§ 70-6-199. Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation - Creation - Duties.

A.  There is hereby created the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation.  The Commission shall be composed of twenty-four (24) members, twenty of whom shall be voting members and four of whom shall be ex officio, nonvoting members.  The voting members shall serve staggered terms of three (3) years, except as otherwise provided, and shall be appointed as follows:

1.  The Speaker of the House of Representatives shall appoint:

a.one public school teacher who is an employee of an Oklahoma public school district, who shall serve an initial term of two (2) years,

b.one lay person who has at least one child who is a student in an elementary or secondary public school in this state,

c.one member of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education who shall serve an initial term of two (2) years,

d.one member who is a principal of an Oklahoma public school who shall serve an initial term of one (1) year, and

e.one lay person who has demonstrated long-term commitment to continual improvement of education;

2.  The President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall appoint:

a.one public school teacher who is an employee of an Oklahoma public school district to serve an initial term of one (1) year,

b.one member of the State Board of Education who shall serve an initial term of one (1) year,

c.one lay person who has had some educational employment experience,

d.one member who is a public school superintendent of an Oklahoma public school district to serve an initial term of two (2) years, and

e.one lay person who has demonstrated long-term commitment to continual improvement of education;

3.  The Governor shall appoint:

a.one member from a private Oklahoma institution of higher education who is the dean or director of an approved teacher education program who shall serve an initial term of one (1) year,

b.one member of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education who shall serve an initial term of two (2) years,

c.one member of the State Board of Education,

d.one teacher from a technology center school district who shall serve an initial term of one (1) year,

e.one member from an institution of higher education in The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education who is on the arts and sciences faculty to serve an initial term of two (2) years,

f.one member from an institution of higher education in The Oklahoma System of Higher Education who is on the teacher education faculty,

g.two public school teachers who are employees of an Oklahoma public school district, and

h.two lay persons who have demonstrated long-term commitment to continual improvement of education;

4.  The ex officio, nonvoting members shall include the State Superintendent of Public Instruction, the Chancellor of Higher Education, the Director of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education and the Secretary of Education or their designees.

B.  1.  The members of the Commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be allowed actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties, as provided in the State Travel Reimbursement Act.

2.  The Commission shall hold meetings as necessary at a place and time fixed by the Commission.  The first meeting of the Commission, which shall be held on or after July 1, 1995, shall be called by the Executive Director of the Commission.  At the first meeting, the Commission shall select one of the members to serve as chair and another member to serve as vice-chair.  At the first ensuing meeting in each fiscal year thereafter, the chair and vice-chair for the ensuing year shall be elected.  Special meetings may be called by the chair or by five members of the Commission by delivery of written notice to each member of the Commission.  A majority of the voting members of the Commission shall be present at the meeting to constitute a quorum of the Commission.

3.  The Commission may promulgate rules and set fees pursuant to the purposes of the Oklahoma Teacher Preparation Act.

4.  The Commission shall assist the State Board of Education and the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education in conducting necessary reviews and planning activities related to the purposes of this act.  The Commission shall provide a public forum for receiving comments and disseminating information to the public and the education community regarding the purposes of the Oklahoma Teacher Preparation Act.  The Commission shall have the authority to make recommendations to and otherwise consult with the State Board of Education, the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, the State Board of Career and Technology Education, the Education Oversight Board and the Legislature on matters which relate to the purposes of the Oklahoma Teacher Preparation Act.

5.  The terms of the members shall begin July 1 of the applicable year.

C.  Appointing authorities shall seek to provide a broad geographic representation of the members serving on the Commission.

D.  The Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation may contract for services or employ staff, as needed, to fulfill its duties and responsibilities.  The Commission may enter into a contract which includes an agreement with a state agency, board or commission to provide administrative support to the Commission.  The Commission may accept federal grants and other federal funds to carry out the purposes of the Commission.

E.  Members of the Commission shall be exempt from the provisions of Section 6 of Title 51 of the Oklahoma Statutes, which prohibits the holding of any other office during the member's term of office on the Commission.

Added by Laws 1992, c. 308, § 8, eff. June 1, 1992.  Amended by Laws 1993, c. 350, § 1, emerg. eff. June 10, 1993; Laws 1994, c. 224, § 6, eff. Sept. 1, 1994; Laws 1995, c. 322, § 20, eff. July 1, 1995.  Renumbered from Title 70, § 6-178 by Laws 1995, c. 322, § 34, eff. July 1, 1995.  Amended by Laws 1997, c. 344, § 7, emerg. eff. June 9, 1997; Laws 2001, c. 33, § 83, eff. July 1, 2001; Laws 2001, c. 425, § 4, emerg. eff. June 5, 2001.

Note

NOTE:  Laws 2012, c. 223, § 17 provides for repeal of this section effective July 1, 2014.