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 4115 By: West (Tammy)
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6 AS INTRODUCED
7 An Act relating to teachers; amending 70 O.S. 2021,
Section 6-194, as last amended by Section 1, Chapter
8 277, O.S.L. 2025 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 6-194),
which relates to professional development programs;
9 changing maximum number of professional development
hours from one hundred fifty to two hundred during
10 any five-year period; providing an effective date;
and declaring an emergency.
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13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
14 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 6-194, as
15 last amended by Section 1, Chapter 277, O.S.L. 2025 (70 O.S. Supp.
16 2025, Section 6-194), is amended to read as follows:
17 Section 6-194. A. The district boards of education of this
18 state shall establish professional development programs for the
19 certified teachers and administrators of the district. Programs
20 shall be adopted by each board based upon recommendations of a
21 professional development committee appointed by the board of
22 education for the district.
23 B. Each professional development committee shall include
24 classroom teachers, administrators, school counselors or licensed
Req. No. 15736 Page 1
1 mental health providers, and parents, guardians, or custodians of
2 children in the school district and shall consult with a higher
3 education faculty. A majority of the members of the professional
4 development committee shall be composed of classroom teachers. The
5 teacher members shall be selected by a designated administrator of
6 the school district from a list of names submitted by the teachers
7 in the school district. The members selected shall be subject to
8 the approval of a majority vote of the teachers in the district.
9 C. In developing program recommendations, each professional
10 development committee shall annually utilize a data-driven approach
11 to analyze student data and determine district and school
12 professional development needs. The professional development
13 programs adopted shall be directed toward development of
14 competencies and instructional strategies in the core curriculum
15 areas for the following goals:
16 1. Increasing the academic performance data scores for the
17 district and each school site;
18 2. Closing achievement gaps among student subgroups;
19 3. Increasing student achievement as demonstrated on state-
20 mandated tests and nationally norm-referenced college entrance
21 exams;
22 4. Increasing high school graduation rates; and
23 5. Decreasing college remediation rates.
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Req. No. 15736 Page 2
1 Each program may also include components on classroom management
2 and student discipline strategies, outreach to parents, guardians,
3 or custodians of students, special education, and racial and ethnic
4 education, which all personnel defined as teachers in Section 1-116
5 of this title shall be required to complete at a frequency as
6 determined by the board of education. The State Board of Education
7 shall provide guidelines to assist school districts in developing
8 and implementing racial and ethnic education components into
9 professional development programs.
10 D. A program which includes the following information shall be
11 completed the first year a certified teacher is employed by a school
12 district, and then once every fifth academic year:
13 1. Training on recognition of child abuse and neglect;
14 2. Recognition of child sexual abuse;
15 3. Proper reporting of suspected abuse; and
16 4. Available resources.
17 E. One time per year, beginning in the 2009-2010 school year,
18 training in the area of autism shall be offered and all resident
19 teachers of students in early childhood programs through grade three
20 shall be required to complete the autism training during the
21 resident year and at least one time every three (3) years
22 thereafter. All other teachers and education support professionals
23 of students in early childhood programs through grade three shall be
24 required to complete the autism training at least one time every
Req. No. 15736 Page 3
1 three (3) years. The autism training shall include a minimum
2 awareness of the characteristics of autistic children, resources
3 available, and an introduction to positive behavior supports to
4 challenging behavior. Each adopted program shall allow school
5 counselors to receive at least one-third (1/3) of the hours or
6 credit required each year through programs or courses specifically
7 designed for school counselors.
8 Districts are authorized to utilize any means for professional
9 development that is not prohibited by law including, but not limited
10 to, professional development provided by the district, any state
11 agency, institution of higher education, or any private entity.
12 F. One time per year, beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, a
13 dyslexia awareness program shall be offered. Beginning in the 2023-
14 2024 school year, the program shall include information and training
15 in dysgraphia. At a minimum, the program shall include:
16 1. Training in awareness of dyslexia characteristics in
17 students;
18 2. Training in effective classroom instruction to meet the
19 needs of students with dyslexia; and
20 3. Available dyslexia resources for teachers, students, and
21 parents.
22 G. Except as otherwise provided for in this subsection, each
23 certified teacher in this state shall be required by the district
24 board of education to meet the professional development requirements
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1 established by the board, or established through the negotiation
2 process. Except as otherwise provided for in this subsection, the
3 professional development requirements established by each board of
4 education shall require every teacher to annually complete a minimum
5 number of the total number of points required to maintain
6 employment; provided, no more than a total of one hundred fifty
7 (150) two hundred (200) hours of local, state, or federal
8 professional development or training shall be required for classroom
9 teachers during any five-year period. Failure of any teacher to
10 meet district board of education professional development
11 requirements may be grounds for nonrenewal of such teacher's
12 contract by the board. Such failure may also be grounds for
13 nonconsideration of salary increments affecting the teacher.
14 Teachers shall maintain written documentation of all their completed
15 professional development.
16 H. Each district shall annually submit a report to the State
17 Department of Education on the district level professional
18 development needs, activities completed, expenditures, and results
19 achieved for each school year by each goal as provided in subsection
20 C of this section. If a school district elects not to adopt and
21 offer a professional development program as provided for in
22 subsection A of this section, the district shall not be required to
23 submit an annual report as required pursuant to this subsection but
24 shall report to the State Department of Education its election not
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1 to offer a program and all professional development activities
2 completed by teachers and administrators of the school district.
3 I. Subject to the availability of funds, the Department shall
4 develop an online system for reporting as required in subsection H
5 of this section. The Department shall also make such information
6 available on its website.
7 SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
8 SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
9 of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
10 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
11 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
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13 60-2-15736 AQH 12/10/25
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Req. No. 15736 Page 6Every fact on this page links to its source, starting with the official bill record.