Representative Mark Lepak

R

District 9

Hi, I'm Mark Lepak and I represent the people of Oklahoma's 9th District.


representative

News & Announcements

May 18, 2026
Recent Posts

New Law Opens Additional Pathways for Teacher Certification in Oklahoma

OKLAHOMA CITY – Legislation expanding alternative pathways for individuals seeking to become certified teachers in Oklahoma has been signed into law. House Bill 3076 , authored by Rep. Mark Lepak, R-Claremore, and Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, allows teachers to receive certification through alternative teacher preparation programs, including programs offered by public schools, regional service agencies and private or nonprofit entities. "We know Oklahoma needs strong teachers in every classroom, and this bill helps open more doors for qualified individuals who want to answer that call," Lepak said. "By creating additional pathways into the profession while maintaining oversight and accreditation requirements, we are helping schools recruit talented educators and giving future teachers more opportunities to succeed. Programs like this in other states get candidates certified quicker and at less cost, plus their 5-year retention rates are comparable to those of teachers graduating from our colleges of education, without seeing any decline in student performance. Furthermore, some actually work with school districts to fill their specific needs. Thousands of teaching positions have been filled through this process in other states, and I'm hopeful Oklahoma will see the number of emergency certifications decline when this pathway is fully developed." Under the new law, the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability will oversee the approval process for alternative teacher preparation programs and must approve or deny applicants within 60 days. Applicants denied approval must be given the opportunity to address deficiencies identified by the commission. Seifried said the measure will help strengthen Oklahoma’s teacher pipeline while maintaining accountability and quality standards. "Great teachers can come from all different backgrounds and career paths," Seifried said. "This new law creates more opportunities for qualified individuals to become passionate educators while setting them up for success in the classroom. Expanding these pathways will help address Oklahoma’s teacher shortage while ensuring all students receive a quality education." Private or nonprofit programs approved under the measure will be required to obtain accreditation through the Council for Accreditation of Educator Preparation or the Association for Advancing Quality in Educator Preparation within three years or risk losing approval. The legislation also requires the commission to promote alternative teacher preparation programs to potential educators, while the State Board of Education must maintain and publish a list of approved providers on its website. HB3076 takes effect July 1.

May 13, 2026
Recent Posts

Education Infrastructure Loan Program Signed into Law

OKLAHOMA CITY – Legislation creating the Oklahoma Education Infrastructure Linked Deposit Program to help charter schools and nonprofit schools' access affordable financing for construction and facility improvements has been signed into law. The measure, authored by Rep. Mark Lepak, R-Claremore, and Sen. Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, establishes a new linked deposit program administered by the Oklahoma State Treasurer’s Office. "This legislation is about helping schools access the resources they need to grow and improve their facilities without placing unnecessary financial strain on them," Lepak said. "When market conditions allow, approved applicants receive private loans through local lending institutions at reduced interest rates. It is modeled after the successful linked deposit program for agriculture, and it creates another opportunity for charter and nonprofit schools to invest in their students and communities." The program will provide low-interest lending capital to eligible charter schools and nonprofits for new construction, expansions, repairs, improvements and integrated tangible personal property.    "More and more parents are seeking the best educational fit for their children, and while legislation has increased mobility by providing various financial assistance options, classroom space is a limiting factor. I look forward to seeing if this program will provide some relief," Lepak said. Daniels said the new law ultimately gives tools to the schools to help financial pressures families are facing. "This new law expands a tried-and-true program to help local schools make capital improvements on their campuses," Daniels said. "By offering these low-cost loans, charter and nonprofit schools will be able to build larger, more modern facilities that meet current safety standards and accommodate growing enrollment. This measure gives schools another tool to keep up with demand without placing additional financial pressure on families." Under the law, loan applications will first be reviewed by the State Treasurer before being forwarded to participating lending institutions for review and approval. Eligible borrowers may have one outstanding loan at a time for up to $1 million with a term of up to 10 years. Loan terms may be extended an additional five years with agreement from both the borrower and lender. HB1590 is based on existing linked deposit programs administered through the Treasurer’s Office that support family farmers, small businesses and housing developers by providing low-interest certificates of deposit to participating financial institutions. Under the new law, institutions must collateralize the certificates of deposit received from the Treasurer's Office, so there is no risk of loss of public funds, even if the borrower defaults. HB1590 was signed into law and becomes effective Nov. 1.

Sep 30, 2025
Recent Posts

Lepak to Host Interim Study on Secure Oklahoma NOW Report

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Mark Lepak, R-Claremore, announced he will host an interim study to review the report from the Secure Oklahoma Now (Not on Our Watch) task force and consider potential supportive legislative action. The recent assassination of Charlie Kirk will be examined as an example to help assess the effectiveness of the tool. The study will focus on the construction and application of the security protocols developed in the task force’s planning and assessment tool, including how the protocols are designed, how they should be applied and which entities are responsible for their use. "It is unfortunate that, in these times, it is necessary to give this much attention to protecting the public and participants in gatherings of all sizes," Lepak said. "I applaud Governor Stitt for creating the task force, and I commend the members for producing a valuable guide that will be useful to any entity as they plan and prepare. I hope this study will highlight their great work product and ensure it is put to good use." The Department of Public Safety (DPS), with the NOW Advisory Council, was tasked with publishing industry-standard security protocols for large events statewide after Gov. Kevin Stitt launched the Secure Oklahoma NOW initiative through Executive Order 2025-02 earlier this year. Kirk’s death is the most recent high-profile event that could help assess and improve Oklahoma’s preparedness against terrorist threats and targeted violence. "While that tragic event was not anticipated at the time this topic was requested, it provides a vivid case study that should prove instructive," he added. "I hope that this study will provide a public platform to promote the use of these protocols for any event where the public will gather." Tim Tipton, Commissioner of Public Safety, will headline the presentation, and representatives from the advisory council that helped develop the protocols will be available for questions during the study. Also attending the study will be representatives from the private sector who previously presented to the task force. Munio Technologies will provide information on their mobile vehicle barrier, which will be on display outside on capitol grounds. The House Public Safety Committee will hear the interim study on Oct. 15 at 9 a.m. in Room 206 at the Oklahoma State Capitol.