Senate Bill 706 Summary

• Delays full implementation of the Oklahoma Teacher and Leader Effectiveness Evaluation System (TLE) from 2015-2016 to 2016-2017 school year, with phased implementation during intervening years starting in 2012-2013.

• Establishes that both qualitative and quantitative ratings use a five-tier system (superior, highly effective, effective, needs improvement, ineffective) with quantitative ratings based 35% on student academic growth and 15% on other academic measurements.

• Allows school districts with average daily attendance over 35,000 to base up to 50% of evaluations on quantitative components during transition years; requires qualitative-only evaluations for first and second-year teachers.

• Modifies career teacher status requirements to require at least two years of "superior" ratings or four years averaging "effective" for newly hired teachers under full TLE implementation.

• Establishes dismissal criteria for career teachers receiving "ineffective" ratings for two consecutive years or "needs improvement" ratings for three consecutive years, subject to due process procedures.