7.0 Certification
Effective May 31, 2001, Title 68 O.S. 238.1 requires all certificate holders to be in compliance with Oklahoma state income tax laws before a teaching certificate can be renewed.
Effective November 1, 2001, Oklahoma statute 70 O.S. 6-190 requires applicants for initial Oklahoma teacher certification to have a full federal fingerprint-based background clearance. The OSU Office of Educational Support is available to assist you with information on where you may conduct this process. Contact Casey Powell at 405- 744-6253 or pcasey@okstate.edu.
- 7.1 Applying for Certification
To receive Oklahoma State University’s in-state or out-of-state certification “Recommendation” or “Verification” of program completion, the applicant must:
- be admitted and maintain admission to OSU’s Professional Education program.
- complete the appropriate level of degree
- meet the Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement
- meet the Computer Proficiency Requirement
- complete the required courses with the required grades and grade-point-averages, have confirmation of the final clearance of the portfolio submission, and pass the required PPAT (Praxis Performance Assessment for Teachers). Certification Examinations for Oklahoma Educators for Oklahoma certification
- pass the Impact of Trauma and Legal Issues quizzes
- complete the state’s application for certification.
Unless the applicant has successfully completed all of the above, Oklahoma State University will not make a recommendation or verify program completion for an in-state or out-of-state certificate.
- 7.2 Out-of-State Certification
Those applying to other states will need to contact that state’s Department of Education and request an out-of-state application packet. Most states will require official transcripts, a copy of the Oklahoma certificate, and an Institutional Recommendation Form, which must be completed by Ms. Casey Powell in the Office of Educational Support (pcasey@okstate.edu; 405-744-6253; fax: 405-744-1834).
- 7.3 Certification Examinations for Oklahoma Educators
Certification in Oklahoma requires the candidate to pass three separate sets of tests (OSAT & PPAT). These tests are administered under the direction of the OEQA and Pearson Evaluation Inc. OSU’s OES provides support to assist the candidate in meeting deadlines for filing applications and understanding the testing process. Professional Education Services will assist the candidate in determining readiness for specific tests.
Oklahoma Subject Area Tests (OSAT)
Those candidates seeking certification in Oklahoma must take the appropriate certification test(s) in order to be certified. NOTE: The candidate must take and receive a score in the appropriate OSAT or OSATs (some programs have multiple OSAT exams) prior to the deadline to apply for student teaching. Test information and registration materials are available at http://www.ceoe.nesinc.com. OEQA defines the certification fields for which individual OSAT tests have been developed.
Praxis Performance Assessment of Teachers (PPAT)
Successful registration and submission of all four tasks are required during your student teaching to pass your internship course. This is a course requirement, an accreditation data requirement, and meets the final certification exam requirement for your program. (This assessment is required even for those who may have taken the OPTE early; it is advised that candidates follow recommended timelines for assessments.) Task one may be conducted in an earlier semester depending upon your program recommendation. Be sure to save all documentation and permission slips if so, as they must still be uploaded to the ETS site after you’ve registered for the assessment.
Candidates may register for the OSAT at www.ceoe.nesinc.com. PPAT registration will be conducted during your internship semester. Do not register for the PPAT early unless directed to by your faculty. Since different agencies are responsible for different areas, the requirements for certification and the requirements for graduation are not necessarily the same. Students must meet all academic requirements for graduation in order to receive the degree and the respective diploma. Students also must meet all certification requirements in order to be recommended to the Oklahoma State Department of Education for certification. OSU acknowledges its responsibility to prepare graduates to meet state certification requirements in Oklahoma. Academic success and test proficiency for certification may differ.
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Thank you for choosing this important profession that is so vital to the well-being of children/teens and to the ability of our society to thrive. The work you do will matter a great deal. When done well, both the students and the teacher grow immensely as a result of this work. Best of luck as you pursue this amazing career, and do stay in touch with your faculty and staff and let us know if we can help with your goals moving forward after you have graduated and/or are certified. As you’ll soon find, we don’t stop caring about our students when they leave our classrooms.