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.
Summary
SB186 creates a grant program within the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability to help individuals who hold emergency or provisional teaching certificates move toward alternative placement teaching certificates. The grants are intended to offset costs associated with the subject-area competency exam and related preparation, as well as a portion of the professional education coursework required for alternative certification.
Applications must be submitted by the employing school district on a form prescribed by the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability. The bill limits awards, subject to available funding, to up to 1,000 individuals per year and requires that grants be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. The measure also creates a revolving fund in the State Treasury, the Teacher Certification Emergency to Permanency Revolving Fund, to receive appropriations and support the program.
Impact
The bill adds new Sections 6-122.13 and 6-122.14 to Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes, expanding state law governing teacher certification support and creating a dedicated funding mechanism for the grant program. It authorizes the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability to administer grants for certification-related expenses and establishes a continuing revolving fund that may be budgeted and expended for that purpose, with monies appropriated from the state for implementation. The measure affects school districts that employ emergency or provisional teachers, as they must submit applications on behalf of eligible individuals, and it benefits those teachers seeking to transition to permanent or alternative certification.
Sentiment
The overall sentiment appears generally favorable, with strong committee support and passage through the Senate by a clear margin. The bill received 20-1 votes in both the Senate Education Committee and the Senate Appropriations Committee, and it passed third reading 34-12, suggesting broad support for helping teachers obtain certification while also indicating some reservations. No committee transcript was provided, so the available record mainly reflects legislative approval rather than detailed debate.
Contention
The main points of potential contention are fiscal and administrative. Because the program depends on available funds and uses state appropriations to support up to 1,000 grants annually, lawmakers may have questioned the cost, funding source, or prioritization of education dollars. The first-come, first-served structure and the requirement that school districts submit applications could also raise concerns about access, fairness, and administrative burden. The recorded no votes suggest some members were unconvinced about the program’s design or funding, even though the measure had substantial support overall.
Carry Over
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.
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.
Teacher certification; directing the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability to have certain authority over teacher certification until certain date. Effective date. Emergency.
Office of Educational Quality and Accountability; requiring certain funds be utilized for certain purpose; providing for distribution of grants. Effective date. Emergency.
Schools; directing the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability to make certain school accreditation determinations until certain date. Effective date. Emergency.
Schools; directing the State Department of Education to establish the School Innovation Grant Program; providing application process. Effective date. Emergency.
Education; renaming the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability and the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability; modifying commission member terms. Effective date.