2018 Oklahoma Statutes
Title 70. Schools
§70-6-101.25. Recommendation of dismissal or not to reemploy to be in writing - Basis or grounds.

A. Whenever a superintendent decides to recommend that a teacher employed within the school district be dismissed or not reemployed, the superintendent shall state the recommendation in writing, setting forth the basis for the recommendation, and shall submit such recommendation to the board of education.

If the teacher subject to such recommendation is a career teacher, the recommendation shall specify the statutory grounds for which the recommendation is based.

If the teacher subject to such recommendation is a probationary teacher, the recommendation shall specify the cause for which the recommendation is based.

The superintendent shall also specify the underlying facts supporting the recommendation.

B. If the recommendation includes grounds that could form the basis of criminal charges sufficient to result in the denial or revocation of a certificate for a reason set forth in subparagraph a of paragraph 6 of Section 3-104 of this title, a copy of the recommendation shall also be forwarded to the State Board of Education after the completion of due process procedures pursuant to Section 6-101.26 of this title or after the teacher resigns. Failure to forward a copy of the recommendation to the State Board of Education shall not be the basis for any claim or action against a public school, its board of education, employees, agents or other representatives. If the school district forwards a copy of the recommendation to the State Board of Education, the school district shall contemporaneously forward a copy to the teacher subject to such recommendation. The teacher may provide supplementary information to the State Board of Education.

C. Only school districts may request a copy of the recommendation from the State Board of Education, and only if a teacher is being considered for new employment or a teacher is currently employed by the requesting school district. The State Board of Education shall notify the teacher subject to the recommendation if such a request is made and provide the identity of the school district that made such request. The State Board of Education shall provide the requesting school district documents related to the recommendation as well as any supplementary information provided by the teacher subject to the recommendation, and copies shall be contemporaneously forwarded to the teacher subject to the recommendation. Records provided to a requesting school district pursuant to this subsection shall be kept confidential.

D. Except as provided for in subsection C of this section, the State Board of Education shall keep recommendations submitted pursuant to subsection B of this section confidential. Records created pursuant to this section shall not be subject to disclosure under the Oklahoma Open Records Act.

E. If the State Board of Education or a school district that generated or received documents pursuant to subsection C of this section is served a subpoena requesting disclosure of the documents, the teacher subject to the recommendation shall immediately be notified and be provided the opportunity to object to the subpoena.

Added by Laws 1989, 1st Ex.Sess., c. 2, § 80, operative July 1, 1990. Amended by Laws 2015, c. 366, § 1, eff. July 1, 2015.