Okla. Stat. tit. 70, § 70-6-186.1: TeachForwardOK pilot program — Applications for

teacher education programs — Report.

A. The Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability

shall establish and maintain a two-year pilot program to be known as

TeachForwardOK to provide new, high-quality pathways to enter the

teaching profession and increase the number of teachers in this

state’s workforce.

B. Within thirty (30) days of the effective date of this act,

the Commission shall issue a request for proposals to select

technical assistance providers to evaluate teacher education

programs in institutions of higher education within The Oklahoma

State System of Higher Education that are accredited by the

Commission pursuant to Section 6-186 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma

Statutes.

C. To participate in TeachForwardOK, a teacher education

program shall submit an application to the Commission in the manner

and on a form prescribed by the Commission. The Commission shall

establish criteria to approve applicants. Subject to the

availability of funds, the Commission shall award grants to approved

applicant teacher education programs. The Commission may use any

gifts, grants, devises, and donations from any public or private

source and monies appropriated by the Legislature for the purpose of

implementing the provisions of this section. Grants shall be used

as incentives to participate and to contract with a technical

assistance provider selected by the Commission pursuant to

subsection B of this section. The provider shall evaluate, at a

minimum, the following:

1. Teacher candidate recruitment and completion;

2. Whether the teacher education program prepares teacher

candidates effectively;

3. Whether the teacher education program meets workforce needs

in this state; and

4. Innovative ways to recruit nontraditional teacher candidates

unique to the teacher education program.

D. 1. Evaluation reports prepared by a technical assistance

provider shall be electronically submitted to the approved applicant

teacher education program and the Commission.

2. Within ninety (90) days of receiving the report, the teacher

education program shall electronically submit a report response to

the Commission detailing how the teacher education program plans to

address the evaluation report’s findings. The report response shall

prioritize innovative approaches to provide new, high-quality

pathways to enter the teaching profession and increase the number of

teachers in this state’s workforce including, but not limited to:

a. developing a system for recruiting eligible teacher

candidates, such as:

(1) a pathway for high school students to become

paraprofessionals,

(2) a pathway for paraprofessionals to become

teachers, and

(3) a pathway for individuals with bachelor’s degrees

to become teachers,

b. developing a curriculum that includes intensive on-

the-job training for teacher candidates,

c. identifying a mastery-based evaluation system to

determine when eligible teacher candidates have

mastered the skills and competencies necessary for

graduation from an apprenticeship program and

outlining benchmarks that teacher candidates must meet

as they progress through on-the-job training,

d. offering a schedule that enables teacher candidates to

work full time in a public school district while

participating in an apprenticeship program and

allowing paraprofessionals to continue in their

positions, or

e. providing a flexible schedule for paraprofessionals

participating in an apprenticeship program to support

their success in the program that will facilitate

course completion and on-the-job training.

E. Subject to the availability of funding, the Commission shall

review the report responses submitted pursuant to subsection D of

this section and select one approved applicant teacher education

program to receive Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) to

enact the initiatives outlined in the program’s report response.

gram that will facilitate

course completion and on-the-job training.

E. Subject to the availability of funding, the Commission shall

review the report responses submitted pursuant to subsection D of

this section and select one approved applicant teacher education

program to receive Five Hundred Thousand Dollars ($500,000.00) to

enact the initiatives outlined in the program’s report response.

F. By December 31, 2027, the Commission shall electronically

submit a report of TeachForwardOK’s findings and recommendations to

the Governor, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and the

Speaker of the House of Representatives.

G. The Commission shall promulgate rules to implement the

provisions of this section.