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1 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026)
3 HOUSE BILL 4427 By: Hilbert
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6 AS INTRODUCED
7 An Act relating to adjunct teachers; amending Section
1, Chapter 210, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025,
8 Section 6-122.12), which relates to adjunct teachers;
reauthorizing State Board of Education to promulgate
9 rules authorizing adjunct teachers; requiring
promulgation of certain rules; prohibiting adjuncts
10 who do not hold a valid certificate to teach to
instruct core curriculum classes in prekindergarten
11 through fourth grade; authorizing wavier by the State
Board of Education; clarifying status of adjunct who
12 does not hold a valid certificate to teach; amending
70 O.S. 2021, Section 6-122.3, as last amended by
13 Section 162, Chapter 452, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp.
2025, Section 6-122.3), which relates to alternative
14 placement teaching certificate; removing adjunct-
authorizing language; and providing an effective
15 date.
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18 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
19 SECTION 1. AMENDATORY Section 1, Chapter 210, O.S.L.
20 2024 (70 O.S. Supp. 2025, Section 6-122.12), is amended to read as
21 follows:
22 Section 6-122.12. A. The State Board of Education shall
23 promulgate rules authorizing adjunct teachers who shall be persons
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1 with distinguished qualifications in their field. The rules shall
2 include, but are not limited to:
3 1. Defining distinguished qualifications;
4 2. Requiring at least two (2) years of professional or academic
5 experience in the subject area in which the person is applying to
6 teach, unless the school district applies for a waiver from the
7 Board. Previous instruction as an adjunct teacher shall qualify for
8 this requirement; and
9 3. Requiring a baccalaureate degree unless one of the following
10 exemptions apply:
11 a. the person is enrolled in a baccalaureate degree
12 program with an estimated completion of less than two
13 (2) years, or
14 b. the person has twenty (20) or more years of
15 distinguished experience in the subject matter the
16 person will be employed as an adjunct teacher to
17 instruct.
18 B. Adjunct teachers shall not be required to meet standard
19 certification.
20 C. A person employed as an adjunct teacher who does not hold a
21 valid certificate to teach shall not instruct core curriculum
22 classes at the prekindergarten through fourth-grade levels unless:
23 1. The school district requests a waiver from the State Board
24 of Education; and
Req. No. 15486 Page 2
1 2. The State Board of Education approves the waiver.
2 D. A person employed as an adjunct teacher pursuant to this
3 section who does not hold a valid certificate to teach shall not be
4 considered a teacher as defined by Section 1-116 of this title.
5 E. The State Department of Education shall publish an annual
6 report on the status of adjunct teachers, authorized by Section 6-
7 122.3 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes, in this state. The
8 report shall include:
9 1. Qualifications adopted by the State Board of Education to
10 determine eligibility of adjunct teacher candidates;
11 2. The subject areas or courses in which adjunct teachers are
12 teaching; and
13 3. The types of distinguished qualifications adjunct teachers
14 have to make them qualified to teach in certain subject areas or
15 courses.
16 B. F. The annual report shall be published on the website of
17 the State Department of Education and copies of the report shall be
18 provided to elected members of the Oklahoma House of Representatives
19 and the Oklahoma State Senate no later than January 15 of each year.
20 SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 6-122.3, as
21 last amended by Section 162, Chapter 452, O.S.L. 2024 (70 O.S. Supp.
22 2025, Section 6-122.3), is amended to read as follows:
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1 Section 6-122.3. A. The State Board of Education shall grant
2 an alternative placement teaching certificate to a person who makes
3 application to the Board and meets the following criteria:
4 1. a. holds at least a baccalaureate degree from an
5 institution whose accreditation is recognized by the
6 Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and has
7 attained a retention grade point average of not less
8 than 2.50 on a 4.0 scale, or
9 b. has successfully completed a terminal degree, such as
10 a doctorate of philosophy, a doctorate in education,
11 professional doctorates, a master of fine arts degree
12 or a master of library science degree, from an
13 institution accredited by a national or regional
14 accrediting agency which is recognized by the
15 Secretary of the United States Department of
16 Education. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
17 Education shall be consulted to verify other terminal
18 degrees, or
19 c. holds at least a baccalaureate degree from an
20 institution whose accreditation is recognized by the
21 Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and has
22 qualified work experience in a field that corresponds
23 to an area of certification as determined by the State
24 Board of Education, and
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1 d. in addition to the requirements of subparagraphs a, b
2 and c of this paragraph, has demonstrated competency
3 or completed a major in a field that corresponds to an
4 area of specialization for an Elementary-Secondary
5 Certificate or a Secondary Certificate as determined
6 by the State Board of Education or a vocational-
7 technical certificate as recommended by the Oklahoma
8 Department of Career and Technology Education;
9 2. Declares the intention to earn standard certification by
10 means of an alternative placement program in not more than three (3)
11 years. The State Board of Education shall determine the subject
12 matter and the number of clock or semester hours required for the
13 professional education component for each person making application
14 for an alternative placement teaching certificate based on the
15 criteria of paragraph 1 of this subsection.
16 The State Board of Education shall establish a core minimum of
17 six (6) semester hours or ninety (90) clock hours and a maximum of
18 eighteen (18) semester hours or two hundred seventy (270) clock
19 hours for the professional education component.
20 The requirements set forth in this subsection shall exclude all
21 student teaching requirements pursuant to the provisions of
22 subsection E of this section;
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1 3. Has passed the subject area portion of the competency
2 examination required in Section 6-187 of this title in the area of
3 specialization for which certification is sought; and
4 4. Either presents a document from an accredited public school
5 district in this state offering employment in the area of
6 specialization for which certification is sought on condition that
7 the person enroll in an alternative placement program approved by
8 the State Board of Education or declares the intention to seek
9 employment as a teacher at an accredited public school district in
10 this state. The certificate granted pursuant to this subsection
11 shall be considered a "valid certificate of qualification" for the
12 purposes of Sections 6-107 and 6-108 of this title, and the holder
13 of the certificate shall be considered an inductee for the purposes
14 of Section 6-195 of this title.
15 B. An alternative placement teaching certificate shall be
16 renewed for not more than a maximum of three (3) years upon
17 presentation of a document from an accredited public school district
18 in this state offering renewed employment in the same area of
19 specialization and a document from a teacher education institution
20 verifying satisfactory progress in an appropriate alternative
21 placement program.
22 C. Persons enrolled in an alternative placement program shall:
23 1. Have never been denied admittance to a teacher education
24 program approved by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education,
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1 the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and by the
2 Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation to offer teacher
3 education programs, nor have enrolled in and subsequently failed
4 courses necessary to successfully meet the minimum requirements of
5 the program, except those persons who hold a certificate;
6 2. Have on file with the director of teacher education at an
7 Oklahoma institution of higher education a plan for meeting standard
8 certification requirements within three (3) years; and
9 3. Participate in an induction program as required in Section
10 6-195 of this title and have the same duties and responsibilities as
11 other inductees.
12 D. The State Board of Education may grant an exception to the
13 requirements for certification and, upon demonstration by an
14 individual of specific competency in the subject area of
15 specialization, may grant a certificate to the individual. The
16 State Board may establish other requirements necessary to grant
17 exceptions.
18 E. The State Board of Education, in consultation with the
19 Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability, may grant an
20 exception to the requirement to complete a subject area examination
21 for initial certification in a field which does not require an
22 advanced degree pursuant to this section if the candidate has an
23 advanced degree in a subject that is substantially comparable to the
24 content assessed on a subject area examination. The degree shall be
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1 from an institution accredited by a national or regional accrediting
2 agency which is recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department
3 of Education. The Commission shall provide the Board with the
4 necessary information to determine comparability.
5 F. Student teaching and a prestudent pre-student teaching field
6 experience shall not be required of alternative placement program
7 participants for standard certification.
8 G. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules
9 authorizing adjunct teachers who shall be persons with distinguished
10 qualifications in their field. Adjunct teachers shall not be
11 required to meet standard certification. A person employed as an
12 adjunct teacher pursuant to this subsection who does not hold a
13 valid certificate to teach shall not be considered a teacher as
14 defined by Section 1-116 of this title.
15 H. Each teacher education institution shall provide the
16 Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation an annual report of
17 information as specified by the Commission regarding participation
18 in the alternative placement programs offered by the institution.
19 I. H. The Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation shall not
20 accredit, renew the accreditation of, or otherwise approve any
21 teacher education program of any institution of higher education in
22 this state that has not implemented alternative placement programs
23 in at least four areas of specialization, including mathematics,
24 science, and a foreign language. Each institution shall allow
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1 individuals who meet the criteria of subsections A and C of this
2 section to be:
3 1. Admitted to an alternative placement program without further
4 qualification; and
5 2. Offered the opportunity to complete the requirements for
6 standard certification set forth in subsection A of this section
7 during the summer preceding and the summer following the first year
8 of teaching with an alternative placement teaching certificate. Any
9 person seeking standard certification through an alternative
10 placement program shall be permitted to take necessary courses
11 during regular semesters if offered.
12 J. I. The criteria specified in subsection I H of this section
13 can be met through a cooperative arrangement entered into by two or
14 more institutions of higher education.
15 SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2027.
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17 60-2-15486 AQH 01/12/26
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