2017 Oklahoma Statutes
Title 70. Schools
§70-6-303. Components required for comparable system of career paths and compensation.

A. Any comparable system of career paths and compensation for teachers approved pursuant to Section 2 of this act shall include, at a minimum, all of the following components:

1. Increased support for new teachers and career teachers where appropriate, such as additional coaching, mentoring and opportunities for observing exceptional instructional practice;

2. Differentiated, multiple teacher leadership roles beyond the initial teacher and career teacher levels. These leadership roles may include but shall not be limited to the following:

a.instructional coaches who engage full-time or part-time in instructional coaching,

b.peer coaches who provide additional guidance in one or more aspects of the teaching profession to other teachers during normal noninstructional time. Peer coaches may be used only as one element of a more extensive teacher leadership plan,

c.curriculum and professional development leaders who engage full-time or part-time in the planning, development and implementation of curriculum and professional development,

d.model teachers who teach full-time and serve as models of exemplary teaching practice,

e.mentor teachers who teach full-time or part-time and also support the professional development of initial and career teachers, and

f.lead teachers who teach full-time or part-time and also plan and deliver professional development activities or engage in other activities designed to improve instructional strategies;

3. A rigorous selection process for placement into and retention in teacher leadership roles. The process shall include all of the following components:

a.the use of measures of effectiveness and professional growth to determine suitability for the role,

b.a selection committee that includes teachers and administrators who shall accept and review applications for assignment or reassignment to a teacher leadership role and shall make recommendations regarding the applications to the superintendent of the school district,

c.an annual review of the assignment to a teacher leadership role by the administration of the school or school district. The review shall include peer feedback on the effectiveness of the performance of duty of the teacher specific to the leadership role of the teacher. A teacher who completes the time period of assignment to a leadership role may apply to the administration of the school or school district for assignment in a new leadership role, if appropriate, or for reassignment, and

d.a requirement that a teacher assigned to a leadership role shall have at least three (3) years of teaching experience, and at least one (1) year of experience in the school district; and

4. A professional development system facilitated by teachers and other education experts and aligned with the professional development standards adopted by the Board.

B. Subject to the appropriation of funds or availability of federal funds, a school district approved to implement a comparable system pursuant to Section 2 of this act and which meets the requirements of this section shall be eligible to receive teacher leadership supplemental grants as provided for in Section 2 of this act.

Added by Laws 2016, c. 275, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 2016.