This bill establishes and clarifies the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program in Oklahoma, allowing parents of students with special needs to use state funds to enroll their children in eligible private schools. The legislation defines specific eligibility criteria, including students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), children of military families, and those in foster care or juvenile justice placements, while requiring parents to secure private school admission before receiving funding. It also sets a 45-day deadline for school districts to determine special education eligibility, deeming students eligible for scholarships if the district fails to decide within that timeframe, and outlines financial responsibilities such as transportation costs remaining with the family. The bill ensures continuity of educational choice by allowing scholarships to remain active until a student graduates, turns 22, or re-enrolls in public school, while mandating that private schools meet state accreditation standards to participate.
HB 4326 expands eligibility for Oklahoma's Higher Learning Access Program to include students in court-ordered custody of private nonprofit child-placing agencies or federally recognized Indian tribes during specific grades (8th-11th). It removes the income requirement for these students and adds eligibility for students whose parent is a certified classroom teacher. The bill amends existing program rules to broaden access for these groups while maintaining other standard requirements like residency, academic performance, and admission standards. This change directly affects students in foster care or tribal custody who previously faced financial barriers to qualify.
HB 2749 creates a special fund called the Intergenerational Education Revolving Fund within the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. It establishes a competitive grant program to connect nursing facilities participating in Oklahoma's Medicaid program with public school districts for collaborative intergenerational education initiatives. Grant awards, provided as rate adjustments to qualifying facilities, will fund these partnerships. The program begins July 1, 2025, with funds limited to the total amount deposited into the revolving fund.
HB 3016 requires Oklahoma schools to provide binocular vision screenings for students in kindergarten, first, and third grades to identify convergence insufficiency (a vision disorder affecting near focus). Screenings, conducted within 30 days of the school year start by trained school nurses or vision professionals, must be performed in addition to existing vision screenings. The bill establishes a Binocular Screening Revolving Fund in the state treasury to cover program costs using state appropriations, which must supplement - rather than replace - current school vision funding. The program begins in the 2026-2027 school year.
SB 201 establishes a mandatory minimum salary schedule for Oklahoma public school teachers beginning in the 2025-2026 school year. It sets specific annual salary floors based on years of experience and education level (e.g., $50,000 for a bachelor's degree with 0 experience), requiring school districts to meet these amounts through salary or fringe benefits. The bill defines "fringe benefits" to include retirement contributions (excluding certain state-mandated portions) and mandates written notice to teachers if districts propose salaries below the minimum. It also standardizes how teaching experience (including out-of-state, military, or Department of Defense service) is counted for salary increments, while prohibiting credit for more than five years of such experience.
HB 3590, the Oklahoma Opportunity Scholarship Act of 2026, expands tax credits for Oklahoma taxpayers who contribute to scholarship-granting organizations. It increases the maximum annual tax credit: to $5,000 for single filers (up from $1,000), $10,000 for married couples filing jointly (up from $2,000), and $250,000 for businesses (up from $100,000). Taxpayers who commit to contribute the same amount for two consecutive years qualify for a 100% credit (up from 75%) on those contributions. The bill affects Oklahoma taxpayers making eligible contributions and requires scholarship organizations to submit annual financial reports to the Oklahoma Tax Commission. It takes effect January 1, 2027.
HB 3372 creates a state-backed loan program to help charter schools fund capital expenses like building repairs or equipment. It establishes a revolving fund administered by the Statewide Charter School Board, allowing charter schools to access low-interest loans and issue bonds with state credit enhancement. The bill removes previous prohibitions on charter schools issuing bonds and requires participants to pay a one-time fee. This directly affects Oklahoma charter schools seeking financing for physical infrastructure, while the state manages repayment and fund operations through specific legislative appropriations.
HB 3705 increases Oklahoma's Parental Choice Tax Credit Program, allowing taxpayers to claim credits for education expenses of eligible students. The bill raises the maximum annual credit for private school tuition to $7,500 (or actual tuition, whichever is lower) for families earning under $75,000, with tiered reductions up to $5,000 for households earning over $250,000. It also creates special credit tiers for students experiencing homelessness ($7,500) and those at financially disadvantaged private schools (maximum credit based on average school costs). Qualified expenses include tuition, tutoring, textbooks, and standardized test fees, but exclude scholarship-funded amounts. This directly affects Oklahoma families choosing private education or approved alternative learning programs.
HB 3151, the Education Reform Act of 2026, sets minimum requirements for classroom instruction time in Oklahoma public schools. It mandates that districts provide at least 181 days or 1,086 hours of actual classroom instruction annually, prohibiting the counting of more than 30 hours of staff meetings or 12 hours of parent-teacher conferences toward this total. Starting in 2026-2027, schools cannot count virtual instruction days toward the required hours, except for up to two days (12 hours) per year with prior approval of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The bill directly affects all Oklahoma public school districts and charter schools by defining what constitutes valid instructional time.
SB 1133 appropriates $100,000 from Oklahoma's General Revenue Fund to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education for the 2025-2026 fiscal year. The funds are intended to support the Regents' existing statutory duties in overseeing the state's public higher education system. This is a procedural funding measure with no new policies or program changes, declared an emergency to take immediate effect. It directly affects the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education by providing budgetary support for their current operations.
