Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official PDF posted by the Oklahoma Legislature, fetched 2026-07-23. Page and line markers are part of the official record; nothing is edited or removed. The official bill page.
1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2 1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)
3 HOUSE BILL 2247 By: Waldron
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6 AS INTRODUCED
7 An Act relating to schools; creating a Technical
Assistance Center for Educational Excellence; stating
8 purpose of the Center; specifying Center duties;
requiring action plan for supporting students with
9 disabilities and new teachers; requiring professional
development; allowing certain groups to receive free
10 learning sessions; requiring publication of
professional development opportunities; mandating
11 Center hosting of annual conferences; requiring
certain school improvement facilitation goals;
12 allowing use of data from the State Department of
Education; mandating the Center create a website to
13 provide support materials; requiring compliance with
certain state plans; specifying authority of Center;
14 requiring staffing through third-party request for
proposals; mandating reporting to the Legislature;
15 allowing rule promulgation; providing for
codification; and providing an effective date.
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19 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
20 SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
21 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 13-120 of Title 70, unless there
22 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
23 A. There is hereby established a Technical Assistance Center
24 for Educational Excellence (TACEE) under the State Board of
Req. No. 11710 Page 1
1 Education. The purpose of TACEE shall be to support and build
2 capacity within schools to create learning environments across the
3 state that support all students, with a particular emphasis on
4 students with disabilities.
5 B. TACEE shall:
6 1. Ensure each child with a disability has access to
7 educational services, resources, and support;
8 2. Ensure educators and administrators have access to training,
9 resources, and support;
10 3. Assist students with disabilities in developing skills for
11 postsecondary education, employment, independent living, and full
12 participation within the community; and
13 4. Develop a statewide action plan that leverages key areas of
14 strength and identifies areas in need of enhancement specific to
15 supporting students with disabilities and new teachers in the field
16 of education.
17 C. 1. Professional development for educators and
18 administrators provided by TACEE shall include ongoing training and
19 coaching to support best practices in education including skills,
20 strategies, and approaches to the planning, instruction, and
21 assessment of students of all abilities. Particular focus shall be
22 given to the instruction of students with disabilities in general
23 education settings. Professional development may be provided
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Req. No. 11710 Page 2
1 virtually and shall include at least ten learning sessions annually
2 free of charge for each of the following groups:
3 a. general education teachers,
4 b. special education teachers,
5 c. school and district leaders,
6 d. paraprofessionals or teacher aides, and
7 e. physical education and special area teachers, such as
8 art, music, and language teachers.
9 2. TACEE shall publicize the availability of all professional
10 development sessions and shall conduct pre- and post-assessments to
11 gauge participant impact and identify areas of improvement.
12 D. TACEE shall host two annual conferences in geographically
13 diverse regions of the state each school year. The conferences
14 shall feature presentations from experts and school leaders who are
15 exemplars of best practices in Oklahoma schools.
16 E. School and district improvement facilitation provided by
17 TACEE shall aim to improve the quality of instruction for all
18 students, particularly for students with disabilities. TACEE shall
19 advertise the availability of change facilitation and shall provide
20 these services free of charge. TACEE may identify schools in need
21 of school and district improvement facilitation using data on least
22 restrictive environment placements from the State Department of
23 Education.
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Req. No. 11710 Page 3
1 F. TACEE shall develop a website for the dissemination of
2 materials, strategies, informational videos, lesson plans, or other
3 relevant materials to support educators and administrators on high
4 quality instruction for students with disabilities.
5 G. TACEE shall be in direct alignment with the State Plan for
6 P.L. No. 114-95, also known as the Every Student Succeeds Act
7 (ESSA), and the State Performance Plan/Annual Performance Report
8 (SPP/APR), which strongly promotes high quality education for all
9 students and specifically students with disabilities.
10 H. TACEE shall be under the direct administration of the State
11 Board of Education but shall be staffed by an outside entity
12 selected through a Request for Proposals (RFP). The RFP shall be
13 open to entities, including nonprofit organizations, located or
14 operating within the state and Oklahoma institutions of higher
15 education. Additional qualifications may be determined by the
16 Board.
17 I. On or before December 1 of each calendar year, the Board
18 shall electronically submit a report to the Speaker of the House of
19 Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Oklahoma State
20 Senate on TACEE, including but not limited to information on the
21 number of individuals and entities served and data on the
22 evaluations of the effectiveness of TACEE.
23 J. The Board may promulgate rules to implement the provisions
24 of this section.
Req. No. 11710 Page 4
1 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2025.
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3 60-1-11710 SW 01/07/25
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Req. No. 11710 Page 5Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.