Teacher certification; competency examination; exception; effective date; emergency.

HB 1394 amends Oklahoma's teacher certification rules to exempt certain candidates from competency examinations. It specifically exempts teachers who graduated from Oklahoma Educational Quality and Accountability (OEQA) accredited teacher preparation programs from taking the professional education exam, and allows exceptions for candidates with advanced degrees in substantially comparable fields. The bill also requires the Commission to offer exams at least four times yearly and permits subject-area testing in a teacher's native language only for those employed in foreign language immersion programs. These changes directly affect teacher candidates, current teachers seeking additional certifications, and school districts hiring educators.