Schools; phasing in a reduction to the maximum number of students allowed per class in kindergarten through fifth grades; exceptions; effective date; emergency.

HB 3019 reduces maximum class sizes for Oklahoma public schools in kindergarten through fifth grade over a three-year phase-in. Starting in 2026-2027, classes in kindergarten through second grade may not exceed 22 students; this limit drops to 20 students in 2027-2028, and 18 students starting in 2028-2029. To comply, schools must employ a teacher’s assistant in classes exceeding these limits (with exceptions for special education and certain other classes), and teacher assistants cannot count toward the class size limit. School districts that fail to meet these requirements face reduced state funding calculated based on the number of students over the limit.