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Oklahoma Administrative Code (Last Updated: March 11, 2021) |
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TITLE 210. State Department of Education |
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Chapter 20. Staff |
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Subchapter 15. Residency Program |
SECTION 210:20-15-3. Residency committee
Latest version.
- (b) Qualifications of members. Qualification which members of the residency committee must meet are as follows:(1) The mentor teacher must meet all qualifications specified in Subchapter 17, Mentor Teacher, of this Chapter.(2) Higher education faculty members who serve on residency committees must have an active involvement in the institution's undergraduate or graduate programs and be acceptable to the local board of education.(3) The administrator must serve in an administrative capacity in the district.(c) Selection process.(1) The mentor teacher shall be selected according to the rules in Subchapter 17, Mentor Teacher, in this Chapter.(2) The administrator shall be designated by the local school board to serve on the committee within ten (10) teaching days after the resident teacher enters the classroom.(3) The educator from higher education shall be identified on a mutual action basis by the superintendent and the teacher education institution coordinator.(A) All local school district requests for an educator will be channeled through one central office on the teacher education institution campus designated by the president of said teacher education institution.(B) To facilitate the selection of a higher education person, the superintendent will contact the designated teacher education institution coordinator of the teacher education institution that recommended the resident teacher for an Oklahoma teacher license and inform the coordinator of the resident teacher's license type. At that point, the teacher education institution coordinator will assume responsibility for identifying an appropriate educator to recommend to the superintendent for the residency committee.(i) Each teacher education institution is expected to assume responsibility for its own graduates; however, in making assignments, consideration should be given to the resident teacher's geographic location and the distance to the recommending institution. It is expected that the teacher education institution coordinator will inform the requesting superintendent of the name of a qualified higher education person within ten (10) working days after the request has been made.(ii) For out-of-state resident teachers, the superintendent will contact the designated teacher education institution coordinator of the nearest teacher education institution in Oklahoma and inform the coordinator of the resident teacher's license type. The institution coordinator will assume responsibility for recommending an educator with the appropriate expertise and experience. It is expected that the teacher education institution coordinator will inform the requesting superintendent of the name of a qualified higher education person within ten (10) working days after the request has been made.(d) Role and function.(1) A residency program will not be complete unless the resident teacher has been employed for at least 120 days by the conclusion of the school year. If a resident teacher is employed for less than 120 days during one school year, it will be necessary for a residency committee to continue with the resident teacher during the next school year until a total of 180 days has been completed.(2) The residency committee shall make a certification recommendation according to criteria established by the State Board of Education.(e) Evaluation process.(1) A standard observation instrument adopted by the State Board of Education will be used by each residency committee to evaluate a resident teacher for certification purposes only.(2) Each residency committee will meet with the resident teacher a minimum of three (3) times per year for evaluation review and recommendation.(3) Each member of the committee will observe the resident teacher a minimum of three (3) times per year.(4) The committee process shall follow the sequence set forth:(A) Formal Committee Meeting I with the resident teacher to become acquainted with each other, elect a chairperson, establish a communication system, establish a schedule for committee member's activities, and review the evaluation form.(B) Observation I is an independent visitation.(C) Observation II is an independent visitation.(D) Formal Committee Meeting II with the resident teacher to review progress and formulate recommendations concerning the teaching performance of the resident teacher.(E) Observation III is an independent visitation.(F) Formal Committee Meeting III with the resident teacher to make a recommendation concerning certification. (Refer to 210:20-15-3 (f) (3).).(f) Certification recommendation.(1) The recommendation of the committee members will be determined by a majority vote.(2) The recommendation of the committee will be made to the State Board of Education and the preparing institution of higher education between April 10 and the end of the school term. If the resident teacher is a graduate of an out-of-state institution of higher education, the recommendation of the residency committee shall be made to the State Board of Education and the institution of higher education which serves on the committee.(3) If a resident teacher has been employed for less than 120 days during the school year, it will be necessary for the resident teacher to continue as a resident teacher during the next school year until a total of 180 days has been completed. This recommendation for certification or an additional residency year will be made between the 150th and 180th day of employment.(4) The State Board of Education will make an annual report to each teacher education institution in Oklahoma on the certification status of each of its graduates who was employed as a resident teacher:(A) recommendation for certification;(B) recommendation for a second year in the Residency Program; or(C) recommendation for noncertification at the conclusion of the second residency year.(g) Appeal procedures.(1) Pursuant to 70 O.S. Supp. 1997 §6-203, any resident teacher not recommended for certification after completing two (2) years in the program may request a hearing before the State Board of Education to review the decision of the residency committee. All hearings shall be conducted in accordance with the Administrative Procedures Act, 75 O.S. §309 et seq.(2) The parties to the proceeding shall be the teacher and the Resident Teacher Committee members.(3) A request for a hearing must be received by the State Superintendent of Public Instruction within sixty (60) days from the date of the committee's recommendation to deny certification.(4) The Executive Secretary of the State Board of Education shall notify the teacher and the Resident Teacher Committee members of the time, date and place of the hearing.(5) The request for hearing must state in specific terms all issues asserted by the teacher as required by 75 O.S. §309 (B)(4). The request for hearing will be forwarded to residency committee members by the State Department of Education.(6) The State Board of Education or a designated hearing officer appointed by the Chairperson of the Board, may present the parties with a pre-hearing schedule setting forth deadlines for submission of witness and exhibit lists. All exhibits set forth on the exhibit list and the witness list shall be provided to the Legal Services Section of the State Department of Education or the designated hearing officer and opposing party according to the pre-hearing schedule.(7) The hearing shall be electronically recorded by the State Department of Education. In the event copies of the recordings are requested, the department may enlist the services of a certified court reporter; the cost to be borne by the party requesting transcription.(8) At the hearing the teacher shall proceed before the Board first. Upon conclusion of the teacher's presentation, the Resident Teacher Committee members shall have an opportunity to present information to the Board.(9) The Board may convene in executive session to review the evidence and arguments of the parties.(10) General Counsel for the Board shall act as legal advisor to the Board.(11) The Board may take such action as authorized by law.(12) Findings of fact and conclusions of law will be entered by the Board. The Board may direct legal counsel to reduce these to writing.(13) The findings and conclusions once finalized shall be mailed to the teacher and Resident Teacher Committee member by the Executive Secretary of the State Board of Education by certified mail, return receipt requested.(14) In the event the State Board of Education should designate a hearing officer to hear the appeal the following procedures shall be utilized:(A) The hearing officer, once appointed, shall notify the parties of his or her appointment and inform them of any pre-hearing deadlines for witness and exhibit lists.(B) Written recommended findings of fact and conclusions of law shall be prepared by the hearing officer after conclusion of the hearing and submitted to the parties and the State Board of Education.(C) The parties shall have the opportunities set out in 75 O.S. Supp. 1997 §311 before action is taken on the proposed findings of fact and conclusions of law.(D) After the parties have been given notice and an opportunity to file exceptions, present briefs and oral arguments in accordance with 75 O.S. Supp. 1997 §311, action shall be taken to accept, reject, or modify the proposed Findings and Conclusions of the hearing officer. Within ten (10) days following the decision by the Oklahoma State Board of Education, finalized Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law shall be mailed by the Executive Secretary of the State Board of Education to each of the parties by certified mail.(h) Replacement of committee members.(1) If it is necessary to replace a residency committee member, the Residency Program, State Department of Education, should be contacted and provided an official letter regarding the change. It is recommended that the residency committee chairperson and/or school district official discuss the situation with the Residency Program to assure all regulations are being fulfilled.(2) The resigning committee members should give the observation instrument(s), if any, to the chairperson or another member of the committee to keep until the assignment of a new committee member. The replacement committee member should receive the observation instrument(s) completed by original committee member. The replacement committee member should also review the observation instrument(s) completed by the remaining original committee members.(3) Replacement committee members are expected to enter the residency committee process at the point of departure of the original committee member and assume full responsibility as a committee member. If the original committee member has not made any observations of the resident teacher, the minimum requirement of three (3) independent observations is required of the replacement committee member. If prior observation(s) have been made by the original committee member, the replacement committee member is required to make at least two (2) independent observations of the resident teacher and complete two (2) observation instruments before Committee Meeting III.(4) The Residency Program at the State Department of Education should be contacted if there is a need for additional observation instruments.