SECTION 340:110-1-20. Professional development of OCCS staff

(a)   Licensing staff training. All Oklahoma Child Care Services (OCCS) licensing staff are required to receive job-related training on an annual basis. This includes the new worker licensing training required for all new licensing staff. An annual training plan is developed for each employee with the employee's supervisor.

(b)   Professional development of OCCS staff. OCCS may award scholarships for coursework leading to a master's degree in early childhood education at an Oklahoma public university. The program may be discontinued at any time based on unavailability of funding.

(1)   Scholarships are awarded to employees based upon supervisory recommendation and selection by the OCCS Education Assistance Committee. Preference is given to staff who have three years of Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) employment.

(2)   Applications are not accepted for participants while in probationary status or a trial period or during any level of corrective discipline. Once approved, any continued participation is based upon supervisory approval, satisfactory job performance appraisal, and OCCS Education Assistance Committee approval.

(3)   Participation is limited to two courses per semester per person.

(c)   Scholarship requirements.

(1)   Mandatory service requirement. The OCCS Education Assistance Committee establishes conditions of a mandatory service requirement for participants in the scholarship program. The service requirement is included in a written contract between OCCS and the participant.

(2)   Grade report. At the end of each semester, scholarship recipients submit a copy of their grades to their supervisor and to the OCCS Education Assistance Committee.

(3)   Reimbursement requirement. Exceptions to the reimbursement requirement may be granted, at the discretion of the OCCS Education Assistance Committee, for serious illness, injury, or a personal situation requiring the recipient to withdraw from school. The OCCS Education Assistance Committee specifies and includes the terms of reimbursement in a contract between OCCS and the participant. Unless an exception is granted by the OCCS Education Assistance Committee, reimbursement to OKDHS for the cost of tuition, books, fees, and other expenses incurred is required and a recipient is not permitted to enroll in further courses until the debt is paid in full when a recipient:

(A)   withdraws from a class;

(B)   earns a grade below "C" in any class;

(C)   receives a grade of "incomplete" that is not converted to an acceptable grade during the next semester; or

(D)   is removed from the program by the university.

(4)   Use of leave. With supervisory approval, scholarship recipients may use educational leave up to 160 hours per year. Such requests are submitted and approved in accordance with OKDHS:2-1-42. Attendance at night or weekend classes does not qualify the recipient for compensatory time.

(5)   Application. Applications and supporting documentation for the scholarship program are submitted within the designated time frames. Upon scholarship award, a contract is signed by the recipient to indicate an understanding of and commitment to the scholarship requirements.

[Source: Added at 16 Ok Reg 2527, eff 7-1-99; Amended at 18 Ok Reg 2144, eff 6-11-01; Amended at 20 Ok Reg 1259, eff 6-1-03; Amended at 21 Ok Reg 910, eff 6-1-04; Amended at 24 Ok Reg 1351, eff 7-1-07; Amended at 25 Ok Reg 1962, eff 7-1-08]