HB 3021: Schools; curriculum requirements for graduation; diploma pathway; State Department of Education; notice; seminar; English requirements financial literacy; alternate diploma; course availability; waiver; coursework; repealers; effective date; emergency. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was converted from a House version to a Senate version, which involved significant substantive changes to the curriculum standards. The Senate version removed the House's specific mandate for a 23-unit core curriculum and replaced it with broader requirements for subject matter standards in areas like math, history, and civics. It also added detailed definitions for terms like 'applied knowledge' and 'contextual methodology' to guide future curriculum development.

Scope change

The bill's scope shifted from a highly prescriptive mandate requiring specific units of study to a framework requiring standards that ensure student competency in core subjects, with added emphasis on specific historical documents and mathematical algorithms.

REQUIREMENT

Replaced the House requirement for a mandatory 23-unit core curriculum with a directive to adopt subject matter standards ensuring competency in language, math, science, social studies, and health.

Added specific requirements for mathematics standards to include mastery of standard algorithms and fluency in Euclidean geometry.

Added specific requirements for history and social studies to include study of key US founding documents and the content of the US naturalization test.

Removed the House provision establishing a joint plan between state education boards to ensure courses meet graduation requirements.

DEFINITION

Added new definitions for 'applied knowledge of content,' 'contextual methodology,' and 'nonstandard course waiver' to clarify how courses should be taught and approved.

Changed the definition of 'critical thinking' to explicitly require logical analysis using linear factual analysis to reach a conclusion.

HB3021 (4-29-26) (PUGH) FA1.PDF → HB3021 (5-04-26) (PUGH) FA2.PDF · 3 edits

MINOR

The amendment removed a previous list of 12 specific edits to House Bill 3021 and replaced them with a single new instruction. This new instruction directs the deletion of specific language on page 28 regarding 'access' and the insertion of the word 'ensure' to clarify the bill's intent, while also updating the document title to reflect this new floor amendment.

Scope change

The amendment modifies the bill's text on page 28 to strengthen the requirement for ensuring access, rather than the previous approach of removing various sections.

REQUIREMENT

Removed a previous set of 12 specific deletion and insertion instructions that targeted pages 5, 8, 30, 31, 32, and 37.

Added a new instruction to delete language about 'access' on page 28 and insert the word 'ensure' to clarify the bill's mandate.

TECHNICAL

Updated the amendment document title and date to reflect the new floor amendment version.

House Committee Substitute → HB3021 (4-29-26) (PUGH) FA1.PDF · 3 edits

MINOR

This document is a floor amendment that proposes to delete specific new language added to House Bill 3021 during the committee process. The amendment targets sections regarding subject matter standards, English Language Arts, and history/social studies requirements, effectively rolling back certain curriculum mandates and definitions that were introduced in the committee substitute version. This change matters because it prevents the final law from including the committee's specific interpretations of critical thinking, literature standards, and historical content requirements.

Scope change

The bill's scope regarding specific curriculum content and subject matter standards is narrowed by removing the committee's additions, reverting those sections to their previous state or removing the new mandates entirely.

REQUIREMENT

Deleted new language defining 'critical thinking' and specific curriculum requirements for English and history/social studies that were added in the committee substitute.

Removed specific mandates regarding the teaching of complete works of literature and the inclusion of particular historical documents in subject matter standards.

TECHNICAL

Adjusted paragraph numbering and text flow in sections related to subject matter standards to reflect the deletions.

House Conference Committee Substitute → House Committee Substitute · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was reclassified from a Conference Committee Substitute to a Committee Substitute, indicating it is now in its final legislative stage before becoming law. The substantive text was significantly reorganized to establish a mandatory 23-unit curriculum for grades 8-12 starting in the 2025-2026 school year, while repealing previous subject matter standards and clarifying graduation pathways.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include a specific 23-unit curriculum requirement for all students in grades 8 through 12, whereas the previous version focused more broadly on general subject matter standards without specifying a fixed unit count.

REQUIREMENT

Replaced general subject matter standards with a mandatory 23-unit curriculum for grades 8-12 starting in 2025-2026.

Deleted the previous version's language regarding optional core curriculum and alternate assessment pathways.

TIMELINE

Set a specific effective date for the new curriculum requirements beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.

DEFINITION

Added specific definitions for critical thinking and updated references to diploma requirements and college admissions.

TECHNICAL

Removed legislative metadata and formatting artifacts from the original Conference Committee version.

Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 → House Conference Committee Substitute · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was transitioned from a committee substitute to a conference committee substitute, indicating it has been revised to reconcile differences between the House and Senate versions. The substantive text was significantly rewritten to clarify the bill's purpose, updating the title to reflect a focus on curriculum requirements and graduation pathways rather than just subject matter standards. Key policy changes include new mandates for specific mathematics and English standards, requirements for studying complete works of literature and important historical documents, and updated procedures for waivers and course approvals.

Scope change

The bill's scope was clarified and expanded to explicitly cover curriculum requirements for graduation, diploma pathways, and specific subject matter standards, moving beyond the previous vague reference to 'subject matter standards'.

REQUIREMENT

The bill's title and purpose were rewritten to explicitly state it relates to curriculum requirements for graduation, defining terms, and establishing specific units or competencies.

New specific requirements were added for mathematics standards, mandating mastery of standard algorithms and fluency in Euclidian geometry.

New requirements were added for English Language Arts, emphasizing Classic and nonfiction literature, complete works, and equal consideration for different literary types.

New requirements were added for history and social studies, mandating the study of specific foundational documents like the Constitution and Declaration of Independence.

TIMELINE

The reference number for the bill's request was updated from 16944 to 17601, indicating a change in the legislative tracking or filing process.

TECHNICAL

The document type changed from 'Proposed Oversight Committee Substitute' to 'Conference Committee Substitute', reflecting the bill's progression through the legislative process.

Enrolled (final version) → Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to replace the entire text of the original measure with a new version that significantly updates the legislative history, clarifies specific graduation pathways, and reorganizes the statutory structure. The changes primarily involve updating references to previous amendments, refining the description of curriculum requirements, and adjusting the effective dates and applicability of certain diploma tracks for students.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on Oklahoma public school curriculum and graduation requirements, but the applicability of specific graduation pathways (such as the college-ready and career-ready diploma) has been clarified to exclude students who were not enrolled in a public high school prior to the 2025-2026 school year.

REQUIREMENT

The bill text was completely rewritten to replace the original content with a new version that updates statutory references and clarifies the sequence of units or competencies required for graduation.

New requirements were added to mandate that certain courses be approved for college admissions and to clarify that students participating in the Oklahoma Alternate Assessment Program shall be assessed by alternate achievement standards.

TIMELINE

The effective date for the new set curriculum of twenty-three units was established to begin in the 2025-2026 school year.

ELIGIBILITY

Specific graduation pathways, including the college-ready and career-ready diploma and the optional core curriculum track, are now explicitly unavailable to students who were not enrolled in a public high school prior to the 2025-2026 school year.

TECHNICAL

The bill was amended to conform the title to the new content, update all internal statutory citations, and reorganize sections that reference diploma requirements and elective courses.

Engrossed → Enrolled (final version) · 2 edits · May 14, 2026

MINOR

The bill was finalized as an enrolled version, confirming its status for signing into law. The substantive text of the act remains largely unchanged from the engrossed version, with the primary difference being the official title update to reflect 'curriculum requirements for graduation' rather than 'subject matter standards.'

Scope change

The scope of the bill remains focused on amending 70 O.S. 2021, Section 11-103.6 to establish curriculum and graduation requirements for Oklahoma public schools.

TECHNICAL

The official title of the act was updated to better describe the content as 'curriculum requirements for graduation' instead of 'subject matter standards.'

The bill status changed from 'Engrossed' to 'Enrolled,' indicating the final version ready for the Governor's signature.

Amended And Engrossed → Engrossed · 3 edits · May 14, 2026

MINOR

The bill was amended to shift its focus from a broad overhaul of subject matter standards to a specific mandate requiring a 23-unit set curriculum for grades 8-12 starting in the 2025-2026 school year. Several technical amendments were made to correct the bill's title, remove redundant repeals of previous laws, and adjust the legislative history references to ensure legal consistency. These changes clarify that the primary new requirement is the specific curriculum structure rather than a general update to existing standards.

Scope change

The bill's scope narrowed from a comprehensive revision of subject matter standards and diploma pathways to a specific mandate for a 23-unit curriculum for middle and high school students beginning in the 2025-2026 school year.

REQUIREMENT

The summary of changes was updated to emphasize the new 23-unit curriculum requirement for grades 8-12 starting in 2025-2026, replacing previous references to broad subject matter standard updates.

TECHNICAL

The bill title was corrected to reflect the actual content, and the legislative history section was rewritten to remove redundant repeals and update references to previous amendments.

Redundant and conflicting language regarding the repeal of 70 O.S. 2021, Section 11-103.6, was consolidated and clarified to avoid legal confusion.

Introduced → Amended And Engrossed · 3 edits · May 14, 2026

MINOR

The Senate amended HB 3021 to refine the bill's description, clarify that it repeals previous conflicting statutes, and remove specific new language regarding curriculum details from several sections. These changes aim to streamline the bill's text and ensure consistency with existing legal frameworks before final passage.

Scope change

The bill's scope remains focused on updating Oklahoma's subject matter standards and graduation requirements, but the specific curriculum mandates and diploma pathways described in the summary were partially removed or clarified to avoid redundancy with repealed laws.

REQUIREMENT

The summary of the bill was updated to reflect that it repeals previous versions of the subject matter standards statute, ensuring legal clarity.

Specific new language regarding curriculum units, diploma pathways, and assessment programs was removed from the bill's summary to prevent confusion with repealed sections.

TECHNICAL

Multiple amendments deleted specific new clauses from various sections of the bill, likely to align with other legislative actions or to simplify the statutory text.

Schools; curriculum requirements for graduation; diploma pathway; State Department of Education; notice; seminar; English requirements financial literacy; alternate diploma; course availability; waiver; coursework; repealers; effective date; emergency.

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