HB 4146 expands paid maternity leave eligibility to full-time school employees in Oklahoma who have worked at least 1,250 hours over the past year. This includes employees in public school districts, technology center districts, rehabilitation services, correctional facilities, and juvenile affairs. Eligible employees receive six weeks of paid leave immediately after childbirth, which supplements but does not replace existing sick leave for pregnancy-related needs. The bill requires state funding through a revolving fund or allocated education budget to cover the leave costs, effective July 1, 2026.
HB 3021 establishes new curriculum standards for Oklahoma public schools, requiring all students to complete a 23-unit graduation curriculum starting in the 2025-2026 school year. It mandates specific content in subjects like requiring equal focus on classic literature and nonfiction in English, studying key historical documents (including the U.S. Constitution), and mastering standard math algorithms and Euclidean geometry. The bill creates a process for schools to request "nonstandard course waivers" for alternative courses, while ensuring technology center courses meet state standards and can count toward graduation. This directly affects Oklahoma public high school students and districts by standardizing graduation requirements and expanding options for course approval.
SB 1489 requires Oklahoma public schools and the State Department of Education to comply with federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) standards for students with disabilities aged 3-21. It mandates that school districts provide special education services as defined by IDEA and authorizes using federal funds for these services. The bill specifically requires the State Department to publish online dispute resolution options for parents, including IEP facilitation, mediation, due process, and state complaints. This bill affects all Oklahoma public school districts, students with disabilities, and their families, effective July 1, 2026.
HB 3429 creates a $50 million Career Technology Business Partnership Pool to finance economic development projects in Oklahoma. It allows career technology districts (vocational schools) to partner with for-profit businesses, using pooled financing for projects that meet workforce needs. Key requirements include adding financial literacy courses to district curricula, prohibiting districts from having outstanding debt while using the program, and ending eligibility after June 30, 2032. The pool is managed by the Oklahoma Development Finance Authority, with bonds potentially issued tax-exempt under federal law.
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.
HB 3715 requires Oklahoma public school districts to adopt policies banning student use of personal electronic devices (like smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and laptops) from the start to the end of each school day beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. For the 2026-2027 school year and beyond, districts may choose whether to maintain this ban. The policy must include disciplinary procedures and allow exceptions for emergencies or health monitoring. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and explicitly excludes school-issued devices used for classroom instruction.
SB 1896 requires Oklahoma public schools to screen all kindergarten through third-grade students annually for reading skills like decoding and comprehension using approved tools. Students who do not meet grade-level reading proficiency after receiving targeted intervention must be retained in third grade, unless they qualify for exemptions (e.g., English learners with less than one year in an English-learner program or students with disabilities). The bill mandates that schools provide individualized reading intervention plans within 30 days of identifying a deficiency and allocate state funds to support retained students. It directly affects third-grade students and public school districts, with specific requirements for screenings, interventions, and parental notifications.
SB 1974 amends Oklahoma statutes (70 O.S. 2021 Sections 13-101 and 13-102) to update eligibility for special education services for children with disabilities, including specific learning disabilities. It requires school districts to conduct evaluations within defined timeframes, clarifies consent requirements for services, and mandates specific team compositions for Individualized Education Program (IEP) development. The bill strengthens due process procedures by requiring prior notice for evaluations, establishing clear dispute resolution steps, and directing the State Board of Education to create procedural safeguards for parents. It directly affects school districts, parents or legal guardians, and children aged 3-22 who qualify for special education services under Oklahoma law. The changes focus on procedural clarity and timely service delivery without altering eligibility criteria or funding mechanisms.
HB 3713 requires Oklahoma school districts to spend at least 50% of their annual budget on instructional expenditures starting in the 2026-2027 school year. It defines instructional expenditures using federal standards (from the National Center for Education Statistics) and excludes administrative costs, equipment, or materials for staff. If a district fails to meet this 50% threshold, it cannot offer extracurricular activities during the school day for the entire noncompliant school year. The bill excludes bond sales, fundraisers, and non-profit grants from the budget calculation and takes effect July 1, 2026. This directly affects all Oklahoma public school districts and their budget allocation decisions.
HB 4349 removes the 5-year cap on counting out-of-state teaching experience for salary purposes in Oklahoma public schools. It requires the State Board of Education to recognize all years of out-of-state teaching experience (from accredited districts) when determining teacher salary placements under the state's minimum salary schedule. This change directly affects teachers moving to Oklahoma from other states or countries, allowing them to receive full credit for all prior teaching years toward their salary tier rather than being limited to five years. The bill updates existing salary schedule rules to eliminate this restriction, effective upon enactment.
