A. Criteria for the approval and accreditation of teacher education programs in Oklahoma institutions of higher education shall include, but not be limited to, substantial evidence that persons who enter teacher education programs demonstrate:

1. Competency in the oral and written use of the English language;

2. A minimum grade point average as established by the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability; and

3. The ability to meet criteria established pursuant to the Oklahoma Teacher Preparation Act at the completion of the teacher education program and provide evidence of having worked with children or youth in a variety of situations.

Criteria shall also include a greater emphasis upon field work in accredited schools by prospective teachers under the supervision of higher education faculty.

B. The Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability shall work with the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and the various institutions of higher education in developing guidelines for a paid teacher internship program which may be offered at each institution for prospective teachers. The purpose of each program shall be to provide mentorship and support for prospective teachers. Students enrolled in a teacher education program shall be eligible to participate in the program. Only students who have completed the minimum teacher internship requirement as established by the institution shall be eligible to participate in the paid teacher internship program.

C. It is hereby declared to be the intent of the Legislature that the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability work with the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and the various institutions of higher education in establishing a procedure whereby full-time teacher education faculty continue their professional development during their tenure at an institution of higher education to ensure that the future teachers of this state are taught by professional educators fully trained in their area of expertise. Each approved or accredited program of teacher education shall have a system for documenting and reporting the annual professional development activities of all teacher education faculty members. Faculty professional development reports shall be reviewed by the Commission along with professional development activities as a normal part of the accreditation process.

It is further declared to be the intent of the Legislature that such professional development plans provide alternative means of education including, but not limited to:

1. Professional development programs;

2. Higher education courses;

3. Exchange programs with public school classroom teachers, administrators, and other school personnel; and

4. Programs whereby all full-time teacher education faculty members directly involved in the teacher education process, including all administrators of the teacher education program, are required to serve in a state accredited public school for at least ten (10) clock hours per school year in responsibilities related to their respective teacher education teaching fields.

All public school systems shall participate in the programs provided for in this subsection when needed.

D. The Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability shall adopt rules requiring specific improvements to strengthen the screening of student applicants and field activity and placement as set out in subsection A of this section. Such rules shall be reviewed and amended or readopted by the Commission at least once every five (5) years.

E. To assist the Commission in setting specific requirements as set out in subsections A and D of this section, the Commission shall annually prepare a statistical report showing the percentage of students from each of the Oklahoma institutions of higher education who have successfully completed or who have failed the competency examination for certification. The annual report shall show the percentages for each institution of higher education and each assessment area separately by student degree status and shall be distributed annually to each member of the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, the governing board of each institution which has an approved or state accredited teacher education program, the State Board of Education, the State Board of Career and Technology Education and the Legislature.

F. By November 1, 2017, the Commission shall adopt rules requiring coursework or training in the use of digital and other instructional technologies as a requisite for program accreditation.

Added by Laws 1995, c. 322, § 7, eff. July 1, 1995. Amended by Laws 2001, c. 33, § 81, eff. July 1, 2001; Laws 2010, c. 61, § 3, eff. July 1, 2010; Laws 2014, c. 124, § 12, eff. July 1, 2014; Laws 2017, c. 5, § 1, eff. July 1, 2017; Laws 2019, c. 273, § 2, emerg. eff. May 2, 2019.