Bill No. 186 establishes a new grant program aimed at assisting individuals with emergency or provisional teaching certificates in Oklahoma. The Office of Educational Quality and Accountability is tasked with creating this program, which will provide grants to help these individuals obtain alternative placement teaching certificates. Applications for the grants must be submitted by the employing school district, and grants will be awarded annually to up to one thousand eligible individuals on a first-come, first-served basis. The funds can be used for preparation and fees related to competency examinations, as well as for professional education requirements.

Additionally, the bill creates a revolving fund known as the Teacher Certification Emergency to Permanency Revolving Fund within the State Treasury. This fund will consist of all state appropriations designated for the grant program and will not be subject to fiscal year limitations. The Office of Educational Quality and Accountability will manage the fund, allowing for budgeted expenditures to support the grant program. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and includes an emergency clause for immediate implementation upon passage and approval.