HB 3700 requires all Oklahoma public colleges and universities to adopt a policy ensuring student grades are based solely on academic factors like attendance, course knowledge, and performance standards - prohibiting grades from being influenced by a student's personal opinions, beliefs, or unrelated conduct. This policy must be implemented by the 2026-2027 academic year, with institutions required to submit compliance verification to the State Regents for Higher Education. Failure to adopt the policy will result in the State Regents withholding all state funding from the noncompliant institution until adoption occurs. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
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.
SB 1975 requires Oklahoma public school districts to make Advanced Placement (AP) exams available to any student residing in the district and to post exam dates, registration details, and procedures on their websites by August 31 each year. It also mandates the Statewide Charter School Board to maintain an online learning platform offering AP courses, STEM subjects, foreign languages, and other high-quality courses for all Oklahoma students. The State Department of Education must provide information to students and parents about AP courses and their benefits for college readiness, scholarships, and financial aid opportunities. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 1590 establishes the "Oklahoma Education Infrastructure Linked Deposit Program" to provide reduced-rate loans for school infrastructure projects. It directly affects charter schools and nonprofit education service entities by enabling them to access funding for constructing, expanding, or repairing buildings and integrated systems like HVAC. The program works by having the State Treasurer place state funds (as certificates of deposit) with eligible banks, which then offer these low-cost loans to qualifying schools, requiring borrowers to certify funds will be used solely for infrastructure. The State Treasurer and Board review applications, with banks applying standard credit checks and prioritizing schools based on local educational needs.
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 1276 requires Oklahoma public school districts to adopt policies banning student cell phones and personal electronic devices (like tablets, smartwatches, or laptops) during the entire school day and on school grounds, effective July 2025. Exceptions are permitted for medical emergencies documented by a licensed professional. School boards may opt out of the ban through annual approval, but must still allow device use for emergencies. The bill defines "personal electronic devices" to exclude school-issued tech used for instruction and clarifies "school day" as the full instructional period from first to last bell. It directly affects all K-12 students and school districts in Oklahoma.
HB 3711 requires Oklahoma school districts with websites to publicly disclose detailed spending data on their websites, including all state, federal, and local funds used for instruction, administration, and other purposes. It specifically mandates that districts display the percentage of total spending allocated to "instructional expenditures" (defined as funds directly supporting teaching, per the National Center for Education Statistics) on their homepage. This applies to all school districts with websites, requiring them to post this information alongside full expenditure details like budgeted vs. actual costs and superintendent compensation. The bill aims to increase transparency for parents and the public about how school funds are spent.
SB 1317 updates Oklahoma's definition of a "career teacher" to clarify job security requirements for educators. The bill directly affects public school teachers in Oklahoma, particularly those hired in or after the 2017-2018 school year who seek career status (beyond probationary periods). It establishes three specific pathways to qualify: completing three consecutive years with a "superior" rating for at least two years, four consecutive years with an average "effective" rating and "effective" in the last two years, or four or more consecutive years with a principal's petition approved by the school board. The changes take effect July 1, 2026, and amend Oklahoma Statutes Title 70, Section 6-101.3.
SB 1432 removes the temporary "pilot program" designation and the July 1, 2026 sunset date from Oklahoma's alternative teacher certification pathways. This permanent change affects teacher certification providers and candidates who use non-traditional routes to become licensed educators. The bill amends Oklahoma law to make these innovative certification programs permanent, eliminating the requirement for annual reapproval and the expiration date. It ensures providers offering these pathways no longer need to operate under temporary status, streamlining the process for educators seeking certification through alternative routes.
SB 1481 requires Oklahoma public elementary schools (kindergarten through grade 5) to provide 40 minutes of daily recess as a condition for school accreditation, separate from existing physical education requirements. Recess must be supervised, unstructured play time and cannot be taken away as punishment for students. Schools may divide the 40 minutes into two 20-minute periods. This bill directly affects all Oklahoma public elementary schools serving those grades and takes effect July 1, 2026.
