1. A. The State Board of Education shall grant an Alternative Placement teaching certificate to a person who makes application to the State Board and meets all of the following criteria:

   1. 1. Holds at least a baccalaureate degree from an institution whose accreditation is recognized by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education;
   2. 2. Has completed a major in a field that corresponds to an area of specialization for an Elementary-Secondary Certificate, a Secondary Certificate or a vocational-technical certificate;

   3. 3. Declares the intention to earn Standard Certification by means of the Alternative Placement Program in not more than three (3) years. For the purposes of the Alternative Placement Program only, the State Board of Education shall determine the subject matter of professional education component pursuant to this section, and the requirements for the Professional Education component required for Standard Certification shall be as follows:

      1. a. baccalaureate degree, and eighteen (18) semester hours or two hundred seventy (270) clock hours, or

      2. b. postbaccalaureate degrees, teaching experience or subject matter work experience, or a combination of the three shall reduce the eighteen (18) semester hours or two hundred seventy (270) clock hours by the following:

         Degree or Experience Hour Reduction

         Master's Degree 6 semester hours or 90 clock hours

         Doctorate Degree 6 semester hours or 90 clock hours

         1 year teaching or subject matter work experience 3 semester hours or 45 clock hours

         2 years teaching or subject matter work experience 6 semester hours or 90 clock hours

         3 years teaching or subject matter work experience 9 semester hours or 135 clock hours

         4 years teaching or subject matter work experience 12 semester hours or 180 clock hours,

      3. c. the State Board of Education shall establish a core minimum of six (6) semester hours or ninety (90) clock hours. Under no circumstance shall the number of hours be reduced to less than six (6) semester hours or ninety (90) clock hours.

      4. d. for purposes of this section:

         1. (1) "teaching experience" shall mean full-time employment as a teacher in a public school, private school licensed or accredited by the State Board of Education, or institution of higher education,

         2. (2) "Subject matter work experience" shall mean work experience in a field that corresponds to the area of specialization for Elementary-Secondary Certificate, Secondary Certificate or vocational-technical certificate.

            Such requirements shall exclude all student teaching requirements pursuant to the provisions of subsection D of this section;

   4. 4. Has passed the curriculum examination(s) in the area of specialization for which certification is sought; and
   5. 5. Either presents a document from an accredited public school district in this state offering employment in the area of specialization for which certification is sought on condition that the person enroll in an Alternative Placement Program approved by the State Board of Education or declares the intention to seek employment as a teacher at an accredited public school district in this state. The certificate granted pursuant to this subsection shall be considered a "valid certificate of qualification" for the purposes of Sections 6-107 and 6-108 of this title, and the holder of such certificate shall be considered a resident teacher for the purposes of Section 6-195 of this title.
2. B. Said certificate shall be renewed for not more than a maximum of three (3) years upon presentation of a document from an accredited public school district in this state offering renewed employment in the same area of specialization and a document from a teacher education institution verifying satisfactory progress in the appropriate Alternative Placement Program.

3. C. Persons enrolled in an Alternative Placement Program shall:

   1. 1. Have never been denied admittance to a teacher education program approved by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools and by the Oklahoma State Board of Education to offer teacher education programs, nor have enrolled in and subsequently failed courses necessary to successfully meet the minimum requirements of such program, except those persons who hold a certificate;
   2. 2. Have on file with the director of teacher education at an Oklahoma institution of higher education a plan for meeting standard certification requirements within three (3) years;
   3. 3. Participate in the Entry-year Assistance Program, Section 6-152 et seq. of this title and have the same duties and responsibilities as other Entry-year Assistance Program participants, except those persons who hold a certificate; and
   4. 4. Document at least two (2) years of work experience which is related to the subject area of specialization if the person has only a baccalaureate degree with no postbaccalaureate work in a related area. The State Board of Education may grant an exception to a person based on that person's ability to demonstrate specific competency in the subject area of specialization.
4. D. Student teaching and a prestudent teaching field experience shall not be required of Alternative Placement Program participants for Standard Certification.
5. E. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules authorizing adjunct teachers who shall be persons with distinguished qualifications in their field. Adjunct teachers shall not be required to meet standard certification. Any such adjunct teachers shall be limited to ninety (90) clock hours per semester.
6. F. Each teacher education institution shall provide the Office of Accountability an annual report of information specified by the Office of Accountability regarding participation in the Alternative Placement Program.

7. G. The State Board of Education shall not accredit, renew the accreditation of, or otherwise approve any teacher education program of any institution of higher education in this state that has not made a commitment to, and begun implementation of, Alternative Placement Programs in at least four areas of specialization, including mathematics, science and a foreign language, whereby individuals who meet the criteria of subsections A and C of this section are:

   1. 1. Admitted without further qualification; and
   2. 2. Offered the opportunity to complete the Standard Certification course requirements set forth in subsection A of this section during the summer preceding and the summer following the first year of teaching under the Alternative Placement Program. Provided, however, any person seeking Alternative Placement shall be permitted to take necessary courses during regular semesters if offered.
8. H. The criteria specified in subsection G of this section can be met through a cooperative arrangement entered into by two or more institutions of higher education.

Laws 1989, 1st Extr. Sess., HB 1017, c. 2, § 23, eff. April 25, 1990; Amended by Laws 1991, SB 158, c. 67, § 1, emerg. eff. April 12, 1991; Amended by Laws 1992, HB 2246, c. 308, § 9, emerg. eff. June 1, 1992; Amended by Laws 1995, HB 1331, c. 177, § 1, emerg. eff. July 1, 1995; Amended by Laws 1999, SB 715, c. 202, § 1, emerg. eff. July 1, 1999 (superseded document available).