Read the full stored bill text
An Act
ENROLLED HOUSE
BILL NO. 4427 By: Hilbert, Pogemiller,
Provenzano, Waldron, and
Ranson of the House
and
Seifried of the Senate
An Act relating to teachers; amending Section 1,
Chapter 210, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section
6-122.12), which relates to an annual report on
adjunct teachers; allowing public school districts to
employ adjunct teachers who meet certain criteria;
directing the State Board of Education to promulgate
rules providing certain qualifications for adjunct
teachers; prohibiting adjunct teachers from teaching
certain subjects in certain grades beginning in
certain school year; allowing a district to apply to
the Board for certain waiver to continue certain
employment; providing eligibility for waiver;
prohibiting districts from employing an adjunct
teacher for more than certain time period beginning
in certain school year; providing for waiver
application; allowing the Board to grant a waiver for
certain time period; prohibiting certain adjunct
teacher from being considered certain teacher;
updating statutory reference; updating statutory
language; 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. 2025, Section 6-122.3), which relates
to alternative certification; removing language
directing the Board to promulgate certain rules;
updating statutory language; and providing an
effective date.
SUBJECT: Teachers
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
ENR. H. B. NO. 4427 Page 2
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY Section 1, Chapter 210, O.S.L.
2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 6-122.12), is amended to read as
follows:
Section 6-122.12. A. Public school districts in this state may
employ adjunct teachers who have a minimum of a high school diploma
and are persons with distinguished qualifications in their field.
The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules providing
distinguished qualifications for adjunct teachers.
B. 1. Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, adjunct
teachers shall be prohibited from teaching core curriculum subjects
including, but not limited to, mathematics, English language arts,
science, and social studies in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade.
2. If an adjunct teacher was employed by a public school
district to teach a core curriculum subject in pre-kindergarten
through fifth grade prior to the 2027-2028 school year, the public
school district may apply to the State Board of Education for a
waiver to continue the adjunct teacher’s employment. To be eligible
for a waiver, the adjunct teacher shall be required to complete or
shall have completed professional development training in the
science of reading provided by the State Department of Education.
If the Board grants the waiver, the public school district may
continue to employ the adjunct teacher to teach core curriculum
subjects in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade, subject to the
limitation provided for in subsection C of this section.
C. Beginning with the 2027-2028 school year, public school
districts shall be prohibited from employing an adjunct teacher for
more than five (5) years unless the employing public school district
applies to the State Board of Education for a waiver. The State
Department of Education shall develop a waiver application, which
shall include a requirement to submit the adjunct teacher’s
distinguished qualifications. The Board may grant a waiver allowing
the adjunct teacher to be employed for an additional five (5) years.
D. A person employed as an adjunct teacher pursuant to this
section who does not hold a valid certificate to teach shall not be
considered a teacher as defined by Section 1-116 of this title.
E. The State Department of Education shall publish an annual
report on the status of adjunct teachers, authorized by Section 6-
ENR. H. B. NO. 4427 Page 3
122.3 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes this title, in this
state. The report shall include:
1. Qualifications adopted by the State Board of Education to
determine eligibility of adjunct teacher candidates;
2. The subject areas or courses in which adjunct teachers are
teaching; and
3. The types of distinguished qualifications adjunct teachers
have to make them qualified to teach in certain subject areas or
courses.
B. F. The annual report shall be published on the website of
the State Department of Education and copies of the report shall be
provided to elected members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
and the Oklahoma State Senate no later than January 15 of each year.
SECTION 2. 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.
2025, 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
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 Secretary 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
ENR. H. B. NO. 4427 Page 4
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, or 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-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 F 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
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” valid
certificate of qualification for the purposes of Sections 6-107 and
ENR. H. B. NO. 4427 Page 5
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 Higher
Learning Commission, and by the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher
Preparation Educational Quality and Accountability 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 in this state a plan for
meeting standard certification requirements within three (3) years;
and
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
ENR. H. B. NO. 4427 Page 6
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 United States 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 pre-student teaching field
experience shall not be required of alternative placement program
participants for standard certification.
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 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 Educational Quality and
Accountability an annual report of information as specified by the
Commission regarding participation in the alternative placement
programs offered by the institution.
I. H. The Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation
Educational Quality and Accountability 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
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.
ENR. H. B. NO. 4427 Page 7
J. I. The criteria specified in subsection I H of this section
can may be met through a cooperative arrangement entered into by two
or more institutions of higher education.
SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026.
ENR. H. B. NO. 4427 Page 8
Passed the House of Representatives the 6th day of May, 2026.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the 29th day of April, 2026.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Received by the Office of the Governor this ____________________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________
Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma this _________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
_________________________________
Governor of the State of Oklahoma
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________