School Laws of Oklahoma
Chapter 2 - Administration
Article VI: Developmental Research School Act
Section 583. Developmental Research School Act. (70 O.S. § 1210.571)
This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Developmental Research School Act”.
Section 584. Purpose of Developmental Research Schools. (70 O.S. § 1210.572)
There is established a category of public elementary and secondary schools to be known as developmental research schools. The purpose of public developmental research schools is the improvement of education in high challenge schools by using resources of higher education, including research, demonstration, and evaluation regarding management, teaching, and learning.
Section 585. Intervention to Aid High Challenge School. (70 O.S. § 1210.573)
A developmental research school may be established by the State Board of Education only for purposes of intervening to aid a high challenge school as defined in Section 1210.541 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes. All developmental research schools shall be affiliated with a college of education within an institution of The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education and shall provide sequential instruction. Nothing in this act shall be construed to prohibit the establishment of a research and development school by an institution of higher education for voluntary and limited attendance.
Section 586. Notice and Opportunity to Appear. (70 O.S. § 1210.574)
If the State Department of Education plans to recommend the establishment of a developmental research school as a means of intervention with a high challenge school pursuant to Section 1210.541 if Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes, the Department shall notify, in writing, the board of education of the district involved. Upon receipt of the notification, the district board shall have fifteen (15) days to request an opportunity to appear before the State Board of Education. If the district board fails to request an opportunity to appear, the State Board shall proceed without further notice or delay to conclude the matter. If an opportunity to appear is requested by the district board, the State Board shall decide the issues after hearing from representatives of the district and the Department.
Section 587. Abolition of Existing Board of Education. (70 O.S. § 1210.575)
Upon intervention with a high challenge school and the subsequent establishment of a developmental research school by the State Board of Education, the board of education of the district in which the high challenge school was located shall be declared abolished by the State Board of Education.
Section 588. Creation of Succeeding Board of Education. (70 O.S. § 1210.576)
A. The board of education for a school district in which a developmental research school has been established pursuant to this act is hereby designated and shall consist of five (5) members as follows:
1. The president of the affiliated institution of higher education or designee;
2. The dean of the affiliated college of education or designee;
3. One faculty member from the affiliated higher education institution who is a parent of a student who attends the developmental research school and who is a resident of the community in which the school is located, to be appointed by the president of the affiliated higher education institution;
4. The regional accreditation officer for the State Board of Education for the region in which the developmental research school is located; and
5. One member appointed by the State Board of Education who is a parent or legal guardian of a student who attends the developmental research school.
B. The terms of the members of the board, except the president of the higher education institution, dean of the college of education of the higher education institution, and the regional accreditation officer, shall be staggered with the initial term of the faculty member appointed by the president of the higher education institution being five (5) years and the initial term of the member appointed by the State Board of Education being four (4) years. Upon expiration of the initial terms, the term of each appointed member shall be five (5) years. Vacancies shall be filled by the appointing authority.
C. The president of the affiliated higher education institution or the president’s designee shall serve as president of the board. The board shall elect a vice president.
Section 589. Director - Chief Executive Officer. (70 O.S. § 1210.577)
A. A public developmental research school shall be headed by a director, selected by the president of the affiliated higher education institution and employed by the affiliated higher education institution. The director shall be the chief executive officer of the district in which the developmental research school is located. The director is not required to be a certified administrator and may be selected from the staff of the college of education of the affiliated higher education institution. The board of education for the district in which the developmental research school is located may reimburse the higher education institution for part of the director’s salary.
B. Except as provided in this section, classroom teachers employed to teach in a public developmental research school shall be certified teachers pursuant to Section 6-101 et seq. of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes. Higher education faculty employed by the affiliated higher education institution who are not certified teachers may serve simultaneously as instructional personnel for the public developmental research school and the higher education institution. No more than one-third of the teaching faculty of the research school may be higher education faculty who are not certified pursuant to Section 6-101 et seq. of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
C. Persons participating in the Alternative Placement Program pursuant to Section 6-122.3 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes may be employed as teachers in a public developmental research school.
Section 590. Allocation and Expenditure of State Aid and Ad Valorem Taxes. (70 O.S. § 1210.578)
A. State Aid paid, pursuant to Section 18-101 et seq. of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes, to a district in which a public developmental research school is established shall be allocated and expended only for operation of the developmental research school.
B. Ad valorem taxation revenues and dedicated revenues for the district in which a developmental research school is located shall be allocated and expended only for operation of the developmental research school.
Section 591. Promulgation of Rules by State Board of Education. (70 O.S. § 1210.579)
The State Board of Education shall promulgate rules necessary to implement this act.
School Laws of Oklahoma | Chapter 2 - Administration | Article VI: Developmental Research School Act
