State Rep. Sherrie Conley, R-Newcastle, wrote a bill in committee that will add multi-tiered systems of support to the preparation of teacher candidates for the classroom.

House Bill 1773 gives teachers and schools support for struggling students. Included in the legislation is training on literacy – including phonics; an evidence-based approach to mathematics; the application of behavioral sciences to classroom management; and the identification and impact of trauma on student learning.

“Oklahoma teachers are working hard to prepare children for the next phase of learning, whether that’s the next grade, graduation, higher education, the military or the work force,” said Conley, herself a former educator.