House Bill 2246 -- passed in 1992 establishing the original 28 member Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation and instructing them to develop a competency and performance based system of teacher preparation and candidate assessment. This legislation led to the 1994 report on teacher preparation in Oklahoma.

House Bill 1549 -- passed in 1995 was the enabling legislation following the 1994 report on teacher preparation in Oklahoma that set specific guidelines for the OCTP to develop and implement a competency and performance-based system of teacher preparation, candidate assessment, and professional development. The number of voting commissioners was amended to16.

House Bill 2017 -- passed in 1997 was the "Reading Sufficiency Act" that gave OCTP the statutory authority to establish Professional Development Institutes (PDI's) in Reading, Mentoring, and Inquiry Based Science/Math. The legislation was prescriptive in that the PDI's had to meet stringent guidelines and be evaluated externally.

Senate Bill 202 -- passed in 1997 was the enabling legislation for "Education Leadership Oklahoma" which provided scholarships and training to 200 candidates to apply for National Board for Professional Teaching Standards certification. Legislation later modified the number to 230 candidates.

Senate Bill 388 -- passed in 2001 modified the number of Commissioners making up the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation from 16 to 20 voting members.

House Bill 1438 -- passed in 2003 requires going through a program in Educational Leadership in order to be certified as a principal or superintendent; provides for alternative certification as a principal and/or superintendent and lays out guidelines.

House Bill 1390 -- passed in 2007 directs OCTP to target low performing schools with reading professional development and increased the funding for those professional development institutes.

House Bill 1467 -- passed in 2009 provides OCTP with the statutory authority to extend math professional development into the elementary grades.

House Bill 1333 --passed in 2009 closed the gap whereby secondary certified teacher could not test into elementary, early childhood, or special education; also changed the work experience requirement to 3 years following receiving of the baccalaureate degree.  See House Bill 1274 below.

House Bill 1581 -- passed in 2009 mandated the teaching of the five essential elements of reading to elementary, early childhood, and special education candidates; required passing of a reading test measuring the knowledge of teaching reading.

House Bill 1837 -- passed in 2009 and known as the "Inner City Rescue" bill required OCTP to focus on methods to recruit and retain quality teachers in inner city schools and schools on the "needs improvement" list.

House Bill 1274 – passed in 2010 mandated that certification in early childhood, elementary, or special education require completion of an appropriate teacher education program approved by the Oklahoma Commission for Teacher Preparation.

The measure allows any teacher certified to teach elementary education to be certified in early childhood education if they pass the early childhood education certification test by July 1, 2012. It also allows any teacher certified to teach early childhood education to be certified in elementary education if they pass the elementary education certification test prior to July 1, 2012. Any special education teacher also may be certified in early childhood or elementary education if they pass the proper certification tests by July 1, 2012. Any teacher certified to teach through an accredited teacher preparation program or certified alternatively through the Troops to Teachers program can be certified in special education if they pass the certification test prior to July 1, 2012.