Education

in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 1056: Education; Education Reform Act of 2025; effective date.

HB 1056 requires new district superintendents in Oklahoma to complete 66 hours of specific professional development within their first year of employment to maintain their certification. The training must cover areas like school finance, legal issues, community relations, and special education law (IDEA), with local districts determining the exact workshops. Superintendents who fail to complete the training will lose their certification, and districts must submit verification to the state education department. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and is classified as an emergency measure.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates 66-hour professional development for superintendents on finance, legal issues, and IDEA, strengthening leadership competency to maintain certification.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Special Education

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 412: School district boards of education; removing requirement to complete certain hours of instruction. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 412 reduces Oklahoma school board members' required training from 12 to 3 hours annually, removing specific topic mandates like school finance, open records law, and ethics. It eliminates penalties for non-completion, changes record-keeping from the State Board to individual school districts (requiring public posting online), and repeals the previous 12-hour training requirement. The bill directly affects all elected and appointed school board members in Oklahoma public school districts. It takes effect July 1, 2025, as an emergency measure.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationReduces school board training requirements from 12 to 3 hours annually, removes specific topic mandates, and eliminates penalties, weakening governance standards for school districts.92% confidence

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in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 1469: Schools; Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit Act; website requirements; effective date.

HB 1469 creates an income tax credit program for Oklahoma taxpayers covering qualified education expenses for eligible students. It directly affects parents, guardians, or legal custodians who pay for private school tuition or approved educational services (like tutoring, materials, or assessments) for children in Oklahoma. The credit amount varies by family income (ranging from $5,000 to $7,500 annually) and includes special provisions for schools serving homeless students or financially disadvantaged students (90% of enrollment below 250% of federal poverty level). The bill requires taxpayers to submit receipts to the Oklahoma Tax Commission and limits credits to expenses not covered by scholarships or discounts.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesCreates income tax credit for education expenses, providing tax relief for eligible families with varying credit amounts based on income.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates tax credits for private school tuition and approved educational services, expanding family access to education funding through direct financial support.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Income Tax Tax Credits Higher Education School Choice

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in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 11, 2025

HB 1184: Education; Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program; minimum ACT score; effective date.

HB 1184 raises the minimum ACT composite score required for Oklahoma high school graduates to qualify for the state's Higher Learning Access Program tuition assistance from 21 to 22. This change directly affects students seeking first-time enrollment in Oklahoma public or private colleges, as they must now achieve a 22 ACT score (along with maintaining a 2.5 GPA and meeting other existing eligibility criteria). The bill amends Section 2603 of Oklahoma law to update this academic threshold for program participation. It does not alter other requirements like residency, financial need, or graduation timeframe. The policy change applies to students graduating within the previous three years.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRaises ACT score requirement from 21 to 22 for tuition assistance, restricting access to state funding for college-bound students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education Student Financial Aid

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signed · Oklahoma · House May 30, 2025

HB 1087: Education; length of school year; extending amount of classroom instruction time; minimum salary schedule; adding years of experience to minimum salary amounts; effective date; emergency.

HB 1087 establishes a new minimum salary schedule for Oklahoma public school teachers based on years of experience and education level, directly affecting all certified teachers in the state's public schools. The bill sets specific annual salary amounts ranging from $39,601 for entry-level teachers with a Bachelor's degree to $65,319 for those with 35+ years of experience and a Doctorate. It clarifies that "fringe benefits" exclude certain retirement contributions and requires school districts to notify teachers if salary adjustments would fall below the minimum schedule. The law takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year after being approved by the governor on May 30, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes minimum teacher salaries increasing pay based on experience/education, directly supporting educator compensation and funding.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentIncreases minimum teacher salaries from $39,601 to $65,319 based on experience/education, directly advancing compensation standards for public school educators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 1282: Schools; modifying the Parents' Bill of Rights; requiring written consent for certain instruction. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1282 amends Oklahoma's Parents' Bill of Rights to require written parental consent before students receive sex education instruction or any instruction/presentations about sexuality. The bill directly affects parents and guardians of K-12 students in Oklahoma public schools, mandating they provide written permission for these specific educational activities. Key provisions include expanding parental consent rights to cover photograph creation (with limited exceptions) and requiring schools to provide written explanations for denying parental record access requests within a shortened timeframe. The bill also updates definitions and procedures for parental involvement in school decisions regarding their children's education and health.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRequires parental consent for sex education, restricting curriculum content in K-12 schools per explicit bill provisions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

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signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 7, 2025

SB 942: Education; prohibiting certain discrimination on certain basis against students or employees.

SB 942 is a clarifying amendment to an existing education discrimination bill. It adds a specific provision (subsection G) explicitly stating that the bill's provisions do not restrict the implementation, funding, or administration of Indian education programs or services established under federal or state law. This amendment directly affects existing Indian education programs by ensuring they remain protected from potential unintended restrictions under the broader anti-discrimination law. The amendment was added to the bill on February 24, 2025, and the bill became law after the governor approved it on May 6, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill explicitly protects Indian education programs' funding/administration from unintended restrictions under anti-discrimination law, ensuring continued support for these specific educational services.90% confidence

in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 4, 2025

HB 1288: Education; alternative education programs; charter schools and virtual charter schools; full-time virtual or blended instruction; effective date; emergency.

HB 1288 updates Oklahoma's requirements for alternative education programs serving students in grades 7-12 who are at risk of not graduating. It requires school districts to implement programs meeting specific standards (like smaller class sizes, certified teachers, individualized plans, and life skills instruction) and explicitly includes designated charter and virtual charter schools in this system. The bill establishes funding based on student enrollment, allows full-time virtual or blended learning options, and mandates performance reporting. It also creates a separate evaluation framework for designated alternative education programs and prohibits using state funds to replace existing district resources.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires standards for at-risk students (smaller classes, certified teachers), funds via enrollment, includes charter/virtual schools - advances educational access and quality for K-12 programs.95% confidence

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signed · Oklahoma · House May 29, 2025

HB 2766: General appropriations; various agencies, authorities, boards, bureaus, commission, funds and programs; effective date.

HB 2766 is the Oklahoma state budget bill for fiscal year 2026, allocating over $1.65 billion from the General Revenue Fund to support public schools. It directs specific funding for teacher salaries, textbooks, health benefits for staff, school administration, and the School Consolidation Assistance Fund, drawing from multiple sources including the Education Lottery Trust Fund and Mineral Leasing Fund. The bill was enacted without the Governor's signature on May 29, 2025, and directly affects all Oklahoma public schools and their students through these state-funded resources.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $1.65B from General Revenue Fund for public school funding including teacher salaries, textbooks, and health benefits, directly advancing essential education programs.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates $1.65B for teacher salaries, textbooks, health benefits, and school consolidation fund from education-specific sources like Education Lottery Trust Fund.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentFunds teacher salaries and health benefits for school staff, directly supporting labor-related employment standards within public education.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Appropriations Revenue State Budget Teachers

passed · Oklahoma · House Apr 24, 2025

HB 2154: Charter schools; Oklahoma Charter Schools Act; exemptions; financial statements; contract requirements; effective date; emergency.

HB 2154 amends Oklahoma's Charter Schools Act to require charter school governing boards to approve a budget for each upcoming fiscal year before it begins. This change directly affects all Oklahoma charter school governing boards by adding a new annual procedural requirement. The bill focuses on strengthening financial oversight through mandatory pre-fiscal-year budget approvals, without altering other provisions like financial statement requirements or contract rules. The amendment was added to the bill during committee review and is currently pending in the House.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates annual budget approvals for charter schools to strengthen financial oversight, supporting operational integrity in K-12 education management.85% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice

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