2014 Oklahoma Statutes
Title 70. Schools
§70-6-182. Definitions.

As used in the Oklahoma Teacher Preparation Act:

1. "Board" means the State Board of Education;

2. "Commission" means the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability;

3. "State Regents" means the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education;

4. "Professional development program" means the program mandated by the Oklahoma Teacher Preparation Act for the continuous improvement and enrichment of the certified and licensed teachers of this state;

5. "Teacher education professional development committee" means the committee created in Section 6-186 of this title for the continuous improvement and enrichment of higher education faculty in teacher education programs in institutions of higher education;

6. "Department" means the State Department of Education;

7. "Residency committee" means a committee in a school district for the purpose of providing professional support, mentorship and coaching to the resident teacher. A residency committee may consist of one or more mentor teachers, the principal or an assistant principal of the employing school, one or more administrators designated by the school district board of education, a teacher educator in a college or school of education of an institution of higher education or an educator in a department or school outside the institution's teacher education unit. If possible, qualified mentor teachers shall have expertise in the teaching field of the resident teacher and, if possible, the higher education members of the residency committee shall have expertise and experience in the teaching field of the resident teacher. However, in all cases, at least one member of the residency committee shall have expertise and experience in the teaching field of the resident teacher;

8. "Teacher" means a person defined as a teacher in Section 1-116 of this title;

9. "Resident teacher" means any certified teacher who is employed in an accredited school to serve as a teacher and the school district has elected to place under the guidance and assistance of a mentor teacher and residency committee. The resident teacher shall have completed the program of the college or school of education of the accredited institution of higher education from which the person has been graduated, and shall have successfully completed the competency examination in areas of approval in which the resident teacher seeks certification;

10. "Certified teacher" means any teacher who has been issued a certificate by the Board in accordance with the Oklahoma Teacher Preparation Act and the rules of the Board;

11. "Mentor teacher" means any teacher holding a standard certificate who is employed in a school district to serve as a teacher and who has been appointed to provide guidance, support, coaching and assistance to a resident teacher employed by the school district. A mentor teacher shall be a classroom teacher and have a minimum of two (2) years of classroom teaching experience as a certified teacher.

A mentor teacher shall be selected by the principal from a list of qualified teacher volunteers who have submitted their names for that purpose. After compilation of the list, the principal shall provide opportunity for input from the bargaining agent, where one exists. Membership or nonmembership in a professional teacher organization shall not be considered as a factor in selecting a mentor teacher. When possible, a mentor teacher shall have successfully completed a mentor teacher professional development institute and be assigned to the same school site and have similar certification as the resident teacher;

12. "Higher education faculty" means any individual who is employed in a teaching capacity in an institution of higher education, approved or accredited by the Commission for the preparation of education personnel; and

13. "Competency examination" means the assessment required in the Oklahoma Teacher Preparation Act for certification as a teacher and shall consist of tests over general education, professional education and subject areas as defined by the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability.

Added by Laws 1995, c. 322, § 3, eff. July 1, 1995. Amended by Laws 1997, c. 344, § 2, emerg. eff. June 9, 1997; Laws 2005, c. 280, § 1, eff. July 1, 2005; Laws 2012, c. 223, § 8, eff. Jan. 1, 2013; Laws 2014, c. 124, § 9, eff. July 1, 2014.