Okla. Stat. tit. 70, § 70-6-190

A. The board of education of each school district shall employ

and contract in writing, as required in Section 6-101 of this title,

only with persons certified to teach by the State Board of Education

in accordance with the Oklahoma Teacher Preparation Act, except as

otherwise provided for by Section 6-101 of this title and by other

law.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 70. Schools Page 431

B. The Board shall issue a certificate to teach to any person

who:

1. Has successfully completed the teacher education program

required by the Commission for Educational Quality and

Accountability;

2. Has graduated from an accredited institution of higher

education that has approval or accreditation for teacher education;

3. Has met all other requirements as may be established by the

Board;

4. Has made the necessary application and paid the competency

examination fee in an amount and as prescribed by the Commission;

5. Has successfully completed the competency examination

required in Section 6-187 of this title; and

6. Beginning November 1, 2001, has on file with the Board a

current Oklahoma criminal history record from the Oklahoma State

Bureau of Investigation as well as a national criminal history

record check as defined in Section 150.9 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma

Statutes. Upon receipt of the Oklahoma criminal history record, the

Board may issue a temporary certificate which shall be effective

until receipt of the national fingerprint-based criminal history

record. The person applying for a certificate shall be responsible

for the cost of the criminal history records.

C. The Board shall issue a certificate to teach to any person

who:

1. Holds an out-of-state certificate and meets the requirements

set forth in subsection G of this section;

2. Holds certification from the National Board for Professional

Teaching Standards;

3. Holds an out-of-country certificate and meets the

requirements set forth in subsection F of this section; or

4. Has successfully completed a competency examination used in

the majority of other states or comparable customized exam and meets

the requirements set forth in subsection H of this section.

D. Beginning July 1, 2004, any person applying for initial

Oklahoma certification shall have on file with the Board a current

Oklahoma criminal history record from the Oklahoma State Bureau of

Investigation as well as a national criminal history record check as

defined in Section 150.9 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes. Upon

receipt of the Oklahoma criminal history record, the Board may issue

a temporary certificate which shall be effective until receipt of

the national fingerprint-based criminal history record. The person

applying for a certificate shall be responsible for the cost of the

criminal history records.

E. Any person holding a valid certificate, issued prior to

January 1, 1997, shall be a certified teacher for purposes of the

Oklahoma Teacher Preparation Act, subject to any professional

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 70. Schools Page 432

development requirements prescribed by the Oklahoma Teacher

Preparation Act or by the State Board of Education.

F. 1. The Board shall issue a certificate to teach to a person

who holds a valid out-of-country certificate and meets any

requirements established by the Board. The certificate to teach

shall only be for those subject areas and grade levels most closely

aligned to the subject areas and grade levels recognized on the out-

of-country certificate.

2. A person who meets the requirements of paragraph 1 of this

subsection shall not be required to take any competency examinations

in those subject areas and grade levels most closely aligned to the

subject areas and grade levels recognized on the out-of-country

certificate.

3. A person who meets the requirements of paragraph 1 of this

subsection shall have on file with the Board a current Oklahoma

criminal history record check from the Oklahoma State Bureau of
n shall not be required to take any competency examinations

in those subject areas and grade levels most closely aligned to the

subject areas and grade levels recognized on the out-of-country

certificate.

3. A person who meets the requirements of paragraph 1 of this

subsection shall have on file with the Board a current Oklahoma

criminal history record check from the Oklahoma State Bureau of

Investigation as well as a national criminal history record check as

defined in Section 150.9 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes. Upon

receipt of the Oklahoma criminal history record check, the Board may

issue a temporary certificate which shall be effective until receipt

of the national fingerprint-based criminal history record check.

The person applying for a certificate shall be responsible for the

cost of the criminal history record checks.

4. The Board shall promulgate rules establishing a process by

which out-of-country certificates will be reviewed and evaluated for

purposes of awarding a certificate to teach pursuant to this

subsection.

G. 1. The Board shall issue a certificate to teach to a person

who holds a valid out-of-state certificate. The certificate to

teach shall only be for those subject areas and grade levels most

closely aligned to the subject areas and grade levels recognized on

the out-of-state certificate.

2. A person who meets the requirements of paragraph 1 of this

subsection shall not be required to take any competency examinations

in those subject areas and grade levels most closely aligned to the

subject areas and grade levels recognized on the out-of-state

certificate.

3. A person who meets the requirements of this subsection shall

have on file with the Board a current Oklahoma criminal history

record check from the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation as well

as a national criminal history record check as defined in Section

150.9 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes. Upon receipt of the

Oklahoma criminal history record check, the Board may issue a

temporary certificate which shall be effective until receipt of the

national fingerprint-based criminal history record check. The

person applying for a certificate shall be responsible for the cost

of the criminal history record checks.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 70. Schools Page 433

H. 1. The Board shall issue a certificate to teach to a person

who has successfully completed a competency exam used in a majority

of the other states. The certificate to teach shall only be for

those subject areas and grade levels that correspond with a

certification area used in Oklahoma.

2. A person who meets the requirements of paragraph 1 of this

subsection shall have on file with the Board a current Oklahoma

criminal history record check from the Oklahoma State Bureau of

Investigation as well as a national criminal history record check as

defined in Section 150.9 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes. Upon

receipt of the Oklahoma criminal history record check, the Board may

issue a temporary certificate which shall be effective until receipt

of the national fingerprint-based criminal history record check.

The person applying for a certificate shall be responsible for the

cost of the criminal history record checks.

I. 1. The Board may establish new levels of teacher

certificates: advanced, lead, and master. Each level shall have a

stipend paid with state dollars from the lottery funds as provided

in Section 713 of Title 3A of the Oklahoma Statutes. The advanced

certificate shall include a stipend of Three Thousand Dollars

($3,000.00), the lead certificate shall include a stipend of Five

Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), and the master certificate shall

include a stipend of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00).

2. A teacher who works in a school with an enrollment of forty

percent (40%) or more of students who are economically disadvantaged

as defined in Section 18-109.5 of this title or a school district
and Dollars

($3,000.00), the lead certificate shall include a stipend of Five

Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00), and the master certificate shall

include a stipend of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00).

2. A teacher who works in a school with an enrollment of forty

percent (40%) or more of students who are economically disadvantaged

as defined in Section 18-109.5 of this title or a school district

with an enrollment of fewer than one thousand students shall be paid

a one-time award in addition to the stipends provided in paragraph 1

of this subsection:

a. One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00) for an

advanced certificate,

b. Two Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($2,500.00) for a

lead certificate, and

c. Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) for a master

certificate.

3. School districts may identify and designate the highest

quality teachers for advanced, lead, and master certificates.

Participating districts shall submit designation plans to the State

Department of Education for evaluation and approval. Districts

shall have local control and flexibility in determining how to

evaluate teachers and assign designations, but, at a minimum, the

designation system shall include a teacher observation, out-of-

classroom time, and a student performance component.

a. Teacher observation shall be based on the district’s

selected Oklahoma Teacher and Leader Effectiveness

Evaluation System (TLE) evaluation tool or an

alternate method of evaluation; provided, the method

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 70. Schools Page 434

is evidenced-based. Alternate methods of evaluation

shall not replace the requirements of Section 6-101.16

of this title.

b. Each school district that elects to participate in

assigning advanced, lead, and master teacher

certificates shall include an out-of-classroom

component for its assigned teachers to allow for

professional growth opportunities while staying in the

classroom. How out-of-classroom time is allotted and

managed shall be determined by the school district and

submitted as part of its designation plan to the State

Department of Education for review and approval.

c. Student performance measures may be determined by the

district and may include, but shall not be limited to,

pre- and post-tests, summative or formative, and

portfolios. The school district application shall

show evidence of validity and reliability of the

measures.

d. No more than ten percent (10%) of each school

district’s teachers may be designated as advanced,

lead, or master teachers in any given school year.

Districts which receive Title I funds within the top

quartile of individual student allotment amounts may

designate an additional ten percent (10%) of teachers

who are employed at school sites which receive the

Title I funds as advanced, lead, or master teachers.

Districts may use additional factors in determining which

teachers are eligible to receive a designation, such as student

surveys, teacher leadership responsibilities, teacher mentorship

responsibilities, family surveys, demonstration of district core

values, teacher peer surveys, and contributions to the broader

school community.

4. If a school district chooses to participate in this program,

the state shall provide the stipend amounts indicated for advanced,

lead, and master certificates in paragraph 1 of this subsection.

5. School districts that designate teachers for advanced, lead,

and master certificates do not have to participate in annual TLE

evaluations for the designated teachers.

6. School districts may designate teachers for advanced, lead,

or master certificates two times per year, once prior to the

beginning of the school year, and once prior to the beginning of the

second semester. Teachers statewide who receive these designations

shall be placed in professional development cohorts and provided

additional training opportunities from the State Department of

Education.
chool districts may designate teachers for advanced, lead,

or master certificates two times per year, once prior to the

beginning of the school year, and once prior to the beginning of the

second semester. Teachers statewide who receive these designations

shall be placed in professional development cohorts and provided

additional training opportunities from the State Department of

Education.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 70. Schools Page 435

7. After initial approval by the State Department of Education,

the Department shall review and validate each participating school

district’s teacher evaluation system biennially.

8. The State Department of Education shall annually report the

school districts participating in the program, the number of

advanced, lead, and master certificates awarded, and the total

amount in state funding that was distributed to teachers from the

Teacher Empowerment Revolving Fund created in Section 6-190.2 of

this title.

9. The selection criteria; designation of advanced, lead, or

master teachers; and any associated stipend amounts shall not be

subject to collective bargaining.

10. Stipends provided pursuant to this subsection shall not be

included in the calculation of the teacher’s salary for purposes of

meeting the district or statutory minimum salary schedule or for

purposes of calculating Teachers’ Retirement System of Oklahoma

contributions or benefits.

J. The State Board of Education shall adopt rules to implement

a renewal schedule and associated fees for advanced, lead, and

master teaching certificates. The rules shall allow a teacher that

no longer meets the requirements of an advanced, lead, or master

teaching certificate to make application for the standard teaching

certificate.

K. The terms of the contracts issued to those holding advanced,

lead, and master teaching certificates shall include the following:

1. Advanced: an additional five (5) days to be used to

strengthen instructional leadership. A person with an advanced

teaching certificate shall receive an annual stipend of Three

Thousand Dollars ($3,000.00) or the district’s daily rate of pay,

whichever is higher, in addition to the salary for which the teacher

qualifies pursuant to Section 18-114.15 of this title. This stipend

shall be funded by state dollars from the lottery funds as provided

in Section 713 of Title 3A of the Oklahoma Statutes and shall be

paid directly to teachers through school districts;

2. Lead: an additional ten (10) days to be used to strengthen

instructional leadership. A person with a lead teaching certificate

shall receive an annual stipend of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00)

or the district’s daily rate of pay, whichever is higher, in

addition to the salary for which the teacher qualifies pursuant to

Section 18-114.15 of this title. This stipend shall be funded by

state dollars from the lottery funds as provided in Section 713 of

Title 3A of the Oklahoma Statutes and shall be paid directly to

teachers through school districts; and

3. Master: an additional fifteen (15) days to be used to

strengthen leadership. A person with a master teaching certificate

shall receive an annual stipend of Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000.00)

or the district’s daily rate of pay, whichever is higher, in

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 70. Schools Page 436

addition to the salary for which the teacher qualifies pursuant to

Section 18-114.15 of this title. This stipend shall be funded by

state dollars from the lottery funds as provided in Section 713 of

Title 3A of the Oklahoma Statutes and shall be paid directly to

teachers through school districts.

If a person with an advanced, lead, or master teaching

certificate changes school districts during the life of the

certificate, the terms of the contracts required in this subsection

shall be subject to approval by the new employing school district.

L. Beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, the Department shall
lahoma Statutes and shall be paid directly to

teachers through school districts.

If a person with an advanced, lead, or master teaching

certificate changes school districts during the life of the

certificate, the terms of the contracts required in this subsection

shall be subject to approval by the new employing school district.

L. Beginning in the 2022-2023 school year, the Department shall

make the teaching certificates provided for in this section

available for any person who has received a recommendation from his

or her school district and who meets the eligibility criteria as

outlined in each school district’s teacher evaluation system

provided for in subsection I of this section.

M. The funding necessary for the administration of this section

shall be provided from the Teacher Empowerment Revolving Fund

created in Section 6-190.2 of this title. If funding for the

administration of the teaching certificates listed in subsection I

is not available, the Department shall not be required to fulfill

the requirements listed in subsections I, K, and L of this section.

N. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules to

implement the provisions of Section 6-180 et seq. of this title.