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SB703 • 2026

Teachers; allowing a micro-credential to fulfill certain requirements for renewal of standard teaching certificate. Effective date. Emergency.

Teachers; allowing a micro-credential to fulfill certain requirements for renewal of standard teaching certificate. Effective date. Emergency.

Education
Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
Reinhardt
Last action
2025-02-20
Official status
Coauthored by Senator Paxton
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Teachers; allowing a micro-credential to fulfill certain requirements for renewal of standard teaching certificate. Effective date. Emergency.

Teachers; allowing a micro-credential to fulfill certain requirements for renewal of standard teaching certificate.

What This Bill Does

  • Teachers; allowing a micro-credential to fulfill certain requirements for renewal of standard teaching certificate.
  • Effective date.
  • Emergency.
  • Bill Summaries/Fiscal Impact for SB 703 (Senate): Introduced (1/15/2025) Fiscal Impact Statements For SB 703 (Senate): SB703 INT FI.PDF (Fiscal (Senate))

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2025-02-20 Senate

    Remove as author Senator Paxton; authored by Senator Reinhardt

  2. 2025-02-20 Senate

    Coauthored by Senator Paxton

  3. 2025-02-04 Senate

    Second Reading referred to Education

  4. 2025-02-03 Senate

    First Reading

  5. 2025-02-03 Senate

    Authored by Senator Paxton

Official Summary Text

Teachers; allowing a micro-credential to fulfill certain requirements for renewal of standard teaching certificate. Effective date. Emergency.
Bill Summaries/Fiscal Impact for SB 703 (Senate): Introduced (1/15/2025)
Fiscal Impact Statements For SB 703 (Senate): SB703 INT FI.PDF (Fiscal (Senate))

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
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STATE OF OKLAHOMA

1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)

SENATE BILL 703 By: Paxton

AS INTRODUCED

An Act relating to teachers; amending 70 O.S. 2021,
Section 6-154.1, which relates to renewal of standard
teaching certificates; updating statutory language;
allowing a micro-credential to fulfill certain
renewal requirements; directing the State Department
of Education, in certain collaboration, to identify
certain micro-credentials; providing for
authorization of certain micro-credential providers;
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 6-154.1, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 6-154.1. A. The State Board of Education shall
promulgate rules by which a person who holds a valid Oklahoma
Standard Teaching Certificate standard teaching certificate may
satisfy requirements for renewal of the Standard Teaching
Certificate standard teaching certificate by completing staff
development programs, a micro-credential, conferences, and seminars
in lieu of teaching experience or higher education credits required
by the State Board of Education for certificate renewal. Only

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programs, micro-credentials, conferences, and seminars recognized
for staff development credit by an Oklahoma a public school district
in this state at the time the teacher attends the program,
conference, or seminar or completes the micro-credential may be used
to fulfill requirements under this section. The State Board of
Education shall not require more staff development credit to be
earned for certificate renewal than the Board requires teachers and
administrators to earn pursuant to Section 6-158 of Title 70 of the
Oklahoma Statutes.
B. The State Department of Education, in collaboration with the
Office of Educational Quality and Accountability, shall identify
micro-credentials that may be used to fulfill the renewal
requirements provided for in subsection A of this section. Micro-
credentials identified pursuant to this subsection may be provided
by institutions of higher education within The Oklahoma State System
of Higher Education and providers and digital learning platforms
approved by the Department.
C. District School district boards of education may charge a
reasonable fee for a holder of a valid Oklahoma Standard Teaching
Certificate standard teaching certificate who is not employed as a
teacher or administrator in an Oklahoma a public school in this
state to attend district-sponsored staff development programs or
seminars.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.

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SECTION 3. 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.

60-1-1449 EB 1/19/2025 5:41:41 AM