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1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
3 HOUSE BILL 3023 By: Lowe (Dick)
4
5
6
7 AS INTRODUCED
8 An Act relating to the Strong Readers Act; amending
70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.508C, as last amended by
9 Section 2, Chapter 297, O.S.L. 2025 (70 O.S. Supp.
2025, Section 1210.508C), which relates to reading
10 screenings; clarifying reading deficiency
applicability; requiring two reading screening
11 instruments; eliminating reference to beginning of
year screenings; reducing time for intervention plan
12 implementation and reporting; prohibiting reading
intervention during certain core instructional time;
13 requiring tailored reading intervention; adding
member of the Reading Proficiency Team; requiring bi-
14 weekly reporting; requiring the State Department of
Education to set certain benchmarks; prohibiting
15 certain digital instruction; allowing retired
teachers to contract as literacy coaches; providing
16 retention, tutoring, and re-screening options for
first and second grade students; requiring the
17 Reading Proficiency Team to make retention
determination for first and second grade students;
18 mandating retention for third grade students who do
not meet certain benchmarks; providing exceptions;
19 providing tutoring and summer academy options for
certain third grade students; amending 70 O.S. 2021,
20 Section 6-122.3, as last amended by Section 162,
Chapter 452, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section
21 6-122.3), which relates to alternative placement
teaching certificates; prohibiting adjunct teachers
22 from teaching in certain subjects in kindergarten
through sixth grade; prohibiting adjuncts from
23 teaching in schools that do not meet certain
proficiency criteria in numeracy and literacy;
24
Req. No. 14012 Page 1
1 providing an effective date; and declaring an
emergency.
2
3
4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
5 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.508C,
6 as last amended by Section 2, Chapter 297, O.S.L. 2025 (70 O.S.
7 Supp. 2025, Section 1210.508C), is amended to read as follows:
8 Section 1210.508C. A. To identify students who have a reading
9 deficiency or characteristics of dyslexia that lead to or cause
10 reading difficulty, each student enrolled in kindergarten and first,
11 second, and third grade in a public school in this state shall be
12 screened at the beginning, middle, and end of each school year for
13 reading skills including, but not limited to, phonological
14 awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. A
15 screening instrument approved by the State Board of Education, in
16 consultation with the Commission for Educational Quality and
17 Accountability and the Secretary of Education, shall be utilized for
18 the purposes of this section. In determining which screening
19 instrument to approve, the State Board of Education, the Commission
20 for Educational Quality and Accountability, and the Secretary of
21 Education shall take into consideration at a minimum the following
22 factors:
23 1. The time required to conduct the screening instrument with
24 the intention of minimizing the impact on instructional time;
Req. No. 14012 Page 2
1 2. The timeliness in reporting screening instrument results to
2 teachers, administrators, and parents and legal guardians of
3 students; and
4 3. The integration of the screening instrument into reading
5 curriculum.
6 B. Beginning in the 2025-2026 school year, the State Board of
7 Education shall approve no fewer than three two screening
8 instruments for use at the beginning, middle, and end of the school
9 year for monitoring of progress and for measurement of reading
10 skills as required in subsection A of this section. The screening
11 instruments shall meet the following criteria:
12 1. Assess for phonological awareness, decoding, fluency,
13 vocabulary, and comprehension;
14 2. Document the validity and reliability of each assessment;
15 3. Can be used for identifying students who are at risk for
16 reading deficiency and progress monitoring throughout the school
17 year;
18 4. Can be used to assess students with disabilities and English
19 language learners; and
20 5. Accompanied by a data management system that provides
21 profiles of each student, class, grade level, and school building.
22 The profiles shall identify each student's instructional point of
23 need and reading achievement level. The State Board shall also
24
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1 determine other comparable reading assessments for diagnostic
2 purposes to be used for students at risk of reading failure.
3 C. 1. Exemptions to the screening requirements of this section
4 may be provided to students who have documented evidence that they
5 meet at least one of the following criteria as related to the
6 provision of classroom instruction:
7 a. the student participates in the Oklahoma Alternate
8 Assessment Program (OAAP) and is taught using
9 alternate methods,
10 b. the student's primary expressive or receptive
11 communication is sign language,
12 c. the student's primary form of written or read text is
13 Braille, or
14 d. the student's primary expressive or receptive language
15 is not English, the student is identified as an
16 English learner using a state-approved identification
17 assessment, and the student has had less than one (1)
18 school year of instruction in an English-learner
19 program.
20 2. A public school that grants an exemption pursuant to
21 paragraph 1 of this subsection shall provide ongoing evidence of
22 student progression toward English language acquisition with the
23 same frequency as administration of screening assessments. Evidence
24 may include, but not be limited to, student progression toward OAAP
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1 reading essential elements, proficiency in sign language and reading
2 comprehension, and proficiency in Braille and reading comprehension.
3 D. 1. Students who are administered a screening instrument
4 pursuant to subsection A of this section and are found not to be
5 meeting grade-level targets shall be provided a program of reading
6 instruction designed to enable students to acquire the appropriate
7 grade-level reading skills. The program of reading instruction
8 shall be based on scientific reading research and align with the
9 subject matter standards adopted by the State Board of Education. A
10 program of reading instruction shall include:
11 a. sufficient additional in-school instructional time for
12 the acquisition of phonological awareness, decoding,
13 fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension,
14 b. if necessary and if funding is available, tutorial
15 instruction after regular school hours, on Saturdays,
16 and during summer; however, such instruction may not
17 be counted toward the one-hundred-eighty-day or one-
18 thousand-eighty-hour school year required in Section
19 1-109 of this title,
20 c. assessments identified for diagnostic purposes and
21 periodic monitoring to measure the acquisition of
22 reading skills including, but not limited to,
23 phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary,
24
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1 and comprehension, as identified in the student's
2 program of reading instruction,
3 d. high-quality instructional materials grounded in
4 scientifically based reading research, and
5 e. a means of providing every family of a student in
6 prekindergarten, kindergarten, and first, second, and
7 third grade access to free online evidence-based
8 literacy instruction resources to support the
9 student's literacy development at home.
10 2. A student enrolled in kindergarten or first, second, or
11 third grade who exhibits a deficiency in reading at any time based
12 on the screening instrument administered pursuant to subsection A of
13 this section shall receive an individual reading intervention plan
14 no later than thirty (30) fifteen (15) days after the identification
15 of the deficiency in reading. The reading intervention plan shall
16 be provided in addition to core reading instruction that is provided
17 to all students. The reading intervention plan shall:
18 a. describe the research-based reading intervention
19 services the student will receive to remedy the
20 deficiency in reading,
21 b. provide explicit and systematic instruction in
22 phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary,
23 and comprehension, as applicable, provided such
24 instruction shall not take place during the
Req. No. 14012 Page 6
1 instructional time for mathematics or other core
2 tested subjects,
3 c. monitor the reading progress of each student's reading
4 skills throughout the school year and adjust
5 instruction according to the student's needs and the
6 deficiencies identified by the screening instrument
7 described in subsection A of this section.
8 Instruction shall be specifically tailored and not
9 based on generic grade targets or standards, and
10 d. continue until the student is determined to be meeting
11 grade-level targets in reading based on screening
12 instruments administered pursuant to subsection A of
13 this section or assessments identified for diagnostic
14 purposes and periodic monitoring pursuant to
15 subparagraph c of paragraph 1 of this subsection.
16 3. The reading intervention plan for each student identified
17 with a deficiency in reading shall be developed by a Student Reading
18 Proficiency Team and shall include supplemental instructional
19 services and supports. Each team shall be composed of:
20 a. the parent or legal guardian of the student,
21 b. the teacher assigned to the student who had
22 responsibility for reading instruction in that
23 academic year,
24
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1 c. a teacher who is responsible for reading instruction
2 and is assigned to teach in the next grade level of
3 the student, and
4 d. a certified reading specialist or an individual with
5 advanced training or specialization in literacy
6 instruction, if one is available, and
7 e. the school principal or vice principal.
8 4. A school district shall notify the parent or legal guardian
9 of any student in kindergarten or first, second, or third grade who
10 exhibits a deficiency in reading at any time based on the screening
11 instrument administered pursuant to subsection A of this section.
12 The notification shall occur no later than thirty (30) fifteen (15)
13 days after the identification of the deficiency in reading. Parents
14 of students who receive a reading intervention plan shall be
15 notified every two (2) weeks of the student's progress and ongoing
16 goals. Such bi-weekly updates shall include home support
17 suggestions.
18 5. The State Board of Education in consultation with the
19 Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability shall annually
20 define and set benchmarks that align with screening instrument
21 results to identify intervention tiers within a reading intervention
22 plan. Such benchmarks shall include proficient, basic, below basic,
23 and deficient.
24
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1 6. Reading intervention shall not be provided solely by digital
2 technology. Reading intervention shall include a majority of direct
3 instruction from a teacher, specialist, or literacy coach and shall
4 be led by a teacher or specialist trained in the science of reading.
5 7. Retired teachers shall be permitted to contract with the
6 State Department of Education as literacy coaches for purposes of
7 assisting students in accordance with their reading intervention
8 plans.
9 E. 1. Every school district shall adopt and implement a
10 district strong readers plan which has had input from school
11 administrators, teachers, and parents and legal guardians and if
12 possible a reading specialist, and which shall be submitted
13 electronically to and approved by the State Board of Education. The
14 plan shall be updated annually. School districts shall not be
15 required to electronically submit the annual updates to the Board if
16 the last plan submitted to the Board was approved and expenditures
17 for the program include only expenses relating to individual and
18 small group tutoring, purchase of and training in the use of
19 screening and assessment measures, summer school programs, and
20 Saturday school programs. If any expenditure for the program is
21 deleted or changed or any other type of expenditure for the program
22 is implemented, the school district shall be required to submit the
23 latest annual update to the Board for approval. The district strong
24 readers plan shall include a plan for each site which includes an
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1 analysis of the data provided by the Oklahoma School Testing Program
2 and other reading assessments utilized as required in this section,
3 and which outlines how each school site will comply with the
4 provisions of the Strong Readers Act.
5 2. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules for the
6 implementation and evaluation of the provisions of the Strong
7 Readers Act. The evaluation shall include, but not be limited to,
8 an analysis of the data required in subsection L of this section.
9 F. 1. Any first-grade, second-grade, or third-grade student
10 who demonstrates proficiency in reading through a grade-level
11 appropriate screening instrument approved pursuant to subsection B
12 of this section shall not require a program of reading instruction
13 or an individual reading intervention plan. After a student has
14 demonstrated proficiency through a screening instrument, the
15 district shall provide notification to the parent or legal guardian
16 of the student that he or she has satisfied the requirements of the
17 Strong Readers Act. The district shall continue to monitor the
18 student in the next successive grade level to ensure he or she
19 maintains proficiency.
20 2. Beginning with the 2025-2026 school year, if a third-grade
21 student is identified at any point of the academic year as having a
22 significant reading deficiency, which shall be defined as not
23 meeting grade-level targets on a screening instrument administered
24 pursuant to subsection A of this section, the district shall provide
Req. No. 14012 Page 10
1 the student with intensive intervention services for the appropriate
2 amount of the instructional day consistent with the individual
3 reading intervention plan developed pursuant to paragraph 2 of
4 subsection D of this section and as determined by the Student
5 Reading Proficiency Team. Intensive intervention services shall
6 continue until the student demonstrates proficiency at his or her
7 grade level based on a screening instrument administered pursuant to
8 subsection A of this section.
9 G. 1. a. If a first grade student has not met a proficient
10 benchmark, as defined by the State Department of
11 Education in accordance with paragraph 5 of subsection
12 D of this section, by either the mid-year or end-of-
13 year screening, the student's Reading Proficiency Team
14 shall meet prior to the end of the school year to
15 discuss retention of the student. Retention under
16 this paragraph shall be optional and based upon the
17 recommendations of at least five members of the
18 student's Reading Proficiency Team.
19 b. If the student is not retained in the first grade, the
20 student's family shall be provided with a summer
21 tutoring program and shall be scheduled for a re-
22 screening prior to the start of the subsequent school
23 year. The State Department of Education shall approve
24 one to two online or workbook-based summer tutoring
Req. No. 14012 Page 11
1 programs for use by students under this paragraph.
2 School districts shall also provide the student's
3 parents with a list of summer literacy programs
4 available if a summer academy as described in Section
5 1210.508E of this title is not offered by the school
6 district.
7 c. If the student's Reading Proficiency team determines
8 that retention of the student in the first grade is
9 necessary, the student shall be permitted to re-screen
10 prior to the start of the subsequent school year on a
11 date determined by school personnel if the re-
12 screening is requested by the student's parent, at
13 least five members of the student's Reading
14 Proficiency Team agree to the re-screening, and a
15 reasonable time has been provided for summer
16 remediation. After reviewing the results of a
17 student's re-screening, the Reading Proficiency Team
18 shall redetermine if retention is appropriate.
19 2. a. If a second grade student has not met a proficient
20 benchmark, as defined by the State Department of
21 Education in accordance with paragraph 5 of subsection
22 D of this section, by the end-of-year screening, the
23 student's Reading Proficiency Team shall meet prior to
24 the end of the school year to discuss retention of the
Req. No. 14012 Page 12
1 student. If the second grade student previously met
2 the mid-year screening proficiency benchmark and has
3 shown growth for the remainder of the year, the
4 Reading Proficiency Team may consider the student's
5 growth in their retention determination. Retention
6 under this paragraph shall be optional and based upon
7 the recommendations of at least five members of the
8 student's Reading Proficiency Team.
9 b. If the student is not retained in the second grade,
10 the student's family shall be provided with a summer
11 tutoring program and shall be scheduled for a re-
12 screening prior to the start of the subsequent school
13 year. The State Department of Education shall approve
14 one to two online or workbook-based summer tutoring
15 programs for use by students under this paragraph.
16 School districts shall also provide the student's
17 parents with a list of summer literacy programs
18 available if a summer academy as described in Section
19 1210.508E of this title is not offered by the school
20 district.
21 c. If the student's Reading Proficiency Team determines
22 that retention of the student in the second grade is
23 necessary, the student shall be permitted to re-screen
24 prior to the start of the subsequent school year on a
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1 date determined by school personnel if the re-
2 screening is requested by the student's parent, at
3 least five members of the student's Reading
4 Proficiency Team agree to the re-screening, and a
5 reasonable time has been provided for summer
6 remediation. After reviewing the results of a
7 student's re-screening, the Reading Proficiency Team
8 shall redetermine if retention is appropriate.
9 3. a. If a third grade student has not met a proficient
10 benchmark, as defined by the State Department of
11 Education in accordance with paragraph 5 of subsection
12 D of this section, by the end-of-year screening, the
13 student's Reading Proficiency Team shall meet prior to
14 the end of the school year to discuss retention of the
15 student. Retention under this paragraph shall be
16 mandatory unless at least five members of the
17 student's Reading Proficiency Team recommend the
18 student move to fourth grade and one of the following
19 exceptions are met:
20 (1) the student has an Individual Education Plan or a
21 Section 504 plan,
22 (2) the student has a medical exemption such as a
23 severe illness or family emergency that did not
24
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1 allow for adequate screening or classwork
2 completion, or
3 (3) the student was previously retained and has shown
4 an eighty percent (80%) improvement in grade
5 level work over their third grade year.
6 b. If the student is not retained in the third grade, the
7 student's family shall be provided with a summer
8 tutoring program and shall be scheduled for a re-
9 screening prior to the start of the subsequent school
10 year. The State Department of Education shall approve
11 one to two online or workbook-based summer tutoring
12 programs for use by students under this paragraph.
13 School districts shall also provide the student's
14 parents with a list of summer literacy programs
15 available if a summer academy as described in Section
16 1210.508E of this title is not offered by the school
17 district.
18 H. Each school district shall annually report in an electronic
19 format to the State Department of Education, the Office of
20 Educational Quality and Accountability, and the Secretary of
21 Education the number of students in kindergarten through third grade
22 per grade level who exhibit grade-level reading proficiency, the
23 number of students per grade level who received intensive
24 intervention services pursuant to paragraph 2 of subsection F of
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1 this section, the number of students per grade level who attended a
2 summer academy as provided for in Section 1210.508E of this title,
3 the number of students per grade level who exhibited improved
4 reading proficiency after completion of intensive intervention
5 services, and the number of students per grade level who are still
6 in need of intensive intervention services. The State Department of
7 Education shall publicly report the aggregate and district-specific
8 numbers submitted pursuant to this subsection on its website and
9 shall provide electronic copies of the report to the Governor,
10 Secretary of Education, President Pro Tempore of the Senate, Speaker
11 of the House of Representatives, and to the respective chairs of the
12 committees with responsibility for common education policy in each
13 legislative chamber.
14 H. I. The parent of any student who is found to have a reading
15 deficiency and is not meeting grade-level reading targets and has
16 been provided a program of reading instruction as provided for in
17 paragraph 1 of subsection D of this section shall be notified in
18 writing of the following:
19 1. That the student has been identified as having a substantial
20 deficiency in reading;
21 2. A description of the current services that are provided to
22 the student pursuant to subsection D of this section;
23 3. A description of the proposed intensive intervention
24 services and supports that will be provided to the student that are
Req. No. 14012 Page 16
1 designed to remediate the identified area of reading deficiency as
2 provided for in paragraph 2 of subsection F of this section;
3 4. That a student who is promoted to the fourth grade shall
4 receive supplemental intensive intervention services;
5 5. Strategies for parents to use in helping their child succeed
6 in reading proficiency; and
7 6. The grade-level performance scores of the student.
8 I. J. No student may be assigned to a grade level based solely
9 on age or other factors that constitute social promotion.
10 J. K. 1. Each school district board of education shall
11 annually publish on the school website and report electronically to
12 the State Department of Education, the Office of Educational Quality
13 and Accountability, and the Secretary of Education by September 1 of
14 each year the following information on the prior school year:
15 a. the policies and procedures adopted by the school
16 district board of education to implement the
17 provisions of this section. The information submitted
18 shall include expenditures related to implementing the
19 provisions of this section, the number of staff
20 implementing the provisions of this section, and
21 average daily classroom time devoted to implementing
22 the provisions of this section,
23 b. by grade, the number and percentage of all students in
24 kindergarten through third grade who did not meet
Req. No. 14012 Page 17
1 grade-level targets based on a screening instrument
2 administered pursuant to subsection A of this section,
3 c. by grade, the number and percentage of all students in
4 kindergarten through third grade who have been
5 enrolled in the district for fewer than two (2) years,
6 d. by grade, the number and percentage of students in
7 kindergarten through third grade who demonstrated
8 grade-level proficiency based on a screening
9 instrument administered pursuant to subsection A of
10 this section, and
11 e. by grade, the number and percentage of students in
12 kindergarten through third grade who are on an
13 individualized education program (IEP) in accordance
14 with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
15 (IDEA) and who demonstrated grade-level proficiency
16 based on a screening instrument administered pursuant
17 to subsection A of this section or an alternative
18 assessment prescribed by the student's IEP.
19 2. The State Department of Education shall establish a uniform
20 format for school districts to report the information required in
21 this subsection. The format shall be developed with input from
22 school districts and shall be provided not later than ninety (90)
23 days prior to the annual due date. The Department shall annually
24 compile the information required, along with state-level summary
Req. No. 14012 Page 18
1 information, and electronically report the information to the
2 public, the Governor, the Secretary of Education, the President Pro
3 Tempore of the Senate, and the Speaker of the House of
4 Representatives.
5 K. L. The State Department of Education shall provide technical
6 assistance as needed to aid school districts in administering the
7 provisions of the Strong Readers Act.
8 L. M. On or before January 31 of each year, the State
9 Department of Education shall electronically submit to the Governor,
10 the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, the Speaker of the House of
11 Representatives, and members of the committees with responsibility
12 over common education in both houses of the Legislature a Strong
13 Readers Report which shall include, but is not limited to, trend
14 data detailing three (3) years of data, disaggregated by student
15 subgroups to include economically disadvantaged, major racial or
16 ethnic groups, students with disabilities, and English language
17 learners, as appropriate for the following:
18 1. The statewide aggregate number and percentage of students in
19 kindergarten through third grade determined to be at risk for
20 reading difficulties compared to the total number of students
21 enrolled in each grade;
22 2. The statewide aggregate number and percentage of students in
23 kindergarten who continue to be at risk for reading difficulties as
24
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1 determined by the year-end administration of the screening
2 instrument required in subsection A of this section;
3 3. The statewide aggregate number and percentage of students in
4 kindergarten through third grade who have successfully completed
5 their program of reading instruction and are reading on grade level
6 as determined by the results of screening instruments administered
7 pursuant to subsection A of this section;
8 4. The statewide aggregate and district-specific number and
9 percentage of students that meet or do not meet grade-level targets
10 for reading based on screening instruments administered pursuant to
11 subsection A of this section;
12 5. The amount of funds received by each district for
13 implementation of the Strong Readers Act;
14 6. An evaluation and narrative interpretation of the report
15 data analyzing the impact of the Strong Readers Act on students'
16 ability to read at grade level;
17 7. The type of reading instruction practices and methods
18 currently being used by school districts in the state;
19 8. Socioeconomic information, access to reading resources
20 outside of school, and screening for and identification of learning
21 disabilities for students not reading at the appropriate grade level
22 in kindergarten and first through third grade;
23 9. By grade level, the types of intensive intervention efforts
24 being conducted by school districts for students who are not on an
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1 IEP and who are not reading at the appropriate grade level and for
2 students who are on an IEP and who are not reading at the
3 appropriate grade level; and
4 10. Any recommendations for improvements or amendments to the
5 Strong Readers Act.
6 The State Department of Education may contract with an
7 independent entity for the reporting and analysis requirements of
8 this subsection.
9 M. N. Copies of the results of the screening instruments
10 administered pursuant to subsection A of this section shall be made
11 a part of the permanent record of each student.
12 SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 6-122.3, as
13 last amended by Section 162, Chapter 452, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp.
14 2025, Section 6-122.3), is amended to read as follows:
15 Section 6-122.3. A. The State Board of Education shall grant
16 an alternative placement teaching certificate to a person who makes
17 application to the Board and meets the following criteria:
18 1. a. holds at least a baccalaureate degree from an
19 institution whose accreditation is recognized by the
20 Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and has
21 attained a retention grade point average of not less
22 than 2.50 on a 4.0 scale, or
23 b. has successfully completed a terminal degree, such as
24 a doctorate of philosophy, a doctorate in education,
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1 professional doctorates, a master of fine arts degree
2 or a master of library science degree, from an
3 institution accredited by a national or regional
4 accrediting agency which is recognized by the
5 Secretary of the United States Department of
6 Education. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
7 Education shall be consulted to verify other terminal
8 degrees, or
9 c. holds at least a baccalaureate degree from an
10 institution whose accreditation is recognized by the
11 Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and has
12 qualified work experience in a field that corresponds
13 to an area of certification as determined by the State
14 Board of Education, and
15 d. in addition to the requirements of subparagraphs a, b
16 and c of this paragraph, has demonstrated competency
17 or completed a major in a field that corresponds to an
18 area of specialization for an Elementary-Secondary
19 Certificate or a Secondary Certificate as determined
20 by the State Board of Education or a vocational-
21 technical certificate as recommended by the Oklahoma
22 Department of Career and Technology Education;
23 2. Declares the intention to earn standard certification by
24 means of an alternative placement program in not more than three (3)
Req. No. 14012 Page 22
1 years. The State Board of Education shall determine the subject
2 matter and the number of clock or semester hours required for the
3 professional education component for each person making application
4 for an alternative placement teaching certificate based on the
5 criteria of paragraph 1 of this subsection.
6 The State Board of Education shall establish a core minimum of
7 six (6) semester hours or ninety (90) clock hours and a maximum of
8 eighteen (18) semester hours or two hundred seventy (270) clock
9 hours for the professional education component.
10 The requirements set forth in this subsection shall exclude all
11 student teaching requirements pursuant to the provisions of
12 subsection E of this section;
13 3. Has passed the subject area portion of the competency
14 examination required in Section 6-187 of this title in the area of
15 specialization for which certification is sought; and
16 4. Either presents a document from an accredited public school
17 district in this state offering employment in the area of
18 specialization for which certification is sought on condition that
19 the person enroll in an alternative placement program approved by
20 the State Board of Education or declares the intention to seek
21 employment as a teacher at an accredited public school district in
22 this state. The certificate granted pursuant to this subsection
23 shall be considered a "valid certificate of qualification" for the
24 purposes of Sections 6-107 and 6-108 of this title, and the holder
Req. No. 14012 Page 23
1 of the certificate shall be considered an inductee for the purposes
2 of Section 6-195 of this title.
3 B. An alternative placement teaching certificate shall be
4 renewed for not more than a maximum of three (3) years upon
5 presentation of a document from an accredited public school district
6 in this state offering renewed employment in the same area of
7 specialization and a document from a teacher education institution
8 verifying satisfactory progress in an appropriate alternative
9 placement program.
10 C. Persons enrolled in an alternative placement program shall:
11 1. Have never been denied admittance to a teacher education
12 program approved by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education,
13 the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and by the
14 Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation to offer teacher
15 education programs, nor have enrolled in and subsequently failed
16 courses necessary to successfully meet the minimum requirements of
17 the program, except those persons who hold a certificate;
18 2. Have on file with the director of teacher education at an
19 Oklahoma institution of higher education a plan for meeting standard
20 certification requirements within three (3) years; and
21 3. Participate in an induction program as required in Section
22 6-195 of this title and have the same duties and responsibilities as
23 other inductees.
24
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1 D. The State Board of Education may grant an exception to the
2 requirements for certification and, upon demonstration by an
3 individual of specific competency in the subject area of
4 specialization, may grant a certificate to the individual. The
5 State Board may establish other requirements necessary to grant
6 exceptions.
7 E. The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
8 Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability, may grant an
9 exception to the requirement to complete a subject area examination
10 for initial certification in a field which does not require an
11 advanced degree pursuant to this section if the candidate has an
12 advanced degree in a subject that is substantially comparable to the
13 content assessed on a subject area examination. The degree shall be
14 from an institution accredited by a national or regional accrediting
15 agency which is recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department
16 of Education. The Commission shall provide the Board with the
17 necessary information to determine comparability.
18 F. Student teaching and a prestudent teaching field experience
19 shall not be required of alternative placement program participants
20 for standard certification.
21 G. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules
22 authorizing adjunct teachers who shall be persons with distinguished
23 qualifications in their field. Adjunct teachers shall not be
24 required to meet standard certification. A person employed as an
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1 adjunct teacher pursuant to this subsection who does not hold a
2 valid certificate to teach shall not be considered a teacher as
3 defined by Section 1-116 of this title. Noncertified adjuncts shall
4 be prohibited from teaching in early childhood education,
5 mathematics, reading, and other core tested subjects in kindergarten
6 through sixth grade. Noncertified adjuncts shall be prohibited from
7 teaching in schools that do not meet numeracy and literacy
8 proficiency targets.
9 H. Each teacher education institution shall provide the
10 Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation an annual report of
11 information as specified by the Commission regarding participation
12 in the alternative placement programs offered by the institution.
13 I. The Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation shall not
14 accredit, renew the accreditation of, or otherwise approve any
15 teacher education program of any institution of higher education in
16 this state that has not implemented alternative placement programs
17 in at least four areas of specialization including mathematics,
18 science and a foreign language. Each institution shall allow
19 individuals who meet the criteria of subsections A and C of this
20 section to be:
21 1. Admitted to an alternative placement program without further
22 qualification; and
23 2. Offered the opportunity to complete the requirements for
24 standard certification set forth in subsection A of this section
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1 during the summer preceding and the summer following the first year
2 of teaching with an alternative placement teaching certificate. Any
3 person seeking standard certification through an alternative
4 placement program shall be permitted to take necessary courses
5 during regular semesters if offered.
6 J. The criteria specified in subsection I of this section can
7 be met through a cooperative arrangement entered into by two or more
8 institutions of higher education.
9 SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
10 SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
11 of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
12 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
13 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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Req. No. 14012 Page 27Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.