Education

in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 17, 2026

HB 3051: Higher education; Tulsa Reconciliation Education and Scholarship Program; qualifications; participation; awards; effective date; emergency.

HB 3051 creates the Tulsa Reconciliation Education and Scholarship Program to provide financial aid to students directly affected by the 1921 Tulsa race massacre. It awards scholarships covering tuition costs (up to resident rates) to Tulsa Public School District students meeting specific criteria: family income under $125,000, attendance at schools with high free/reduced lunch participation, and residence in designated high-poverty census blocks. The program also allows preference for applicants who can verify lineage as direct descendants of Greenwood Area residents (1921), with documentation verified by the Oklahoma Historical Society. Scholarships are limited to students under 21 years old at application, with additional awards for high school students to preserve historical awareness of the 1921 event.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates scholarship program funding higher education access for Tulsa students affected by 1921 massacre, expanding educational opportunity for underserved groups.95% confidence

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

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signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 13, 2026

SB 2084: Governmental Tort Claims Act; limiting settlement awards for wrongful termination claims; providing for inclusion of certain damages. Effective date.

SB 2084 caps settlement amounts for wrongful termination claims by employees of Oklahoma public institutions of higher education (like state universities) at two years of their base salary at termination. It limits total settlements to include back pay and damages but excludes accrued unpaid wages, leave, and retirement contributions already earned. The bill specifically applies to state law claims, not federal ones, and takes effect November 1, 2026. This directly affects public university employees filing termination disputes under Oklahoma law.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesCaps government spending on wrongful termination settlements, reducing state expenditures for public university employee claims by limiting settlement amounts.95% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill limits settlement amounts for wrongful termination claims by public university employees, reducing potential compensation (a benefit) for teachers/staff, opposing enhanced educator protections.90% confidence ✗ Labor & EmploymentOpposes Labor & EmploymentCaps wrongful termination settlements at 2 years' base salary for public university employees, excluding earned wages/retirement benefits, restricting worker compensation rights.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Employment Discrimination

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 13, 2026

SB 1989: Oklahoma College Savings Plan; expanding options for making contributions to a 529 Savings Plan. Effective date.

SB 1989 expands contribution options for Oklahoma's 529 College Savings Plan by explicitly permitting digital payments through peer-to-peer apps and digital networks, in addition to cash. This change directly affects anyone contributing to the plan, including parents, students, or others saving for qualified higher education expenses. The bill updates the statute (70 O.S. 2021, Section 3970.7) to clarify that contributions may now be made via these digital methods. The amendment does not alter savings limits, tax treatment, or other program rules, focusing solely on expanding how funds can be deposited.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands digital contribution options for 529 college savings plans, increasing accessibility and participation in higher education funding mechanisms.95% confidence ✓ TechnologySupports TechnologyPermits digital payments via P2P apps and networks for 529 contributions, enabling tech-integrated financial transactions without restricting technology use.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 1800: School employees; requiring certain notification; providing for certain suspension. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1800 requires Oklahoma school districts and charter schools to immediately suspend employees facing investigations, arrests, or charges for specific offenses involving sexual abuse or exploitation of students (as defined in Oklahoma law). Upon receiving law enforcement notification, school boards must suspend the employee without a hearing, preserving their pay and benefits while prohibiting them from school grounds during the suspension. Superintendents must also notify parents that the employee is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and mandates the State Board of Education to create implementing rules.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires immediate suspension of abusive staff to protect students, strengthening school safety protocols in K-12 education.95% confidence

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died · Oklahoma · House Feb 12, 2026

HB 3241: Schools; program of character education; Teaching Honesty, Respect, Integrity, Virtue, and Excellence (THRIVE) Act; requiring the State Department of Education to develop a character traits and personal skills education curriculum; effective date; emergency.

HB 3241, the THRIVE Act, requires Oklahoma's State Department of Education to develop a mandatory character education curriculum for all public schools and charter schools (pre-K through 12th grade) by the 2026-2027 school year. The curriculum must teach 15 specific character traits and values, including honesty, respect for family, religious faith, lifelong marriage, sexual abstinence outside marriage, and patriotism, as defined in the bill. Schools must provide parents an opt-out option for their children and use only materials approved by the Department, with districts reporting compliance to the State Board of Education annually. The bill also mandates an "honor roll" for schools successfully implementing the program and requires the Department to publish approved resources and program impacts online.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationMandates specific character curriculum including abstinence, restricting school autonomy over content and academic freedom per bill's requirements.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum Early Childhood

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in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 3, 2026

HB 3486: Schools; prohibiting district superintendent compensation from exceeding certain amount in relation to teacher salaries; effective date; emergency.

HB 3486 caps school district superintendent total compensation at six times the salary of a teacher with a bachelor's degree and zero years of experience. It directly affects all Oklahoma public school districts by restricting superintendent pay packages (including base salary, bonuses, and benefits) to this ratio for new or renewed contracts after July 1, 2026. The bill requires districts to file superintendent contracts with the state, disclose administrator salary schedules publicly, and ensures contracts cannot exceed the specified ratio. It aims to align administrative pay more closely with entry-level teacher compensation without changing teacher salaries directly. The law takes effect immediately upon approval as an emergency measure.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCaps superintendent pay at 6x entry-level teacher salary, promoting equitable compensation and supporting teacher pay parity in school districts.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Teachers

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in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 3, 2026

HB 3022: Education; requirements for adjunct teachers who do not hold valid certificate to teach; State Board of Education to establish salary guidelines for part-time noncertified adjunct teachers; effective date; emergency.

HB 3022 establishes new rules for non-certified adjunct teachers in Oklahoma public schools. It prohibits these teachers from serving as full-time or part-time classroom instructors for core subjects (math, science, English, social studies) in prekindergarten through sixth grade, while requiring them to hold at least a high school diploma. The bill mandates the State Board of Education to create salary guidelines specifically for part-time noncertified adjunct teachers. This directly affects school districts hiring non-certified staff for limited roles and sets clear boundaries for their classroom responsibilities.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationProhibits non-certified adjuncts from teaching core K-6 subjects, restricting teaching roles without certification requirements.85% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates salary guidelines for part-time noncertified adjunct teachers, establishing employment standards to protect wages.85% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education Teachers

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in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 3, 2026

HB 3138: Schools; public schools; students; higher education; prohibiting certain name usage; pronouns; prohibiting adverse employment action; prohibiting student disciplinary action; private cause of action; legal remedies; limitations; effective date.

HB 3138, known as the "Free to Speak Act," requires public schools and state higher education institutions in Oklahoma to respect biological sex (defined as observed at birth) regarding student and staff interactions. It prohibits employees from facing discipline for refusing to use names or pronouns inconsistent with a student's biological sex (without parental permission for minors) and bars schools from disciplining students who decline to use such names or pronouns. The bill allows individuals harmed by violations to pursue private lawsuits for damages, injunctions, or attorney fees within two years. It applies to all public K-12 schools and state colleges, effective November 1, 2026.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts school curriculum on gender identity by mandating biological sex-based pronouns, prohibiting disciplinary action for non-compliance, limiting educational expression.90% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

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in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 9, 2026

HB 3126: Commissioners of the Land Office; Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education; Concurrent Enrollment Revolving Fund; State Aid Formula; effective date; emergency.

HB 3126 redirects funds from Oklahoma's oil and gas lease revenues to create a dedicated revolving fund for concurrent enrollment programs, which allow high school students to take college courses. It requires the Commissioners of the Land Office to transfer bonus and delay rental income from oil and gas leases into a new "Concurrent Enrollment Revolving Fund," which can be invested to generate interest and provide ongoing funding. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education must use these funds exclusively for concurrent enrollment, with no other purposes allowed. This ensures a stable, continuing source of support for high school students accessing college-level coursework.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRedirects existing oil/gas lease revenues to fund concurrent enrollment programs, allocating state funds toward education without tax changes or cuts.92% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationRedirects oil/gas lease funds to create dedicated revolving fund for concurrent enrollment programs, expanding high school access to college courses and providing ongoing funding.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 1411: Charter schools; adding requirements to charter school application; requiring annual oversight and performance review. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1411 amends Oklahoma's charter school law to add specific requirements for charter school applications and oversight. It mandates 10-hour training for applicants and sponsors, requires detailed applications covering 34 elements (including financial plans, academic programs, and student support plans), and demands annual performance reviews posted on sponsor websites. The bill directly affects charter school applicants, sponsors (like school districts or organizations), and the Statewide Charter School Board. If passed, it would take effect immediately as an emergency measure, updating application standards and requiring sponsors to report deficiencies in school performance.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationAdds oversight requirements (annual reviews, detailed applications) to ensure charter school accountability and quality, strengthening educational standards and student outcomes.92% confidence

Sub-Topics School Choice

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