Subject to the availability of funds, the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation and the State Board of Education are authorized to establish the Education Leadership Oklahoma program.

1. B. The purposes of the Education Leadership Oklahoma program are:

   1. 1. Provide teachers throughout the state information about National Board certification and the Education Leadership Oklahoma program scholarships and services;
   2. 2. Provide technical assistance and National Board certified mentors to all teachers seeking National Board certification upon request;
   3. 3. Provide scholarships, pursuant to the Education Leadership Oklahoma Act and Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation rules, for teachers seeking National Board certification;
   4. 4. Provide a bonus to teachers who achieve National Board certification pursuant to the Education Leadership Oklahoma Act and State Board of Education rules;
   5. 5. Reward teachers who achieve National Board certification without the financial support of the Education Leadership Oklahoma program by awarding them the application fee and the amount of the scholarship given to Education Leadership Oklahoma participants pursuant to this section and commission rules; and
   6. 6. Provide recognition to National Board certified teachers.

2. C. To fulfill the objectives of the Education Leadership Oklahoma Act, the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation shall:

   1. 1. Inform teachers of the Education Leadership Oklahoma program and the scholarships and services it provides to teachers seeking National Board certification;
   2. 2. Collect and review applications to the scholarship program from interested teachers;
   3. 3. Establish an applicant review committee for the purpose of identifying scholarship recipients pursuant to the Education Leadership Oklahoma Act for the Education Leadership Oklahoma program; and
   4. 4. Ensure that all scholarship recipients, alternates, and teachers seeking National Board certification independently receive adequate information regarding the level of commitment required to acquire National Board certification.

3. D. The applicant review committee shall:

   1. 1. Consist of:

      1. a. five classroom teachers appointed by the State Board of Education, at least one of whom shall be a National Board certified teacher, if available,
      2. b. five classroom teachers appointed by the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation, at least one of whom shall be a National Board certified teacher, if available,
      3. c. three classroom teachers appointed by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education, at least one of whom shall be a National Board certified teacher, if available, and
      4. d. a chair to be designated by the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation from among the appointed members; and

   2. 2. Select up to two hundred teachers for the 1999-00 class, up to four hundred teachers beginning with the 2000-01 class and every year thereafter, and the appropriate number of alternates, who:

      1. a. have demonstrated a commitment to excellence in teaching,
      2. b. meet all eligibility requirements for potential certification as established by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards,
      3. c. are employed in an Oklahoma public school, and
      4. d. meet other requirements of the Commission.
4. E. Subject to the availability of funds appropriated by the Legislature for the purposes of this subsection, the application fee for National Board certification shall be paid for scholarship recipients by the Commission, and scholarship recipients shall be provided a scholarship in the amount of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) to cover other expenses associated with obtaining National Board certification.
5. F. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation contract with Southeastern Oklahoma State University to establish Education Leadership Oklahoma program training in higher education teacher preparation programs in the state to assist teachers in meeting the requirements to obtain National Board certification.
6. G. All teachers seeking National Board certification shall be eligible to participate in Education Leadership Oklahoma program training to assist them in meeting the requirements of the National Board certification process, free of charge.
7. H. The Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation shall promulgate rules for the selection of scholarship recipients, the selection and utilization of alternates, the payment and reimbursement of application fees, and the issuance of scholarships.
8. I. Subject to district board of education policy, teachers who have submitted an application for National Board certification shall either be allowed to utilize two (2) of their five (5) professional days for National Board certification portfolio development or be provided an additional two (2) professional days during which a substitute teacher shall be provided by the school district at no cost to the teacher.
9. J. The State Board of Education shall provide all teachers who attain National Board certification a bonus in the amount of Five Thousand Dollars ($5,000.00) annually no later than January 31 for as long as they maintain their National Board certification and are teaching in the classroom full-time in an Oklahoma public school. No school or school district shall be liable for payment of bonuses pursuant to this section.
10. K. The bonus shall not be included in the calculation of the teacher's salary for purposes of meeting the district or statutory minimum salary schedule or for purposes of compensating Oklahoma Teachers' Retirement System contributions or benefits.

11. L. The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules for the provision of the bonus pursuant to this section to include, but not be limited to, a process by which a National Board certified teacher will verify that:

    1. 1. The National Board certification has not lapsed; and
    2. 2. The teacher is still a full-time classroom teacher.
12. M. It is the intent of the Legislature that the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education incorporate the National Board certification portfolio development into all programs in education leading to a master's level degree.

Laws 1997, SB 202, c. 181, § 3, emerg. eff. July 1, 1997; Amended by Laws 1998, SB 770, c. 350, § 1, emerg. eff. June 5, 1998 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 1999, HB 1364, c. 303, § 1, emerg. eff. July 1, 1999 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 1999, HB 1759, c. 320, § 46, emerg. eff. July 1, 1999 (repealed by Laws 2001, HB 1499, c. 201, § 3) (superseded document available).