Education

in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 2236: Economic development; College Graduate Retention Incentive Partnership; Oklahoma Department of Commerce; incentive payments; effective date; emergency.

HB 2236 establishes Oklahoma's College Graduate Retention Incentive Partnership (GRIP) program, administered by the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. It requires participating employers (any business or organization in Oklahoma) to pay eligible graduates of Oklahoma colleges or universities $1,000 annually for up to four years of employment in the state. The program includes a public list of participating employers maintained by the Department and mandates advertising to both employers and students. The law takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates incentive for employers to retain Oklahoma college graduates, strengthening higher education outcomes and workforce development in state.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

Track

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 1017: State Medicaid program; allowing coverage of educationally necessary school-based services; prohibiting certain acts by the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1017 allows Oklahoma's Medicaid program to cover educationally necessary school-based services for students with disabilities, directly affecting K-12 public schools and Medicaid-eligible students. The bill defines "educationally necessary" services (like classroom support) separately from medically necessary ones (e.g., physical therapy), requiring these services to be attached to an Individualized Education Program (IEP) rather than included in the IEP itself. It prohibits the Oklahoma Health Care Authority from expanding this definition or covering non-educational health services like eye exams or flu shots. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies to students under 21 receiving a free and appropriate public education.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands Medicaid coverage for school-based services (e.g., classroom support) for K-12 students with disabilities, directly enhancing educational access via IEPs without restricting funding.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareSB 1017 explicitly expands Medicaid coverage to include educationally necessary school-based services for students with disabilities, advancing healthcare access through state Medicaid program funding.90% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Special Education Student Health Medicaid

Track

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 24, 2026

SB 1373: Schools; creating the Healthy Meals for Healthy Kids Act; directing the State Department of Education to establish certain grant program. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1373, the "Healthy Meals for Healthy Kids Act," requires public school districts and charter schools in Oklahoma to offer free breakfast and lunch to all students during each school day, with schools operating under tribal or Bureau of Indian Affairs authority allowed to participate. It mandates at least 20 minutes of seated lunch time for students in kindergarten through fifth grade and directs the State Department of Education to establish a grant program using federal meal reimbursement differences to fund meal quality improvements. School food authorities must maximize federal funding by adopting the USDA's "community eligibility provision" and use grant funds for food, equipment, or training to upgrade meals. The bill directly affects all participating Oklahoma schools and students, aiming to expand free meal access while leveraging federal reimbursement rates to support program costs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates free school meals for all K-12 students, funded via federal grants, directly enhancing student access and nutrition programs in schools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Student Health

Track

in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 6, 2025

HB 1159: Schools; student transfers; intra-district transfers; options; effective date; emergency.

HB 1159 allows Oklahoma students to transfer between schools within their district year-round, provided the receiving school's grade level has available space. It establishes specific preferences for transfers, including siblings of transferring students, children of district employees, students changing residence within the district, and those in foster care. School districts must publicly post capacity limits for transfers and prioritize students based on these preferences when space is limited. The bill requires districts to set and report these capacity limits annually, ensuring transparency in the transfer process.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands student access to schools within district via flexible transfer options with prioritized preferences for vulnerable groups.85% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education School Choice

Track

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 686: Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit Act; applying authorized but unused credit to subsequent annual limitation. Effective date.

SB 686 amends Oklahoma's Parental Choice Tax Credit Act to allow taxpayers to carry forward unused portions of their annual credit amount to future tax years. This change specifically increases the annual credit limitation by the amount of certain unused credits from prior years, while removing the previous option to reallocate unused credits between different types of qualified education expenses. The bill affects Oklahoma taxpayers claiming the credit for eligible students' education costs, including private school tuition and related expenses, as defined under the existing program. It does not alter the credit amounts or income thresholds but changes how unused credit is handled administratively.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAmends tax credit to allow unused credits to carry forward, expanding tax relief for education expenses and increasing credit flexibility for taxpayers.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill enables taxpayers to carry forward unused education tax credits, increasing flexibility and access to funding for K-12 education expenses without restricting options.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits Higher Education School Choice

Track

in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 4, 2025

HJR 1008: Oklahoma Constitution; candidate requirements for office of Superintendent of Public Instruction; ballot title; filing.

This bill proposes a constitutional amendment requiring future candidates for Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction to have public school administrator certification and at least five years of experience as a school principal or superintendent, in addition to existing age and residency requirements. It directly affects individuals seeking this education leadership role starting with the 2030 general election. The amendment would apply only to candidates running for the office beginning in 2030 and every election after, not immediately. The resolution also establishes the ballot title for voter approval of this constitutional change.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates higher qualifications for superintendent, ensuring experienced leadership in education policy, aligning with strengthening educational governance.90% confidence

Track

passed · Oklahoma · Senate Mar 31, 2026

SB 1272: Higher education; increasing income eligibility for an Oklahoma Tuition Equalization Grant. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1272 raises the maximum family income limit for Oklahoma students to qualify for the Tuition Equalization Grant, a program providing up to $2,000 annually toward college costs. This change directly affects low- and middle-income Oklahoma residents who were previously ineligible due to income thresholds but now meet the updated criteria. The bill amends statute 70 O.S. § 2632 to reflect this higher income limit without altering the grant amount or other eligibility requirements, and it takes effect on July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationSB 1272 expands access to higher education funding by raising income eligibility for Oklahoma's Tuition Equalization Grant, allowing more low/middle-income students to qualify for up to $2,000 annual aid.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

Track

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 17, 2025

SB 778: Workforce training; requiring the Oklahoma Workforce Commission to develop workforce training for educators. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 778 requires the Oklahoma Workforce Commission to develop annual workforce training for all teachers and administrators by August 2026. The training, limited to one hour and accessible online through the State Department of Education platform, must cover Oklahoma's key industries and current workforce shortages, with updates each year. Teachers must complete this training annually starting May 2027, and the State Department of Education must post it online by October 30 each year. The bill aims to align educator knowledge with state workforce needs to better prepare students for career pathways.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates annual workforce training for educators to align with state workforce needs, supporting teacher professional development and curriculum relevance.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Teachers

Track

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 29, 2025

SB 212: Teacher preparation; directing the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability to establish TeachForwardOK.

SB 212 directs Oklahoma's Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability to establish a two-year pilot program called TeachForwardOK for teacher education programs at accredited public colleges and universities. The bill requires the Commission to issue grants to approved programs to hire technical evaluators who must assess four specific areas: teacher candidate recruitment/completion, program effectiveness, alignment with state workforce needs, and strategies for recruiting nontraditional teachers. Programs must submit electronic responses to evaluation reports within 60 days, and the Commission will award $500,000 to one program to address findings after the pilot. The Commission must submit a final report to state leaders by December 2027 detailing results and recommendations.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes grant-funded pilot program to strengthen teacher education programs through evaluation and alignment with workforce needs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

signed · Oklahoma · House Apr 20, 2026

HB 2893: Education; paraprofessionals; teachers; exemption; effective date; emergency.

HB 2893 exempts certain paraprofessionals and teachers from additional professional education coursework requirements. Specifically, it states that paraprofessionals with a bachelor's degree in education (and within 10 years of classroom work) and teachers with a bachelor's in education (also within 10 years of classroom service) will be deemed to have satisfied existing rules for certification renewal or professional development. The bill directly affects Oklahoma public school paraprofessionals and teachers holding qualifying degrees. It takes effect July 1, 2025, and was designated an emergency measure to take immediate effect upon passage.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExempts qualified educators from redundant coursework, reducing certification barriers and supporting teacher retention without cutting funding or restricting requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers