2015 Oklahoma Statutes
Title 70. Schools
§70-1210.508F. Training for teachers of students with reading difficulties.

A. The State Board of Education shall ensure that the reading competencies for elementary teachers are included in the competencies for special education teachers.

B. The State Board of Education and the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation in collaboration with the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall ensure that all teachers of early childhood education, elementary education, and special education are provided quality training in intervention, instruction, and remediation strategies in order to meet the needs of students in kindergarten through third grade who are determined to be at risk of reading difficulties.

C. Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, all institutions within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education that offer elementary, early childhood education, or special education programs approved by the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation shall incorporate into those programs the requirement that teacher candidates study the five elements of reading instruction which are phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension.

D. Effective July 1, 2010, teacher candidates enrolled in an institution within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education in an elementary, early childhood education, or special education program approved by the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation shall pass, prior to graduation, a comprehensive assessment to measure their teaching skills in the area of reading instruction. The assessment shall be developed and administered by the institutions that offer elementary, early childhood education, or special education programs that lead to certification. The assessment shall measure the knowledge and understanding of the teacher candidate in the teaching of the five elements of reading instruction which are phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. The results of the assessment shall be reported annually by the institution to the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation as a part of the required annual report for the institution. The Commission shall include the data in the annual report to the Oklahoma Legislature as required pursuant to Section 6-186 of this title. It is the intent of the Legislature to ensure that teachers graduating from institutions within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education have the knowledge and skills to effectively teach reading to all children.

Added by Laws 2005, c. 431, § 4, eff. Sept. 1, 2005. Amended by Laws 2009, c. 97, § 1, eff. July 1, 2009.