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STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
HOUSE BILL 4262 By: Johns
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to teachers; amending 70 O.S. 2021,
Section 6-204.2, as amended by Section 1, Chapter
374, O.S.L. 2025 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 6-
204.2), which relates to the Education Leadership
Oklahoma program; updating Commission name; providing
for annual bonus for teachers with National Board
certification; removing reference to additional
salary increment; amending Section 1, Chapter 289,
O.S.L. 2023, as last amended by Section 2, Chapter
480, O.S.L. 2025 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 18-
114.15), which relates to the minimum salary
schedule; striking National Board certification
salary increment; 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 6-204.2, as
amended by Section 1, Chapter 374, O.S.L. 2025 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025,
Section 6-204.2), is amended to read as follows:
Section 6-204.2. A. The Commission for Educational Quality and
Accountability and the State Board of Education are authorized to
establish the Education Leadership Oklahoma program.
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B. The purposes of the Education Leadership Oklahoma program
are to:
1. Provide teachers throughout the state information about
National Board certification and the Education Leadership Oklahoma
program services;
2. Provide technical assistance and National-Board-certified
mentors to all teachers seeking National Board certification upon
request;
3. Reward teachers who are seeking National Board certification
by awarding them a portion of the National Board certification cost
as provided in subsection D of this section; and
4. Provide recognition to National-Board-certified teachers.
C. To fulfill the objectives of the Education Leadership
Oklahoma Act, the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation
Educational Quality and Accountability shall:
1. Inform teachers of the Education Leadership Oklahoma program
and services it provides to teachers seeking National Board
certification, emphasizing recruiting efforts toward teachers at
high-poverty schools, schools identified as in need of improvement
and in districts with the lowest percentage of teachers who have
achieved National Board certification; and
2. Ensure that all teachers seeking National Board
certification receive adequate information regarding the level of
commitment required to acquire National Board certification.
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D. The Commission shall select not more than one hundred
applicants to participate in the program each fiscal year for whom
the Commission shall pay up to One Thousand Eight Hundred Dollars
($1,800.00) per applicant of the National Board certification cost.
E. The Commission shall promulgate rules establishing a process
for accepting applications for the Education Leadership Oklahoma
program and for providing to applicants selected for the program up-
front payment of the National Board certification cost. If a
selected applicant who receives the up-front payment does not
fulfill all submission requirements for National Board certification
as established by the certification vendor within the maximum
allowable time frame, the applicant will be required to repay the
full amount of the component fees paid on his or her behalf, the
applicant shall repay the Commission the full amount paid by the
Commission pursuant to subsection D of this section. Subject to the
availability of funding, all selected applicants who do not receive
an up-front payment and successfully complete National Board
certification shall be reimbursed by the Commission for the National
Board certification cost. The total amount of reimbursement paid by
the Commission shall not exceed One Thousand Eight Hundred Dollars
($1,800.00) per applicant.
F. Subject to the availability of funding, all teachers seeking
initial National Board certification either through the Education
Leadership Oklahoma Scholarship program or paying their own way
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shall be eligible to participate in Education Leadership Oklahoma
mentoring for up to three (3) years to assist them in meeting the
requirements of the National Board certification process, free of
charge.
G. 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.
H. 1. The State Board of Education shall provide to teachers
who attained National Board certification prior to June 30, 2013, a
bonus in the amount of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) annually
over a ten-year period, to be paid no later than January 31 each
year. The Beginning July 1, 2026, the Board shall provide a bonus
in the amount of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) annually over a
five-year period, to be paid no later than January 31 each year to
any teacher who:
a. attains National Board certification after June 30,
2013, if the teacher was selected for the Education
Leadership Oklahoma program before June 30, 2013, or
the teacher has submitted an application for National
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Board certification to the National Board for
Professional Teaching Standards before June 30, 2013
July 1, 2026,
b. attained National Board certification before July 1,
2026, and was receiving a bonus in the amount of Five
Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) annually, for the
remaining time of the ten-year period, or
c. attained National Board certification before July 1,
2026, and was receiving an additional salary increment
pursuant to the minimum salary schedule in Section 18-
114.15 of this title, for the remaining time of the
ten-year period.
2. The teachers eligible to receive the annual bonus as
provided for in paragraph 1 of this subsection shall receive the
annual bonus for the ten-year five-year duration of their National
Board certification or for the remaining duration of their National
Board certification if the teachers attained National Board
certification before July 1, 2026, and has less than ten (10) years
remaining in their certification and so long as they 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. The bonus shall be funded by state dollars from the
lottery funds as provided for Section 713 of Title 3A and shall be
paid directly to eligible teachers through school districts.
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3. 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.
4. Teachers eligible to receive the annual bonus as provided
for in paragraph 1 of this subsection shall not be eligible to
receive the additional salary increment for National Board
certification as set forth in the minimum salary schedule in Section
18-114.15 of this title.
5. Teachers who attain National Board certification after June
30, 2013, shall be eligible to receive the additional salary
increments for National Board certification as set forth in the
minimum salary schedule in Section 18-114.15 of this title.
6. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules for a
process by which a National-Board-certified teacher will verify
that:
a. the National Board certification has not lapsed,
b. the teacher is still a full-time teacher, and
c. for teachers eligible for the bonus, the teacher has
not exceeded the limit of annual bonus payments as
provided for in paragraph 1 of this subsection.
I. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Oklahoma State
Regents for Higher Education incorporate the National Board
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certification portfolio development into all programs in education
leading to a master's level degree.
SECTION 2. AMENDATORY Section 1, Chapter 289, O.S.L.
2023, as last amended by Section 2, Chapter 480, O.S.L. 2025 (70
O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 18-114.15), is amended to read as follows:
Section 18-114.15. A. Beginning with the 2025-2026 2026-2027
school year, certified personnel, as defined in Section 26-103 of
this title, in the public schools of this state shall receive in
salary and/or fringe benefits not less than the amounts specified in
the following schedule:
MINIMUM SALARY SCHEDULE
National
Years of Bachelor's Board Master's Doctor's
Experience Degree Certification Degree Degree
0 $39,601 $40,759 $40,991 $42,381
1 $40,035 $41,193 $41,425 $42,815
2 $40,469 $41,628 $41,859 $43,249
3 $40,904 $42,062 $42,294 $43,684
4 $41,338 $42,496 $42,728 $44,118
5 $42,810 $43,968 $44,200 $45,590
6 $43,273 $44,432 $44,663 $46,054
7 $43,737 $44,895 $45,127 $46,517
8 $44,200 $45,358 $45,590 $46,980
9 $44,663 $45,822 $46,054 $47,444
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10 $46,684 $47,844 $48,568 $50,945
11 $47,177 $48,336 $49,061 $51,438
12 $47,670 $48,829 $49,554 $51,931
13 $48,162 $49,322 $50,047 $52,424
14 $48,655 $49,815 $50,539 $52,916
15 $50,167 $51,327 $52,052 $54,430
16 $50,660 $51,820 $52,545 $54,923
17 $51,153 $52,313 $53,038 $55,416
18 $51,646 $52,806 $53,531 $55,909
19 $52,139 $53,299 $54,024 $56,402
20 $52,652 $53,813 $54,538 $56,917
21 $53,145 $54,306 $55,031 $57,410
22 $53,639 $54,799 $55,524 $57,903
23 $54,132 $55,292 $56,018 $58,397
24 $54,625 $55,785 $56,511 $58,890
25 $56,049 $57,232 $57,971 $60,395
26 $56,542 $57,725 $58,464 $60,888
27 $57,035 $58,218 $58,957 $61,381
28 $57,528 $58,711 $59,450 $61,874
29 $58,021 $59,204 $59,943 $62,367
30 $58,541 $59,724 $60,463 $62,887
31 $59,001 $60,184 $60,923 $63,347
32 $59,494 $60,677 $61,416 $63,840
33 $59,987 $61,170 $61,909 $64,333
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34 $60,480 $61,663 $62,402 $64,826
35 $60,973 $62,156 $62,895 $65,319
Master's Degree +
Years of National Board
Experience Certification
0 $42,149
1 $42,583
2 $43,018
3 $43,452
4 $43,886
5 $45,358
6 $45,822
7 $46,285
8 $46,749
9 $47,212
10 $49,728
11 $50,221
12 $50,713
13 $51,206
14 $51,699
15 $53,212
16 $53,705
17 $54,198
18 $54,691
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19 $55,184
20 $55,698
21 $56,192
22 $56,685
23 $57,178
24 $57,671
25 $59,153
26 $59,646
27 $60,139
28 $60,632
29 $61,125
30 $61,645
31 $62,105
32 $62,598
33 $63,091
34 $63,584
35 $64,077
B. 1. When determining the minimum salary schedule, "fringe
benefits" shall mean all or part of retirement benefits, excluding
the contributions made pursuant to subsection A of Section 17-108.1
of this title and the flexible benefit allowance pursuant to Section
26-105 of this title from the flexible benefit allowance funds
disbursed by the State Board of Education and the State Board of
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Career and Technology Education pursuant to Section 26-104 of this
title.
2. If a school district intends to provide retirement benefits
to a teacher such that the teacher's salary would be less than the
amounts set forth in the minimum salary schedule specified in
subsection A of this section, the district shall be required to
provide written notification to the teacher prior to his or her
employment or, if already employed by the district, no later than
thirty (30) days prior to the date the district elects to provide
retirement benefits such that the teacher's salary would be less
than the minimum salary schedule.
C. Any of the degrees referred to in this section shall be from
a college recognized by the State Board of Education. The Board
shall accept teaching experience from out-of-state school districts
that are accredited by the State Board of Education or appropriate
state accrediting agency for the districts. The Board shall accept
teaching experience from out-of-country schools that are accredited
or otherwise endorsed by the appropriate national or regional
accrediting or endorsement authority. Out-of-country certification
documentation in a language other than English shall be analyzed by
an educational credential evaluation service in accordance with
industry standards and guidelines and approved by the State
Department of Education. The person seeking to have credit granted
for out-of-country teaching experience shall be responsible for all
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costs of the analysis by a credential evaluation service. The Board
shall accept teaching experience from primary and secondary schools
that are operated by the United States Department of Defense or are
affiliated with the United States Department of State.
D. For the purpose of state salary increments and retirement,
no teacher shall be granted credit for more than five (5) years of
active duty in the military service, as defined in Section 17-113 of
this title, or out-of-state or out-of-country teaching experience as
a certified teacher or its equivalent. Nothing in this section
shall prohibit boards of education from crediting more years of
experience on district salary schedules than those allowed for state
purposes.
E. The State Board of Education shall recognize, for purposes
of certification and salary increments, all the years of experience
of a:
1. Certified teacher who teaches in the educational program of
the Department of Corrections, beginning with fiscal year 1981;
2. Vocational rehabilitation counselor under the Department of
Human Services if the counselor was employed as a certified teacher
by the State Department of Education when the Division of Vocational
Rehabilitation was transferred from the State Board of Career and
Technology Education or the State Board of Education to the Oklahoma
Public Welfare Commission on July 1, 1968;
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3. Vocational rehabilitation counselor which were completed
while employed by the Department of Human Services if such counselor
was certified as a teacher or was eligible for certification as a
teacher in this state;
4. Certified teacher which were completed while employed by the
Child Study Center located at University Hospital, if the teacher
was certified as a teacher in this state; and
5. Certified school psychologist or psychometrist which were
completed while employed as a doctoral intern, psychological
assistant, or psychologist with any agency of this state if the
experience primarily involved work with persons of school- or
preschool-age and if the person was, at the time the experience was
acquired, certified as, or eligible for certification as, a school
psychologist or psychometrist.
F. The provisions of this section shall not apply to teachers
who have entered into postretirement employment with a public school
in this state and are still receiving a monthly retirement benefit.
G. Persons employed as classroom instructional employees of
technology center school districts supervised by the State Board of
Career and Technology Education shall receive a salary increase
amount equal to the amount indicated in subsection A of this section
for the step level indicated for the person, provided they remain
employed by the same technology center school district, unless the
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hours or the duties of the classroom instructional employees are
reduced proportionately.
H. Persons employed as correctional teachers or vocational
instructors by the Department of Corrections pursuant to Section
510.6a of Title 57 of the Oklahoma Statutes or persons employed as
teachers by the Office of Juvenile Affairs shall receive a salary
increase amount equal to the amount indicated in subsection A of
this section for the step level indicated for the person, provided
they remain employed by the same Department of Corrections or Office
of Juvenile Affairs facility, unless the hours or the duties of the
correctional teachers, vocational instructors, or teachers are
reduced proportionately.
I. Persons employed as teachers by the State Department of
Rehabilitation Services shall receive a salary increase amount equal
to the amount indicated in subsection A of this section for the step
level indicated for the person, provided they remain employed by the
State Department of Rehabilitation Services, unless the hours or the
duties of the teachers are reduced proportionately.
SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
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
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be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
60-2-15206 AQH 01/09/26