Okla. Stat. tit. 70, § 70-6-194v1

A. The district boards of education of this state shall

establish professional development programs for the certified

teachers and administrators of the district. Programs shall be

adopted by each board based upon recommendations of a professional

development committee appointed by the board of education for the

district.

B. Each professional development committee shall include

classroom teachers, administrators, school counselors or licensed

mental health providers, and parents, guardians, or custodians of

children in the school district and shall consult with a higher

education faculty. A majority of the members of the professional

development committee shall be composed of classroom teachers. The

teacher members shall be selected by a designated administrator of

the school district from a list of names submitted by the teachers

in the school district. The members selected shall be subject to

the approval of a majority vote of the teachers in the district.

C. In developing program recommendations, each professional

development committee shall annually utilize a data-driven approach

to analyze student data and determine district and school

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 70. Schools Page 454

professional development needs. The professional development

programs adopted shall be directed toward development of

competencies and instructional strategies in the core curriculum

areas for the following goals:

1. Increasing the academic performance data scores for the

district and each school site;

2. Closing achievement gaps among student subgroups;

3. Increasing student achievement as demonstrated on state-

mandated tests and the ACT;

4. Increasing high school graduation rates; and

5. Decreasing college remediation rates.

Each program may also include components on classroom management

and student discipline strategies, outreach to parents, guardians,

or custodians of students, special education, and racial and ethnic

education, which all personnel defined as teachers in Section 1-116

of this title shall be required to complete at a frequency as

determined by the board of education. The State Board of Education

shall provide guidelines to assist school districts in developing

and implementing racial and ethnic education components into

professional development programs.

D. A program which includes the following information shall be

completed the first year a certified teacher is employed by a school

district, and then once every fifth academic year:

1. Training on recognition of child abuse and neglect;

2. Recognition of child sexual abuse;

3. Proper reporting of suspected abuse including the reporting

requirements of Section 1-2-101 of Title 10A of the Oklahoma

Statutes and Section 1210.163 of this title and associated penalties

for failure to report; and

4. Available resources.

E. One time per year, beginning in the 2009-2010 school year,

training in the area of autism shall be offered and all resident

teachers of students in early childhood programs through grade three

shall be required to complete the autism training during the

resident year and at least one time every three (3) years

thereafter. All other teachers and education support professionals

of students in early childhood programs through grade three shall be

required to complete the autism training at least one time every

three (3) years. The autism training shall include a minimum

awareness of the characteristics of autistic children, resources

available and an introduction to positive behavior supports to

challenging behavior. Each adopted program shall allow school

counselors to receive at least one-third (1/3) of the hours or

credit required each year through programs or courses specifically

designed for school counselors.

Districts are authorized to utilize any means for professional

development that is not prohibited by law including, but not limited

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 70. Schools Page 455
ing behavior. Each adopted program shall allow school

counselors to receive at least one-third (1/3) of the hours or

credit required each year through programs or courses specifically

designed for school counselors.

Districts are authorized to utilize any means for professional

development that is not prohibited by law including, but not limited

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 70. Schools Page 455

to, professional development provided by the district, any state

agency, institution of higher education, or any private entity.

F. One time per year, beginning in the 2020-2021 school year, a

dyslexia awareness program shall be offered. Beginning in the 2023-

2024 school year, the program shall include information and training

in dysgraphia. At a minimum, the program shall include:

1. Training in awareness of dyslexia characteristics in

students;

2. Training in effective classroom instruction to meet the

needs of students with dyslexia; and

3. Available dyslexia resources for teachers, students and

parents.

G. Except as otherwise provided for in this subsection, each

certified teacher in this state shall be required by the district

board of education to meet the professional development requirements

established by the board, or established through the negotiation

process. Except as otherwise provided for in this subsection, the

professional development requirements established by each board of

education shall require every teacher to annually complete a minimum

number of the total number of points required to maintain

employment; provided, no more than a total of one hundred fifty

(150) hours of local, state, or federal professional development or

training shall be required for classroom teachers during any five-

year period. Failure of any teacher to meet district board of

education professional development requirements may be grounds for

nonrenewal of such teacher’s contract by the board. Such failure

may also be grounds for nonconsideration of salary increments

affecting the teacher. Teachers shall maintain written

documentation of all their completed professional development.

H. Each district shall annually submit a report to the State

Department of Education on the district level professional

development needs, activities completed, expenditures, and results

achieved for each school year by each goal as provided in subsection

C of this section. If a school district elects not to adopt and

offer a professional development program as provided for in

subsection A of this section, the district shall not be required to

submit an annual report as required pursuant to this subsection but

shall report to the State Department of Education its election not

to offer a program and all professional development activities

completed by teachers and administrators of the school district.

I. Subject to the availability of funds, the Department shall

develop an online system for reporting as required in subsection H

of this section. The Department shall also make such information

available on its website.