Education (Teachers)

passed · Oklahoma · Senate Apr 2, 2025

SB 186: Teachers; directing the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability to establish a grant program to provide grants to certain individuals seeking alternative certification. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 186 creates a grant program to help teachers with temporary emergency or provisional teaching certificates obtain permanent certification. The Office of Educational Quality and Accountability will award up to 1,000 annual grants per year (first-come, first-served) to eligible teachers through their school districts. Grants cover costs for exam preparation, exam fees, and part of required professional education hours. The program is funded through a new revolving fund and takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates grants covering certification costs for teachers, directly funding educator professional development to strengthen teaching quality and certification pathways.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 246: Teachers; allowing public school districts and charter schools to provide certain designations to certified classroom teachers; creating the Distinguished Educator Allotments Revolving Fund. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 246 creates three teacher designations - Recognized (55% student growth), Exemplary (60%), and Master (70%) - based on student academic growth metrics in reading/math. It establishes Distinguished Educator Allotments, providing public school districts and charter schools with funding per designated teacher: $3,000-$9,000 for Recognized, $6,000-$18,000 for Exemplary, and $12,000-$32,000 for Master, adjusted by student growth point values. The State Board of Education sets standards for these designations and oversees implementation, while the State Department of Education monitors systems and reports outcomes. This bill directly affects certified teachers meeting growth targets, school districts receiving funds, and state education agencies managing the program.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill creates new state funding allocations ($3k-$32k per teacher) for public schools through Distinguished Educator Allotments, directly increasing public education budget appropriations.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates performance-based teacher funding ($3k-$32k per designated educator) to reward teachers and provide school districts with additional resources for recognized educators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Mar 10, 2025

SB 554: Teachers; directing stipends, rather than salary increases, be provided to teachers with certain certificates. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 554 would require Oklahoma school districts to provide stipends (one-time payments) instead of regular salary increases to teachers holding specific certifications, such as out-of-state, international, or National Board for Professional Teaching Standards credentials. The bill prohibits these stipends from being counted toward future salary calculations or raises. It amends existing teacher certification laws to clarify that compensation for these certified teachers must follow this stipend structure rather than standard salary progression. This change directly affects teachers with the specified certifications who currently qualify for salary-based increases under Oklahoma law.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates stipends (not salary increases) for certified teachers, preventing stipends from counting toward future raises, promoting fiscal responsibility in budget management.85% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill replaces salary increases with one-time stipends for certified teachers, prohibiting stipends from counting toward future raises, reducing long-term compensation benefits.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 17, 2025

SB 778: Workforce training; requiring the Oklahoma Workforce Commission to develop workforce training for educators. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 778 requires the Oklahoma Workforce Commission to develop annual workforce training for all teachers and administrators by August 2026. The training, limited to one hour and accessible online through the State Department of Education platform, must cover Oklahoma's key industries and current workforce shortages, with updates each year. Teachers must complete this training annually starting May 2027, and the State Department of Education must post it online by October 30 each year. The bill aims to align educator knowledge with state workforce needs to better prepare students for career pathways.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates annual workforce training for educators to align with state workforce needs, supporting teacher professional development and curriculum relevance.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Teachers

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signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 29, 2025

SB 212: Teacher preparation; directing the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability to establish TeachForwardOK.

SB 212 directs Oklahoma's Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability to establish a two-year pilot program called TeachForwardOK for teacher education programs at accredited public colleges and universities. The bill requires the Commission to issue grants to approved programs to hire technical evaluators who must assess four specific areas: teacher candidate recruitment/completion, program effectiveness, alignment with state workforce needs, and strategies for recruiting nontraditional teachers. Programs must submit electronic responses to evaluation reports within 60 days, and the Commission will award $500,000 to one program to address findings after the pilot. The Commission must submit a final report to state leaders by December 2027 detailing results and recommendations.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes grant-funded pilot program to strengthen teacher education programs through evaluation and alignment with workforce needs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

signed · Oklahoma · House Apr 20, 2026

HB 2893: Education; paraprofessionals; teachers; exemption; effective date; emergency.

HB 2893 exempts certain paraprofessionals and teachers from additional professional education coursework requirements. Specifically, it states that paraprofessionals with a bachelor's degree in education (and within 10 years of classroom work) and teachers with a bachelor's in education (also within 10 years of classroom service) will be deemed to have satisfied existing rules for certification renewal or professional development. The bill directly affects Oklahoma public school paraprofessionals and teachers holding qualifying degrees. It takes effect July 1, 2025, and was designated an emergency measure to take immediate effect upon passage.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExempts qualified educators from redundant coursework, reducing certification barriers and supporting teacher retention without cutting funding or restricting requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 26: Teachers' Retirement System of Oklahoma; providing for postretirement employment without earnings limitations subject to certain circumstances. Effective date.

SB 26 removes earnings limits for retired Oklahoma teachers who return to classroom teaching in public schools under specific conditions. It allows eligible retirees (who have not worked for public schools in the past year) to earn full salary for three years without income restrictions, starting July 1, 2025. This applies to teachers retiring after July 2025 who return to active classroom roles in common or career tech school districts. The change modifies existing rules that previously limited postretirement earnings for 36 months, with exceptions based on retirement date. The bill affects current and future retirees in Oklahoma’s public school system who rejoin teaching roles.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves earnings restrictions for retired teachers returning to classrooms, strengthening teacher workforce stability and retention in public schools.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

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signed · Oklahoma · House May 27, 2025

HB 1412: Teachers; directing stipends, rather than salary increases, be provided to teachers with certain certificates; effective date; emergency.

HB 1412 changes how Oklahoma school districts compensate teachers with advanced, lead, or master certificates. Instead of providing salary increases, districts must pay stipends using lottery funds (as specified in Section 713 of Title 3A) for these certified educators. The law, signed by the governor on May 23, 2025, directly affects teachers holding these higher-level credentials. It modifies Oklahoma Statutes § 6-190 to require stipends from lottery revenue rather than general salary adjustments.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill mandates stipends from lottery funds for certified teachers instead of salary increases, ensuring continued compensation for educators with advanced credentials.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 6, 2025

HB 2919: Schools; permitting Life Skills to be taught as an elective course in public schools as funding becomes available; effective date.

HB 2919 would allow Oklahoma public schools to offer "Life Skills" as an elective course for students in grades 6-12, subject to available funding. The course would cover practical topics like cooking, job application skills, financial literacy, mental health basics, and career pathways (e.g., trade schools or college). Schools could teach it through existing Family and Consumer Science courses or other applicable classes, without requiring special teacher certification, and could deliver it in person, online, or hybrid. The bill mandates alignment with workforce readiness standards and takes effect November 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands K-12 educational access by adding Life Skills electives covering financial literacy, career pathways, and practical skills, enhancing student program offerings without restrictions.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Higher Education Teachers

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in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 1113: Education; adjunct teachers; effective date; emergency.

HB 1113 creates a new certification pathway for part-time teachers (referred to as "adjunct teachers") in Oklahoma public schools. It allows these educators to teach without full certification initially if they hold a relevant bachelor's degree or terminal degree, but requires them to obtain standard certification within three years of starting full-time employment. The bill also mandates that teacher education programs offer this alternative pathway in key subjects like math, science, and foreign languages, and includes an emergency clause to take effect immediately upon passage.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates certification pathway for adjunct teachers to address staffing shortages in critical subjects, supporting educator access and school needs without reducing standards.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

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