2023 Oklahoma Statutes › Title 70. Schools › §70-16-101. State Textbook Committee - Members - Qualifications - Travel expenses - Terms.

There is hereby created the State Textbook Committee, which shall be composed of thirteen (13) members appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate: two members from each congressional district, two members from the state at large and one member who shall be a lay citizen not having a teaching certificate and having at least one child in the public schools of Oklahoma. Beginning April 1, 2021, the Committee shall be composed of thirteen (13) members. Twelve members shall be appointed by the Governor with the advice and consent of the Senate: two members from each congressional district and two members from the state at large who shall be lay citizens not having a teaching certificate and having at least one child in the public schools of Oklahoma. The State Superintendent of Public Instruction, or a designee, shall serve as the thirteenth member and shall serve as chair of the Committee. However, when congressional districts are redrawn, each member appointed prior to July 1 of the year in which such modification becomes effective shall complete the current term of office and appointments made after July 1 of the year in which such modification becomes effective shall be based on the redrawn districts. Appointments made after July 1 of the year in which such modification becomes effective shall be from any redrawn districts which are not represented by two board members until such time as each of the modified congressional districts is represented by two board members. A majority of the members shall be classroom teachers. The regular terms of all members shall be for three (3) years. Members shall not be eligible to succeed themselves. At no time shall more than one member of the State Textbook Committee be an employee of the same school district. Each educator member shall have had not less than five (5) years' teaching or supervisory experience in the public schools of Oklahoma at the time of appointment, and shall be actively employed in the public schools of Oklahoma during the term of service on said Committee. Until March 31, 2021, the State Superintendent of Public Instruction or a designated member of the staff shall serve as Secretary of the Committee and vote only when there is a tie vote in the membership of the Committee. The State Department of Education shall provide administrative services, including a secretary, to the Committee. Each member shall receive necessary traveling expenses while in the performance of duties pursuant to the State Travel Reimbursement Act. The State Textbook Committee shall be subject to the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act and the Oklahoma Open Records Act.
The Committee shall meet at the call of the State Superintendent of Public Instruction and elect by secret written ballot a vice-chair from its membership to serve for the year. The terms for which new members from the congressional districts are appointed shall be staggered by the Governor in making appointments. The terms of four members shall expire each year. The four new members appointed each year shall be certified in one of the curriculum areas in which the textbooks will be adopted that ensuing fiscal year.
Added by Laws 1971, c. 281, § 16-101, eff. July 2, 1971. Amended by Laws 1976, c. 99, § 1, emerg. eff. May 11, 1976; Laws 1985, c. 178, § 54, operative July 1, 1985; Laws 1992, c. 364, § 9, emerg. eff. June 4, 1992; Laws 1993, c. 229, § 1, eff. July 1, 1993; Laws 2002, c. 375, § 18, eff. Nov. 5, 2002; Laws 2003, c. 229, § 5, emerg. eff. May 20, 2003; Laws 2020, c. 50, § 1, eff. Nov. 1, 2020.