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ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 2125 By: Staires of the House
and
Sacchieri of the Senate
An Act relating to education; amending 70 O.S. 2021,
Section 6-122.3, as last amended by Section 162,
Chapter 452, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section
6-122.3), which relates to adjunct teachers;
clarifying instructional levels of adjunct teachers;
prohibiting adjunct teachers from teaching certain
classes; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 11-103.7,
which relates to early childhood education programs;
authorizing adjunct teachers; 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. 2021, Section 6-122.3, as
last amended by Section 162, Chapter 452, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp.
2024, Section 6-122.3), is amended to read as follows:
Section 6-122.3. A. The State Board of Education shall grant
an alternative placement teaching certificate to a person who makes
application to the Board and meets the following criteria:
1. a. holds at least a baccalaureate degree from an
institution whose accreditation is recognized by the
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and has
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attained a retention grade point average of not less
than 2.50 on a 4.0 scale, or
b. has successfully completed a terminal degree, such as
a doctorate of philosophy, a doctorate in education,
professional doctorates, a master of fine arts degree
or a master of library science degree, from an
institution accredited by a national or regional
accrediting agency which is recognized by the
Secretary of the United States Department of
Education. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
Education shall be consulted to verify other terminal
degrees, or
c. holds at least a baccalaureate degree from an
institution whose accreditation is recognized by the
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and has
qualified work experience in a field that corresponds
to an area of certification as determined by the State
Board of Education, and
d. in addition to the requirements of subparagraphs a, b
and c of this paragraph, has demonstrated competency
or completed a major in a field that corresponds to an
area of specialization for an Elementary-Secondary
Certificate or a Secondary Certificate as determined
by the State Board of Education or a vocational-
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technical certificate as recommended by the Oklahoma
Department of Career and Technology Education;
2. Declares the intention to earn standard certification by
means of an alternative placement program in not more than three (3)
years. The State Board of Education shall determine the subject
matter and the number of clock or semester hours required for the
professional education component for each person making application
for an alternative placement teaching certificate based on the
criteria of paragraph 1 of this subsection.
The State Board of Education shall establish a core minimum of
six (6) semester hours or ninety (90) clock hours and a maximum of
eighteen (18) semester hours or two hundred seventy (270) clock
hours for the professional education component.
The requirements set forth in this subsection shall exclude all
student teaching requirements pursuant to the provisions of
subsection E of this section;
3. Has passed the subject area portion of the competency
examination required in Section 6-187 of this title in the area of
specialization for which certification is sought; and
4. Either presents a document from an accredited public school
district in this state offering employment in the area of
specialization for which certification is sought on condition that
the person enroll in an alternative placement program approved by
the State Board of Education or declares the intention to seek
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employment as a teacher at an accredited public school district in
this state. The certificate granted pursuant to this subsection
shall be considered a "valid certificate of qualification" for the
purposes of Sections 6-107 and 6-108 of this title, and the holder
of the certificate shall be considered an inductee for the purposes
of Section 6-195 of this title.
B. An alternative placement teaching certificate shall be
renewed for not more than a maximum of three (3) years upon
presentation of a document from an accredited public school district
in this state offering renewed employment in the same area of
specialization and a document from a teacher education institution
verifying satisfactory progress in an appropriate alternative
placement program.
C. Persons enrolled in an alternative placement program shall:
1. Have never been denied admittance to a teacher education
program approved by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education,
the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and by the
Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation to offer teacher
education programs, nor have enrolled in and subsequently failed
courses necessary to successfully meet the minimum requirements of
the program, except those persons who hold a certificate;
2. Have on file with the director of teacher education at an
Oklahoma institution of higher education a plan for meeting standard
certification requirements within three (3) years; and
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3. Participate in an induction program as required in Section
6-195 of this title and have the same duties and responsibilities as
other inductees.
D. The State Board of Education may grant an exception to the
requirements for certification and, upon demonstration by an
individual of specific competency in the subject area of
specialization, may grant a certificate to the individual. The
State Board may establish other requirements necessary to grant
exceptions.
E. The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability, may grant an
exception to the requirement to complete a subject area examination
for initial certification in a field which does not require an
advanced degree pursuant to this section if the candidate has an
advanced degree in a subject that is substantially comparable to the
content assessed on a subject area examination. The degree shall be
from an institution accredited by a national or regional accrediting
agency which is recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department
of Education. The Commission shall provide the Board with the
necessary information to determine comparability.
F. Student teaching and a prestudent teaching field experience
shall not be required of alternative placement program participants
for standard certification.
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G. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules
authorizing adjunct teachers who shall be persons with distinguished
qualifications in their field. Adjunct teachers shall be authorized
to teach at all grade levels including in early childhood education
programs. Adjunct teachers shall not be authorized to teach special
education classes. Adjunct teachers shall not be required to meet
standard certification. A person employed as an adjunct teacher
pursuant to this subsection who does not hold a valid certificate to
teach shall not be considered a teacher as defined by Section 1-116
of this title.
H. Each teacher education institution shall provide the
Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation an annual report of
information as specified by the Commission regarding participation
in the alternative placement programs offered by the institution.
I. The Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation shall not
accredit, renew the accreditation of, or otherwise approve any
teacher education program of any institution of higher education in
this state that has not implemented alternative placement programs
in at least four areas of specialization including mathematics,
science and a foreign language. Each institution shall allow
individuals who meet the criteria of subsections A and C of this
section to be:
1. Admitted to an alternative placement program without further
qualification; and
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2. Offered the opportunity to complete the requirements for
standard certification set forth in subsection A of this section
during the summer preceding and the summer following the first year
of teaching with an alternative placement teaching certificate. Any
person seeking standard certification through an alternative
placement program shall be permitted to take necessary courses
during regular semesters if offered.
J. The criteria specified in subsection I of this section can
be met through a cooperative arrangement entered into by two or more
institutions of higher education.
SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 11-103.7, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 11-103.7. A. Each school district may offer to four-
year-old children the opportunity to participate in an early
childhood education program.
B. The State Board of Education shall promulgate standards for
early childhood education programs for children who are at least
four (4) years of age on or before September 1 of the ensuing school
year. The standards shall include both half-day programs consisting
of not less than two and one-half (2 1/2) hours per school day, and
full-day programs of six (6) hours. The standards for all early
childhood education programs shall require a certified teacher, as
specified in this section, or an adjunct teacher as authorized by
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subsection G of Section 6-122.3 of this title to be present in the
classroom for the length of the school day. Such program shall:
1. Be directed toward developmentally appropriate objectives
for such children, rather than toward academic objectives suitable
for older children;
2. Accommodate the needs of all children and families
regardless of socioeconomic circumstances; and
3. Require that any teacher employed by a public school to
teach in such early childhood education program shall be certified
in early childhood education.
C. The superintendent of any school district providing
classroom space or other school facilities for a federally sponsored
Head Start program that is planning to make a material change in the
arrangement, shall give notice to the director of the Head Start
program at least seven (7) days prior to a school board hearing on
the matter.
D. A school district may offer such early childhood education
program within the district, in cooperation with other districts,
through the use of transfers as specified by law, or by contracting
with a private or public provider of early childhood education
programs, or by contracting for classroom space with a licensed
public or private child care provider based upon selection criteria
established by the district. If the program is provided through
contract with a private or public provider other than a school
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district, the contract may only be continued if each teacher serving
the school on and after January 1, 1993, is certified in early
childhood education, except that all teachers, without such
certification, hired by such provider prior to January 1, 1993, and
serving in the school as an early childhood education teacher shall
be required to obtain certification on or before the beginning of
the 1996-97 school year. Any person who has been employed as an
early childhood educator with the Head Start Program program, has a
child development associate degree (CDA) and has at least five (5)
years of experience in such employment shall be certified in early
childhood education for purposes of employment in the public schools
of this state to teach in early childhood education for children
four (4) years of age and younger; if such person is recertified in
child development by the Council for Early Childhood Professional
Recognition within five (5) years prior to the expiration of the
person's early childhood certificate that was issued by the State
Board of Education, such person shall be granted a renewal
certificate in early childhood education by the State Board of
Education upon expiration of the early childhood certificate.
Provided, private or public providers shall meet such other
standards required by law and by the State Board of Education.
E. If an early childhood education program is provided by a
private or public provider pursuant to a contract as authorized in
this section, the contract shall address the requirements for
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implementing the induction program as required in Section 6-195 of
this title. Teachers employed by a private or public provider in an
early childhood education program provided through contract with a
public school district shall receive in salary and/or fringe
benefits amounts not less than the amounts specified in the schedule
set forth in Section 18-114.14 18-114.15 of this title.
F. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules to
provide for the implementation of such program.
G. An early childhood education program may be offered jointly
by school districts that have formed interlocal cooperative
agreements pursuant to Section 5-117b of this title.
H. The term "prekindergarten" shall mean early childhood
education for purposes of this title.
I. The State Board of Education shall ensure that the standards
for early childhood education are aligned with any new subject
matter standards adopted pursuant to Section 11-103.6a of this
title.
SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.
SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health or 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.
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Passed the House of Representatives the 12th day of March, 2025.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the _____ day of __________, 2025.
Presiding Officer of the Senate