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1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
3 HOUSE BILL 3076 By: Lepak
4
5
6 AS INTRODUCED
7 An Act relating to teachers; amending 70 O.S. 2021,
Section 6-133, as amended by Section 1, Chapter 349,
8 O.S.L. 2023 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 6-133),
which relates to new and innovative pathways toward
9 teacher certification; expanding definition of
provider; clarifying definition of program; replacing
10 State Board of Education with Commission for
Educational Quality and Accountability; striking
11 pilot program language; requiring the Commission to
initiate a request for information from potential
12 providers; providing a timeline for the approval or
denial of applications; requiring the Commission to
13 provide notice for a denial and an opportunity to
remedy deficiencies; directing the Commission to
14 develop, promote, and coordinate a public awareness
program; requiring the Commission to promulgate
15 rules; amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 6-122.3, as
last amended by Section 162, Chapter 452, O.S.L. 2024
16 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 6-122.3), which relates
to alternative placement teaching certificates;
17 adding alternative teacher preparation programs to
eligibility requirements; providing an effective
18 date; and declaring an emergency.
19
20
21 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
22 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 6-133, as
23 amended by Section 1, Chapter 349, O.S.L. 2023 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025,
24 Section 6-133), is amended to read as follows:
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1 Section 6-133. A. As used in this section:
2 1. "Provider" means an eligible school district, regional
3 education service agency, institution of higher education, or other
4 private or not-for-profit entity that seeks or has obtained approval
5 of an alternative teacher preparation program consistent with this
6 section; and
7 2. "Program" means an alternative teacher preparation program
8 with content provided by a provider that leads toward teacher
9 certification or licensure in a specific content area.
10 B. 1. The State Board of Education Commission for Educational
11 Quality and Accountability shall identify providers to implement new
12 and innovative pathways toward teacher certification on a pilot
13 program basis through alternative teacher preparation programs. The
14 Commission shall initiate a request for information from potential
15 providers and shall provide eligible providers with information
16 concerning the application process. Providers seeking to
17 participate in the pilot program shall submit applications to the
18 State Board of Education Commission. The Commission shall approve
19 or deny an application within sixty (60) days of submission. If the
20 Commission denies an application, the Commission shall provide
21 notice with the reasons for the denial and permit the provider an
22 opportunity to remedy the deficiencies.
23 2. The Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability
24 shall develop, promote, and coordinate a public awareness program to
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1 be utilized in making potential teachers aware of approved providers
2 and their programs. The State Board of Education shall post on its
3 Internet website a list of approved providers, program requirements,
4 and the cost of each program.
5 C. A provider chosen approved by the State Board of Education
6 to participate in the pilot program Commission for Educational
7 Quality and Accountability shall offer a program that:
8 1. Provides evidence and history of fiscal solvency, capacity,
9 operation, and program effectiveness;
10 2. Provides evidence of necessary infrastructure to provide
11 accurate, timely, and secure data for the purpose of admission,
12 teacher candidate monitoring, testing, and certification
13 recommendations;
14 3. Has policies and procedures in place ensuring the security
15 of teacher candidate records under applicable laws and regulations;
16 4. Has the instructional capacity within an existing novice
17 teacher support program, the ability to obtain the instructional
18 capacity, or has established a partnership with an accredited
19 institution of higher education institution to provide adequate
20 instruction in accordance with this subsection;
21 5. Offers an instructional phase that provides intensive
22 preparation before the teacher candidates assume classroom
23 responsibilities;
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1 6. Offers a research-based and results-oriented approach
2 focused on best teaching practices to increase student achievement
3 and growth measured against state academic standards;
4 7. Provides assessment, supervision, and evaluation of teacher
5 candidates to determine their specific needs throughout the program
6 and to support efforts to successfully complete the program;
7 8. Provides intensive and ongoing professional development
8 opportunities that accelerate a teacher candidate's professional
9 growth, support student learning, and provide a workplace
10 orientation, professional staff development, and mentoring;
11 9. Offers peer review focused on standards of professional
12 practice and continuous professional growth; and
13 10. Provides a process to review a teacher candidate's final
14 competency of required certification content standards that leads to
15 a potential candidate being recommended for teacher certification in
16 accordance with subsection F of this section.
17 D. The State Board of Education Commission for Educational
18 Quality and Accountability shall ensure that providers approved to
19 participate in the pilot program allow teacher candidates to
20 demonstrate pedagogy and content standard proficiency in school-
21 based programs and through other nontraditional means.
22 Nontraditional means may include, but not be limited to, previous
23 work experience, teacher experience, educator evaluations, industry-
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1 recognized certifications, and other essentially equivalent
2 demonstrations.
3 E. If the State Board of Education Commission determines that a
4 provider fails to meet or is deficient in any of the requirements of
5 this section, it the Commission may suspend or revoke the approval
6 of the provider after providing notification of the deficiencies and
7 an opportunity to remedy the deficiencies.
8 F. A teacher candidate that completes a program offered by an
9 approved provider shall be eligible for certification, provided he
10 or she meets the certification requirements set forth in Section 6-
11 187 of this title in the area of specialization for which
12 certification is sought and is recommended for certification by the
13 approved provider.
14 G. The State Board of Education shall issue a certificate to
15 teach to any person who meets the requirements set forth in this
16 section and who has on file with the Board a current Oklahoma
17 criminal history record check from the Oklahoma State Bureau of
18 Investigation as well as a national criminal history record check as
19 defined in Section 150.9 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes. The
20 person applying for the certificate shall be responsible for the
21 cost of the criminal history record checks.
22 H. A provider shall submit a report to the State Department of
23 Education Office of Educational Quality and Accountability after one
24 (1) year of operation showing the percentage of teacher candidates
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1 who have completed the program and who have successfully completed
2 or who have failed the competency examinations for certification and
3 the provider's efforts to help candidates successfully pass the
4 examinations. A provider shall annually submit a report to the
5 State Department of Education Office of Educational Quality and
6 Accountability outlining the success of the program.
7 I. The State Board of Education may Commission for Educational
8 Quality and Accountability shall promulgate rules to implement the
9 provisions of this section.
10 J. The pilot program created in this section shall end no later
11 than July 1, 2026.
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 or an alternative teacher
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1 preparation program provided for in Section 6-133 of this title in
2 not more than three (3) years. The State Board of Education shall
3 determine the subject matter and the number of clock or semester
4 hours required for the professional education component for each
5 person making application for an alternative placement teaching
6 certificate based on the criteria of paragraph 1 of this subsection.
7 The State Board of Education shall establish a core minimum of
8 six (6) semester hours or ninety (90) clock hours and a maximum of
9 eighteen (18) semester hours or two hundred seventy (270) clock
10 hours for the professional education component.
11 The requirements set forth in this subsection shall exclude all
12 student teaching requirements pursuant to the provisions of
13 subsection E of this section;
14 3. Has passed the subject area portion of the competency
15 examination required in Section 6-187 of this title in the area of
16 specialization for which certification is sought; and
17 4. Either presents a document from an accredited public school
18 district in this state offering employment in the area of
19 specialization for which certification is sought on condition that
20 the person enroll in an alternative placement program approved by
21 the State Board of Education or declares the intention to seek
22 employment as a teacher at an accredited public school district in
23 this state. The certificate granted pursuant to this subsection
24 shall be considered a "valid certificate of qualification" for the
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1 purposes of Sections 6-107 and 6-108 of this title, and the holder
2 of the certificate shall be considered an inductee for the purposes
3 of Section 6-195 of this title.
4 B. An alternative placement teaching certificate shall be
5 renewed for not more than a maximum of three (3) years upon
6 presentation of a document from an accredited public school district
7 in this state offering renewed employment in the same area of
8 specialization and a document from a teacher education institution
9 verifying satisfactory progress in an appropriate alternative
10 placement program.
11 C. Persons enrolled in an alternative placement program shall:
12 1. Have never been denied admittance to a teacher education
13 program approved by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education,
14 the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and by the
15 Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation to offer teacher
16 education programs, nor have enrolled in and subsequently failed
17 courses necessary to successfully meet the minimum requirements of
18 the program, except those persons who hold a certificate;
19 2. Have on file with the director of teacher education at an
20 Oklahoma institution of higher education a plan for meeting standard
21 certification requirements within three (3) years; and
22 3. Participate in an induction program as required in Section
23 6-195 of this title and have the same duties and responsibilities as
24 other inductees.
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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.
4 H. Each teacher education institution shall provide the
5 Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation an annual report of
6 information as specified by the Commission regarding participation
7 in the alternative placement programs offered by the institution.
8 I. The Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation shall not
9 accredit, renew the accreditation of, or otherwise approve any
10 teacher education program of any institution of higher education in
11 this state that has not implemented alternative placement programs
12 in at least four areas of specialization including mathematics,
13 science and a foreign language. Each institution shall allow
14 individuals who meet the criteria of subsections A and C of this
15 section to be:
16 1. Admitted to an alternative placement program without further
17 qualification; and
18 2. Offered the opportunity to complete the requirements for
19 standard certification set forth in subsection A of this section
20 during the summer preceding and the summer following the first year
21 of teaching with an alternative placement teaching certificate. Any
22 person seeking standard certification through an alternative
23 placement program shall be permitted to take necessary courses
24 during regular semesters if offered.
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1 J. The criteria specified in subsection I of this section can
2 be met through a cooperative arrangement entered into by two or more
3 institutions of higher education.
4 SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
5 SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
6 of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
7 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
8 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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