate