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 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
3 HOUSE BILL 3022 By: Lowe
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6 AS INTRODUCED
7 An Act relating to education; amending 70 O.S. 2021,
Section 6-122.3, as last amended by Section 162,
8 Chapter 452, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section
6-122.3), which relates to adjunct teachers;
9 requiring adjunct teachers who do not hold valid
certificates to teach to meet certain requirements;
10 prohibiting employment as full-time or part-time
classroom teachers in certain core subject areas in
11 grades prekindergarten through six; requiring at
least a high school diploma; requiring the State
12 Board of Education to establish salary guidelines for
part-time adjunct teachers who do not hold valid
13 certificates to teach; providing an effective date;
and declaring an emergency.
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16 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
17 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 6-122.3, as
18 last amended by Section 162, Chapter 452, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp.
19 2025, Section 6-122.3), is amended to read as follows:
20 Section 6-122.3. A. The State Board of Education shall grant
21 an alternative placement teaching certificate to a person who makes
22 application to the Board and meets the following criteria:
23 1. a. holds at least a baccalaureate degree from an
24 institution whose accreditation is recognized by the
Req. No. 14013 Page 1
1 Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and has
2 attained a retention grade point average of not less
3 than 2.50 on a 4.0 scale, or
4 b. has successfully completed a terminal degree, such as
5 a doctorate of philosophy, a doctorate in education,
6 professional doctorates, a master of fine arts degree
7 or a master of library science degree, from an
8 institution accredited by a national or regional
9 accrediting agency which is recognized by the
10 Secretary of the United States Department of
11 Education. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
12 Education shall be consulted to verify other terminal
13 degrees, or
14 c. holds at least a baccalaureate degree from an
15 institution whose accreditation is recognized by the
16 Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and has
17 qualified work experience in a field that corresponds
18 to an area of certification as determined by the State
19 Board of Education, and
20 d. in addition to the requirements of subparagraphs a, b
21 and c of this paragraph, has demonstrated competency
22 or completed a major in a field that corresponds to an
23 area of specialization for an Elementary-Secondary
24 Certificate or a Secondary Certificate as determined
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1 by the State Board of Education or a vocational-
2 technical certificate as recommended by the Oklahoma
3 Department of Career and Technology Education;
4 2. Declares the intention to earn standard certification by
5 means of an alternative placement program in not more than three (3)
6 years. The State Board of Education shall determine the subject
7 matter and the number of clock or semester hours required for the
8 professional education component for each person making application
9 for an alternative placement teaching certificate based on the
10 criteria of paragraph 1 of this subsection.
11 The State Board of Education shall establish a core minimum of
12 six (6) semester hours or ninety (90) clock hours and a maximum of
13 eighteen (18) semester hours or two hundred seventy (270) clock
14 hours for the professional education component.
15 The requirements set forth in this subsection shall exclude all
16 student teaching requirements pursuant to the provisions of
17 subsection E of this section;
18 3. Has passed the subject area portion of the competency
19 examination required in Section 6-187 of this title in the area of
20 specialization for which certification is sought; and
21 4. Either presents a document from an accredited public school
22 district in this state offering employment in the area of
23 specialization for which certification is sought on condition that
24 the person enroll in an alternative placement program approved by
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1 the State Board of Education or declares the intention to seek
2 employment as a teacher at an accredited public school district in
3 this state. The certificate granted pursuant to this subsection
4 shall be considered a "valid certificate of qualification" for the
5 purposes of Sections 6-107 and 6-108 of this title, and the holder
6 of the certificate shall be considered an inductee for the purposes
7 of Section 6-195 of this title.
8 B. An alternative placement teaching certificate shall be
9 renewed for not more than a maximum of three (3) years upon
10 presentation of a document from an accredited public school district
11 in this state offering renewed employment in the same area of
12 specialization and a document from a teacher education institution
13 verifying satisfactory progress in an appropriate alternative
14 placement program.
15 C. Persons enrolled in an alternative placement program shall:
16 1. Have never been denied admittance to a teacher education
17 program approved by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education,
18 the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and by the
19 Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation to offer teacher
20 education programs, nor have enrolled in and subsequently failed
21 courses necessary to successfully meet the minimum requirements of
22 the program, except those persons who hold a certificate;
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1 2. Have on file with the director of teacher education at an
2 Oklahoma institution of higher education a plan for meeting standard
3 certification requirements within three (3) years; and
4 3. Participate in an induction program as required in Section
5 6-195 of this title and have the same duties and responsibilities as
6 other inductees.
7 D. The State Board of Education may grant an exception to the
8 requirements for certification and, upon demonstration by an
9 individual of specific competency in the subject area of
10 specialization, may grant a certificate to the individual. The
11 State Board may establish other requirements necessary to grant
12 exceptions.
13 E. The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
14 Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability, may grant an
15 exception to the requirement to complete a subject area examination
16 for initial certification in a field which does not require an
17 advanced degree pursuant to this section if the candidate has an
18 advanced degree in a subject that is substantially comparable to the
19 content assessed on a subject area examination. The degree shall be
20 from an institution accredited by a national or regional accrediting
21 agency which is recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department
22 of Education. The Commission shall provide the Board with the
23 necessary information to determine comparability.
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1 F. Student teaching and a prestudent teaching field experience
2 shall not be required of alternative placement program participants
3 for standard certification.
4 G. 1. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules
5 authorizing adjunct teachers who shall be persons with distinguished
6 qualifications in their field. Adjunct teachers shall not be
7 required to meet standard certification. A person employed as an
8 adjunct teacher pursuant to this subsection who does not hold a
9 valid certificate to teach shall not be considered a teacher as
10 defined by Section 1-116 of this title.
11 2. A person employed as an adjunct teacher who does not hold a
12 valid certificate to teach shall:
13 a. not serve as a full-time or part-time classroom
14 teacher for core subject areas, to include math,
15 science, English language arts, and social sciences,
16 in grades prekindergarten through six in district-run
17 public schools or public charter schools, and
18 b. hold at least a high school diploma.
19 3. The State Board of Education shall establish salary
20 guidelines for persons serving as part-time adjunct teachers who do
21 not hold valid certificates to teach.
22 H. Each teacher education institution shall provide the
23 Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation an annual report of
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1 information as specified by the Commission regarding participation
2 in the alternative placement programs offered by the institution.
3 I. The Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation shall not
4 accredit, renew the accreditation of, or otherwise approve any
5 teacher education program of any institution of higher education in
6 this state that has not implemented alternative placement programs
7 in at least four areas of specialization including mathematics,
8 science and a foreign language. Each institution shall allow
9 individuals who meet the criteria of subsections A and C of this
10 section to be:
11 1. Admitted to an alternative placement program without further
12 qualification; and
13 2. Offered the opportunity to complete the requirements for
14 standard certification set forth in subsection A of this section
15 during the summer preceding and the summer following the first year
16 of teaching with an alternative placement teaching certificate. Any
17 person seeking standard certification through an alternative
18 placement program shall be permitted to take necessary courses
19 during regular semesters if offered.
20 J. The criteria specified in subsection I of this section can
21 be met through a cooperative arrangement entered into by two or more
22 institutions of higher education.
23 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
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1 SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
2 of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
3 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
4 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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6 60-2-14013 AQH 01/08/26
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Req. No. 14013 Page 8Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.