Education

vetoed · Oklahoma · House May 29, 2025

HB 1521: Schools; subject matter standards; personal financial literacy; AP courses; updating references; permitting alternate diploma for certain students; repealer; effective date; emergency.

HB 1521 changes Oklahoma high school graduation requirements for math credits. It mandates four math units, including Algebra I and either Algebra II or Geometry, plus a third course at or above Algebra I rigor (such as Finance, Computer Science, or dual-credit math). Schools may also use locally developed, applied math courses that connect to real-world contexts. The bill directly affects Oklahoma public high school students and school districts setting graduation standards. It updates existing requirements but does not alter personal financial literacy or AP course policies.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates rigorous math requirements (4 units including Algebra I/II/Geometry) and allows applied courses, strengthening curriculum standards without restricting access or funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum K-12 Education

Track

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 314: Education employees; clarifying that certain employees of institutions of higher education receive certain paid parental leave. Effective date.

SB 314 expands paid parental leave to include full-time employees at Oklahoma's public colleges and universities. It provides six weeks of paid leave after a birth or adoption, with the employee's full salary maintained during the leave period. The law modifies previous "maternity leave" language to "parental leave" to cover all parents, ensures the leave does not affect seniority or benefits, and is in addition to existing pregnancy-related sick leave. This change directly affects state employees at institutions within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands paid parental leave for higher education staff, enhancing educator benefits and workplace support directly aligning with education policy goals.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExpands paid parental leave benefits to education employees, maintaining full salary and protecting seniority/benefits. Strengthens worker benefits and rights per Labor & Employment topic indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Paid Leave

Track

signed · Oklahoma · House May 8, 2025

HB 2888: Higher education; Oklahoma Tuition Equalization Grant; effective date.

HB 2888 amends Oklahoma's Tuition Equalization Grant program to set a $50,000 annual income limit for student eligibility (based on parents' income or the student's self-supporting income if independent). It directly affects Oklahoma residents attending 12 specific private, not-for-profit colleges (including Oral Roberts University and Oklahoma Baptist University) who enroll full-time as undergraduates. The bill provides a fixed $2,000 annual grant per eligible student, excludes summer terms, and limits total grant benefits to five years. It also requires institutions to maintain accreditation standards and mandates annual reports on grant recipients' academic outcomes to state leaders. The law became effective November 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates a $2,000 annual grant for eligible students at specific private colleges, directly funding higher education access within defined income limits.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

signed · Oklahoma · House May 7, 2025

HB 1465: Schools; teacher pay computations; military service; teacher salaries; effective date; emergency.

HB 1465 updates Oklahoma teacher salary rules to count up to five years of military service (including National Guard) during a national emergency toward salary increments and retirement benefits. This directly affects Oklahoma public school teachers who served in the military, allowing their service to count toward their salary progression and retirement eligibility. The bill caps this credit at five years total, regardless of the service period. It became effective without the Governor's signature on May 7, 2025, and modifies existing salary schedules to reflect this change.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationUpdates teacher pay rules to count military service toward salary increments and retirement benefits, directly supporting educators' compensation and benefits.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentBill enhances teacher compensation and retirement benefits by counting military service toward salary increments, directly advancing employment benefits for educators.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill counts military service toward teacher salary increments/retirement, recognizing veteran service for career advancement in education sector.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers National Guard & Reserve

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 1315: Higher education; prohibiting certain individuals from being eligible to enroll in certain institutions of higher education. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1315 prohibits individuals from countries designated as "countries of particular concern" by the U.S. Department of State from enrolling in Oklahoma's public higher education institutions starting with the 2026-2027 academic year. The bill directly affects international students from those specific countries, barring their enrollment in the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education will create implementing rules to carry out the policy. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, and was declared an emergency to allow immediate implementation.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts enrollment access for international students from designated countries, limiting educational access in higher education as defined by the topic.95% confidence ✗ ImmigrationOpposes ImmigrationRestricts enrollment of international students from designated countries, limiting access to higher education services per bill's explicit prohibition.95% confidence

Track

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 27, 2025

SB 674: Charter schools; Charter Schools Incentive Fund; renaming; state funding; calculation; payments.

SB 674 creates the "Charter Schools Incentive and Closure Reimbursement Fund" to support charter schools with startup costs, building renovations, and closure expenses. It requires charter schools to pay $5 per student (based on average daily membership) into this fund, while modifying how state funding is calculated - allowing new schools a 1.333 multiplier for first-year enrollment to determine initial funding. The bill also clarifies that charter schools receive state aid based on their own enrollment (not their sponsor’s), prohibits sponsors from charging fees beyond a 3% administrative cap on state aid, and states charter schools are considered local education agencies for funding purposes. This affects all Oklahoma charter schools, virtual charter schools, and their sponsors, with the bill now law after governor approval on May 23, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates Charter Schools Incentive Fund for startup/closure costs and provides new charters 1.333 enrollment multiplier, directly increasing funding access and support for charter schools within K-12 education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice

in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 1274: Teachers' Retirement System of Oklahoma; postretirement employment; earnings limitations; effective date; emergency.

HB 1274 modifies Oklahoma's Teachers' Retirement System rules for retired educators returning to public school employment. It requires a 60-day break between retirement and reemployment (counting paid leave as employment) and imposes annual earnings limits: retired teachers under 62 may earn up to half their final salary or the Social Security limit (whichever is lower), while those 62+ face a $30,000 annual cap. For classroom teachers returning before 2029, a temporary $50,000 annual earnings limit applies. Exceeding limits results in losing $1 of retirement benefits for every $1 earned over the cap, and the bill includes specific exemptions for certain retirees returning under three-year windows.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts retired teachers' post-retirement earnings through income caps, reducing benefits and limiting their ability to return to public school employment without financial penalty.90% confidence

Track

passed · Oklahoma · Senate Mar 31, 2026

SB 1262: Education; providing certain tuition waivers for individuals who are victims of certain offenses. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1262 provides a resident tuition waiver for Oklahoma students under 18 who were victims of human trafficking for commercial sex or labor, as defined in Oklahoma law. The waiver covers no resident tuition at Oklahoma public colleges and universities but is limited to five years from the date of eligibility. It requires rules to be established for implementation and takes effect immediately upon passage. The bill directly affects Oklahoma residents who were minors during specific trafficking offenses.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides tuition waiver for trafficking victims, expanding higher education access for vulnerable minors by removing financial barriers at public colleges.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

Track

in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 1494: Geographic literacy; appropriation; effective date; emergency.

HB 1494 allocates $150,000 from Oklahoma's General Revenue Fund to the State Department of Education for a specific purpose: contracting with an Oklahoma-based nonprofit organization that specializes in geography education. This funding aims to improve geographic literacy in Oklahoma public schools by training educators through programs developed by the nonprofit. The bill directs the funds to be used for this purpose during the 2025-2026 fiscal year, with the appropriation effective July 1, 2025. The legislation declares an emergency to allow immediate implementation upon passage.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $150,000 from General Revenue Fund to fund geography education training, advancing public education spending.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill allocates $150,000 to fund geography education training for K-12 teachers, directly enhancing curriculum and educator development in public schools.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Revenue

Track

signed · Oklahoma · House May 6, 2025

HB 1485: Teachers; temporary contracts; teachers with emergency or provisional certificates; effective date; emergency.

HB 1485 modifies Oklahoma's teacher contract rules by clarifying that temporary contracts for teachers with emergency or provisional certificates are exempt from the four-semester limit. It requires school districts to provide written contract terms upfront, or the contract becomes a continuing one, and grants teachers who complete a full school year on temporary contracts one year of service credit toward career status. The law also specifies that temporary contract teachers in federally or privately funded roles must follow evaluation rules but cannot exceed the four-semester limit unless replacing a leave-taking teacher or for emergency/provisional certificate holders. The bill, which became law without a governor's signature on May 6, 2025, directly affects school districts and teachers using temporary contracts.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExempts emergency/provisional cert teachers from contract limits, mandates written terms, grants service credit - enhances teacher stability and career progression in K-12 education.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentProvides teachers with temporary contracts explicit rights: written terms, service credit, and exemption from semester limits, strengthening employment protections for educators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers