A. The State Board of Education shall grant an alternative placement teaching certificate to a person who makes application to the Board and meets the following criteria:
1.a.holds at least a baccalaureate degree from an institution whose accreditation is recognized by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and has attained a retention grade point average of not less than 2.50 on a 4.0 scale, or
2. Declares the intention to earn standard certification by means of an alternative placement program in not more than three (3) years. The State Board of Education shall determine the subject matter and the number of clock or semester hours required for the professional education component for each person making application for an alternative placement teaching certificate based on the criteria of paragraph 1 of this subsection.
The State Board of Education shall establish a core minimum of six (6) semester hours or ninety (90) clock hours and a maximum of eighteen (18) semester hours or two hundred seventy (270) clock hours for the professional education component.
The requirements set forth in this subsection shall exclude all student teaching requirements pursuant to the provisions of subsection E of this section;
3. Has passed the general education and subject area portions of the competency examination required in Section 6-187 of this title in the area of specialization for which certification is sought; and
4. Either presents a document from an accredited public school district in this state offering employment in the area of specialization for which certification is sought on condition that the person enroll in an alternative placement program approved by the State Board of Education or declares the intention to seek employment as a teacher at an accredited public school district in this state. The certificate granted pursuant to this subsection shall be considered a "valid certificate of qualification" for the purposes of Sections 6-107 and 6-108 of this title, and the holder of the certificate shall be considered an inductee for the purposes of Section 6-195 of this title.
B. An alternative placement teaching certificate shall be renewed for not more than a maximum of three (3) years upon presentation of a document from an accredited public school district in this state offering renewed employment in the same area of specialization and a document from a teacher education institution verifying satisfactory progress in an appropriate alternative placement program.
C. Persons enrolled in an alternative placement program shall:
1. Have never been denied admittance to a teacher education program approved by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and by the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation to offer teacher education programs, nor have enrolled in and subsequently failed courses necessary to successfully meet the minimum requirements of the program, except those persons who hold a certificate;
2. Have on file with the director of teacher education at an Oklahoma institution of higher education a plan for meeting standard certification requirements within three (3) years; and
3. Participate in an induction program as required in Section 6-195 of this title and have the same duties and responsibilities as other inductees.
D. The State Board of Education may grant an exception to the requirements for certification and, upon demonstration by an individual of specific competency in the subject area of specialization, may grant a certificate to the individual. The State Board may establish other requirements necessary to grant exceptions.
E. The State Board of Education, in consultation with the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability, may grant an exception to the requirement to complete a subject area examination for initial certification in a field which does not require an advanced degree pursuant to this section if the candidate has an advanced degree in a subject that is substantially comparable to the content assessed on a subject area examination. The degree shall be from an institution accredited by a national or regional accrediting agency which is recognized by the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education. The Commission shall provide the Board with the necessary information to determine comparability.
F. Student teaching and a prestudent teaching field experience shall not be required of alternative placement program participants for standard certification.
G. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules authorizing adjunct teachers who shall be persons with distinguished qualifications in their field. Adjunct teachers shall not be required to meet standard certification. Adjunct teachers shall be limited to two hundred seventy (270) clock hours of classroom teaching per semester.
H. Each teacher education institution shall provide the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation an annual report of information as specified by the Commission regarding participation in the alternative placement programs offered by the institution.
I. The Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation shall not accredit, renew the accreditation of, or otherwise approve any teacher education program of any institution of higher education in this state that has not implemented alternative placement programs in at least four areas of specialization, including mathematics, science and a foreign language. Each institution shall allow individuals who meet the criteria of subsections A and C of this section to be:
1. Admitted to an alternative placement program without further qualification; and
2. Offered the opportunity to complete the requirements for standard certification set forth in subsection A of this section during the summer preceding and the summer following the first year of teaching with an alternative placement teaching certificate. Any person seeking standard certification through an alternative placement program shall be permitted to take necessary courses during regular semesters if offered.
J. The criteria specified in subsection I of this section can be met through a cooperative arrangement entered into by two or more institutions of higher education.
Added by Laws 1989, 1st Ex. Sess., c. 2, § 23, emerg. eff. April 25, 1990. Amended by Laws 1991, c. 67, § 1, emerg. eff. April 12, 1991; Laws 1992, c. 308, § 9, eff. June 1, 1992; Laws 1995, c. 177, § 1, eff. July 1, 1995; Laws 1999, c. 202, § 1, eff. July 1, 1999; Laws 2001, c. 425, § 1, emerg. eff. June 5, 2001; Laws 2009, c. 82, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2009; Laws 2010, c. 61, § 1, eff. July 1, 2010; Laws 2010, c. 183, § 1, eff. July 1, 2010; Laws 2012, c. 76, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2012; Laws 2014, c. 124, § 7, eff. July 1, 2014; Laws 2016, c. 272, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2016; Laws 2017, c. 42, § 31; Laws 2017, c. 63, § 1, eff. July 1, 2017; Laws 2018, c. 165, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2018; Laws 2020, c. 139, § 2, eff. Nov. 1, 2020.
NOTE: Laws 2016, c. 30, § 1 repealed by Laws 2017, c. 42, § 32.