1. A. Subject to the availability of funds, the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation shall have authority to develop and administer training for residency committees and training for professional development through professional development institutes. Included in the professional development institutes training shall be technology training. Professional development institutes shall be accepted by the State Board of Education for professional development purposes and shall be defined as continuing education experiences which consist of a minimum of thirty (30) clock hours. The institutes shall be competency-based, emphasize effective learning practices, require collaboration among participants, and require each participant to prepare a work product which can be utilized in the classroom by the participant. Any state professional development institutes administered by the Commission shall be chosen through a competitive bid process and if funds are available subject to peer review. The Commission, prior to offering any professional development institute, shall promulgate rules related to administering state professional development institutes.
2. B. With the funds appropriated in House Bill No. 1872 of the 1st Session of the 46th Oklahoma Legislature specifically for the purpose of funding professional development institutes in intensive elementary reading, the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation shall develop, offer and administer professional development institutes to train elementary school teachers in reading education. The funds shall be used for the cost of developing, administering and contracting for the professional development institutes. When possible, certified reading specialists shall be included as consultants. All costs of the institutes shall be included in the contract price and no tuition or registration fee shall be collected from teachers attending the institutes. The institutes shall be offered by or through the Commission. Working in conjunction with the State Department of Education, the Commission shall develop a state plan for administration of such institutes and shall report to the Governor and the Legislature on the format of and participation in the institutes. The State Department of Education shall cooperate with and provide any information requested to the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation as is necessary to carry out the provisions of this subsection. As additional funds become available for such purpose, the Commission shall develop and offer professional development institutes in mathematics for teachers in grades five through nine, the use of technology in the classroom, training of residency committee members in teacher mentoring and in hands-on inquiry-based science for elementary teachers.

3. C. Subject to the availability of funds, the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation shall:

   1. 1. Make available in Fiscal Year 1999, a three-day follow-up professional development institute for teachers who participated in an elementary school reading professional development institute during Fiscal Year 1998;
   2. 2. Provide five-day initial professional development institutes in elementary school reading for elementary school teachers and instructional leaders;
   3. 3. Contract for an independent evaluation of the elementary school reading professional development institute; and
   4. 4. Provide continued support of the elementary school reading professional development institutes through ongoing teacher development at individual school sites. Funds may be used for the cost of mentor training, payment for substitute teachers, on-site facilitation, and any other costs necessary to ensure improved reading by students.

Laws 1995, HB 1549, c. 322, § 21, emerg. eff. July 1, 1995; Amended by Laws 1997, HB 1559, c. 344, § 8, emerg. eff. June 9, 1997 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 1997, HB 2017, c. 349, § 4, emerg. eff. July 1, 1997 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 1997, SB 398, c. 356, § 1, emerg. eff. July 1, 1997 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 1998, HB 3348, c. 5, § 24, emerg. eff. March 4, 1998 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 1998, HB 2878, c. 332, § 3, emerg. eff. July 1, 1998 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2000, HB 2000, c. 289, § 3, emerg. eff. July 1, 2000 (superseded document available).