Education

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 793: Education; requiring certain display. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 793 requires all Oklahoma public school districts and charter schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom by January 1, 2026. The bill mandates a minimum 11x14 inch poster or framed document with the full text of the Ten Commandments in a large, readable font, centered as the primary focus. It also requires a historical context statement explaining the Ten Commandments' role in American education, citing their use in historical textbooks like the McGuffey Readers. The law applies to all K-12 public schools and specifies that displays must be free of charge to schools.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationMandates religious text display in classrooms, restricting curriculum freedom and academic neutrality in education.85% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

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passed both · Oklahoma · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 1317: Teachers; modifying definition of career teacher. Effective date.

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationClarifies career teacher pathways to strengthen job security for educators, aligning with teacher support indicators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 376: Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program; removing prior public school enrollment requirement. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 376 removes a requirement that students must have attended a public school in the prior year to qualify for the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship for Students with Disabilities. This change expands eligibility to more students with disabilities, including those who transferred from out of state or were in foster care, without needing prior public school enrollment. The bill also updates other program details, such as the process for securing private school admission and notifying the State Department of Education. It directly affects Oklahoma families seeking to use this scholarship to enroll children with disabilities in participating private schools.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves enrollment barrier for disability scholarships, expanding access to students in foster care/transferring from out-of-state, directly increasing educational opportunity.95% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice Student Financial Aid

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 788: Students; creating the Students' Bill of Rights; affording certain rights to students enrolled in public school districts or public charter schools. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 788, the "Students’ Bill of Rights," creates specific protections for students in Oklahoma public schools and public charter schools. It guarantees rights including a safe environment free from bullying, an education free from "socialism, communism, or Marxism," no display of socialist/communist symbols in classrooms or school events, religious expression rights (like voluntary prayer and reading religious texts), and protection from punishment for lawful conduct. The bill requires schools to respond in writing within seven business days to written complaints about rights violations and allows legal action with attorney fees for successful claims, though lawsuits about bullying require prior notification and multiple incidents. It directly affects all students, parents, and school districts in Oklahoma public education.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts curriculum by banning 'socialism, communism, or Marxism' content and mandating religious expression, directly limiting educational content per bill language.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 28: Schools; directing school districts to provide meals at no cost to certain students in certain school years. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 28 requires Oklahoma school districts to provide free meals to students from households with annual income below 250% of the federal poverty level during the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 school years. It directly affects low-income students in public schools by expanding free meal eligibility beyond current federal standards. The bill mandates state funding apportionment through the State Board of Education to cover these meal costs. It takes effect July 1, 2025, and was declared an emergency to ensure immediate implementation.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates state funding apportionment for free school meals, increasing public service spending under state budget without tax changes.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates state funding for free meals to low-income K-12 students, expanding access and addressing nutritional barriers to education participation.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands free school meals for low-income students, a public health initiative under healthcare policy that improves nutritional access and aligns with public health program support.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Apr 2, 2025

SB 1127: State Board of Education; making an appropriation; providing purpose. Emergency.

SB 1127 appropriates $100,000 from Oklahoma's General Revenue Fund to the State Board of Education for fiscal year 2026. The funds are intended to support the Board's statutory duties, though the bill does not specify particular programs or services. The legislation declares an emergency to allow immediate implementation upon approval. This is a routine funding measure with no substantive policy changes beyond the allocated amount.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates $100,000 to State Board of Education for statutory duties, constituting direct funding support without policy restrictions.85% confidence

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passed · Oklahoma · House Apr 1, 2025

HB 2418: Teachers; adjunct teachers; State Board of Career and Technology Education to promulgate certain rules; requiring State Department of Education to assist in implementing rules; effective date; emergency.

HB 2418 creates a new pathway for career and technology education instructors by allowing the State Board of Career and Technology Education to establish rules for "adjunct teachers" with distinguished field expertise, who do not need standard teaching certification. It revises alternative teaching certification requirements, removing student teaching mandates and allowing candidates with relevant work experience or terminal degrees to qualify for provisional teaching credentials. The State Department of Education must collaborate with the Career and Technology Education Board to implement these rules, including issuing credentials for adjunct teachers. Additionally, all teacher education programs must offer alternative certification in four key areas (including math, science, and foreign language) to maintain accreditation.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates alternative certification pathway for career tech teachers, removing student teaching requirements to expand qualified instructor access in K-12 career programs.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Teachers

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 233: Higher education; providing certain concurrent enrollment tuition waiver to juniors and seniors who declare intention to teach. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 233, the "Teacher Shortage Reduction Act," provides tuition waivers for Oklahoma high school juniors and seniors who commit to becoming public school teachers. It allows eligible students to receive a waiver covering up to 60 college credit hours (instead of the standard 9-18 credits) if they declare an intention to pursue teacher education and teach in Oklahoma public schools for three years within ten years of earning their degree. Students who fail to fulfill this teaching commitment must repay the waived tuition, though hardship exceptions may apply. The program is funded through state appropriations and requires students to submit a formal declaration to the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides state-funded tuition waiver for future teachers, increasing education spending as part of budget allocation.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationProvides tuition waivers for future teachers to reduce shortages, directly funding teacher recruitment in public schools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education Teachers

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 243: Schools; directing the State Department of Education to establish the School Innovation Grant Program; providing application process. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 243 creates a new School Innovation Grant Program administered by Oklahoma's State Department of Education, providing one-time grants to public school districts for educational innovations. School districts apply using a standardized form detailing their proposed innovation, requested funding for materials, and success metrics, with applications reviewed first-come, first-served. Funding is allocated based on school size: 40% to districts with fewer than 1,000 students, 30% to districts with 1,000-2,500 students, and 30% to larger districts, using a new revolving fund created by the bill. After one year, grant recipients must report on the innovation's impact to the State Department of Education, which then submits a summary report to state leadership.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates grant program funding school innovations for K-12 educational improvements through direct financial support to districts.95% confidence

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 1334: Strong Readers Act; modifying number of screening instruments to be approved; modifying criteria for approval. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1334, the Strong Readers Act, requires Oklahoma public schools to screen all kindergarten through third-grade students for reading skills at the start, middle, and end of each school year. The bill mandates that the State Board of Education approve at least three screening tools meeting specific criteria, including alignment with reading science, validity, and ability to support students with disabilities or English learners. Schools must provide individualized reading intervention plans within 30 days for students not meeting grade-level targets, including evidence-based instruction and progress monitoring. The law takes effect for the 2026-2027 school year.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates K-3 reading screenings and evidence-based interventions to improve literacy outcomes, directly advancing educational quality and student support in K-12 schools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

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