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OKLAHOMA
CITY (May 31, 2016) – State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister today
praised legislators for passing and Gov. Mary Fallin for signing a total of 7
bills that emerged from the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s (OSDE)
Teacher Shortage Task Force.
Created
in September 2015 at Hofmeister’s direction, the task force was charged with
addressing Oklahoma’s unprecedented teacher shortage.
“These
bills are a positive first step toward remedying the growing teacher shortage
in Oklahoma’s public school system,” said Hofmeister. “The innovative,
cost-effective recommendations proposed by the Teacher Shortage Task Force will
offer much-needed solutions at all levels of teaching statewide. By supporting
our teachers with this legislation, we are investing in the future of our
schoolchildren when Oklahoma’s budget crisis requires us to do more with less.”
In
December, the 91-member task force presented a slate of 29 recommendations to
the State Board of Education, only a few of which necessitated legislation. The
bills signed into law this session include removing barriers for entrance into
the classroom and increasing the hour limit per semester for adjunct teachers,
among other strategies to help stem the crisis.
The
task force – which consists of educators, parents, legislators and leaders of colleges
of education, school districts, schools, communities and business – remains
active and plans to make further recommendations to the State Board of
Education. A detailed final report, including a summary of the implemented
strategies’ effectiveness, is expected this fall. The next meeting of the task
force is June 6 in Oklahoma City.
The
Teacher Shortage Task Force bills signed by the governor this legislative
session are summarized below. To see the measures in their entirety, click on
the bill number.
HB 2371: Eliminates
the requirement that a mentor teacher be employed by the school district and
allows a former or retired classroom teacher to volunteer or serve part-time in
that role at the discretion of the district. Effective July 1.
HB 2946: Eases the ability of the State Board to issue a
teaching certificate to a person who has an out-of-state certificate. Also directs the State
Board to promulgate rules for reviewing and evaluating an out-of-country
teaching certificate and gives the Board authority to award teaching
certificates to those applicants. Directs the Board to issue a teaching
certificate to a person who has successfully completed a competency exam used
in a majority of other states or comparable customized exam. The Board is also
directed to accept up to five years of teaching experience from out-of-country
accredited schools and U.S. Department of Defense schools for purposes of
salary increments and retirement. Effective July 1.
HB 2967: Gives district boards of education the authority
to enter into contracts with student teachers while they are still student
teachers, provided that they cannot teach the next year until completing all
certification requirements. Allows districts to commit to payment of a
stipend or signing bonus to a student teacher upon entering a
contract. Such stipend or bonus is conditional on the person fulfilling
the first year of a contract and is not
considered compensation for retirement or the minimum salary
schedule. Effective July 1.
HB 3025: Expands
the list of those who qualify to pursue a standard certificate through an
alternative placement program to include those who have successfully completed
a terminal degree and those who have a bachelor’s degree and qualified work
experience corresponding to an area of certification. Requires that candidates
have either demonstrated competency or completed a major in a field
corresponding to an area of certification as determined by the State Board or
as recommended by CareerTech for a vocational-technical certificate. Allows the
State Board to determine the number of hours required for the professional
education component for each person making application, with a minimum of 6
semester hours and maximum of 18 semester hours. Effective November 1, 2016.
HB 3102: Increases
the maximum number of clock hours an adjunct teacher may teach. Effective July
1.
HB 3114: “Empowering
Teachers to Lead Act.” Helps enable districts to pursue a framework of teacher
career paths, leadership roles and compensation requirements. The framework
defines the responsibilities of a model teacher, mentor teacher and lead
teacher with a corresponding salary supplement. Allows OSDE to award planning
grants and implementation grants to districts, subject to availability of
funds. Effective November 1.
SB 1038: Creates
a Teacher Certification Scholarship Program under the Office of Educational
Quality and Accountability (OEQA). Directs OEQA to establish eligibility
criteria. Limits scholarship to one per teacher candidate. To receive a
scholarship, the candidate is required to teach for one year in the state.
Establishes a revolving fund for the Legislature to appropriate money to and
allows the program to be supported with gifts and donations. Effective Jan. 1,
2017.
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