As used in this title: 1. "Teacher" means any person who is employed to serve as district superintendent, principal, supervisor, counselor, librarian, school nurse, athletic trainer, or classroom teacher or in any other instructional, supervisory or administrative capacity. The person shall not be deemed qualified unless the person holds a valid certificate issued by and in accordance with the rules of the State Board of Education or the rules of the State Board of Career and Technology Education, to perform the particular services for which the person is employed; 2. "Superintendent" or "superintendent of schools" means the executive officer of the board of education and the administrative head of the school system of a district maintaining an accredited school, provided the person holds an administrator's certificate recognized by the State Board of Education; 3. "Principal" means any person other than a district superintendent of schools having supervisory or administrative authority over any school or school building having two or more teachers. A teaching principal shall be a principal who devotes at least one-half (1/2) the time school is in session to classroom teaching. Teaching principals shall be required to hold administrative certificates; 4. "Teachers" means, for purposes of complying with the State Aid Law and other statutes, but not any other provision of law, which apportion money on the basis of teaching units or the number of teachers employed or qualified, all persons holding proper certificates and connected in any capacity with the instruction of pupils; 5. "Inductee" means any certified teacher who is employed in a local school to serve as a classroom teacher under the guidance and assistance of a mentor teacher or teachers; 6. "Student teacher" means any student who is enrolled in an institution of higher learning approved by the State Board of Education for teacher training and who is jointly assigned by the institution of higher learning and a board of education of a school district to perform practice teaching under the direction of a regularly employed and certified teacher. A student teacher, while serving an internship under the supervision of a certified teacher, shall be accorded the same protection of the laws as that accorded the certified teacher and shall be eligible to receive compensation beginning on the first day of the internship for up to one full school year; provided, however, that such compensation shall not be considered compensation for purposes of teacher retirement or the minimum salary schedule; 7. "School nurse" means a person employed full time by a board of education who is a registered nurse licensed by the Oklahoma State Board of Nurse Registration and Nursing Education and is certified the same as a teacher by the State Board of Education. Provided, that any person who is employed as a full-time school nurse in any school district in Oklahoma who is not registered on July 2, 1971, may continue to serve in the same capacity; however, such person shall, under rules adopted by the State Board of Education, attend classes in nursing and prepare to become registered. A school nurse employed by a board of education shall be accorded the same protection of laws and all other benefits as a certified teacher; 8. "Athletic trainer" means a person employed full time by a board of education who is a Certified Athletic Trainer with current certification from the Board of Certification of the National Athletic Trainers' Association and is also currently licensed to practice in the state in accordance with the State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision. An athletic trainer employed by a board of education shall be accorded the same protection of laws and all other benefits as a certified teacher; and 9. "Support employee" means an employee who provides those services which are not performed by certified teachers, principals, superintendents or administrators and which are necessary for the efficient and satisfactory functioning of a school district. Added by Laws 1971, c. 281, § 1-116, eff. July 2, 1971. Amended by Laws 1973, c. 193, § 1, emerg. eff. May 17, 1973; Laws 1980, c. 284, § 15, emerg. eff. June 10, 1980; Laws 1989, 1st Ex. Sess., c. 2, § 58, emerg. eff. April 25, 1990; Laws 1993, c. 239, § 20, eff. July 1, 1993; Laws 1994, c. 345, § 1, eff. July 1, 1994; Laws 2014, c. 124, § 1, eff. July 1, 2014; Laws 2016, c. 360, § 1, eff. July 1, 2016; Laws 2017, c. 391, § 1, emerg. eff. June 8, 2017; Laws 2018, c. 165, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2018; Laws 2019, c. 273, § 1, emerg. eff. May 2, 2019; Laws 2021, c. 496, § 1, eff. July 1, 2021; Laws 2024, c. 281, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2024.
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