Dossett bill makes permanent the innovative pathways to teaching program

OKLAHOMA CITY – Sen. Jo Anna Dossett, D-Tulsa, has won unanimous passage in the Senate Education Committee for Senate Bill 1432, repealing the sunset date on the innovative pathways to teaching program, making the program permanent and no longer subject to regular legislative reauthorization. Local innovative pathways to teaching providers must still meet rigorous standards and apply to the State Board of Education for first-time and continuing authorization. The board retains sole authority over any local provider’s ability to operate.

“Innovative pathways to teaching has been a pilot program in statute for nearly a decade, allowing qualified local providers to meet aspiring teachers where they are and supervise their progress toward standard teacher certification,” Dossett said. “The qualifications to become a provider are stringent and the State Board of Education has always had full authority to qualify or disqualify a local innovative pathways provider. It’s time to remove the legislature from the process, make the program permanent, and let the local providers focus on preparing teachers for standard certification.”

The committee agreed and advanced the bill to the Senate floor, where it must be heard by March 26.

“As Oklahoma school districts rely increasingly on emergency-certified teachers, we must allow local communities the statutory authority they need to supervise their own teachers’ journey to standard certification,” Dossett said. “It’s no longer a question of if, but rather how many unprepared teachers a school district will need to hire each school year. As long as these difficult hiring conditions persist, SB 1432 ensures that qualified local providers can continue to identify, train, supervise, and eventually recommend the teachers they prepare for standard certification.”

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For more information, contact:  Sen. Jo Anna Dossett at (405) 521-5624 or JoAnna.Dossett@oksenate.gov