SB 2006 prohibits Oklahoma public universities from using state funds to provide scholarships, grants, tuition aid, or discounted tuition to foreign national students from countries designated as "countries of particular concern" by the U.S. Department of State. This applies starting with the 2026-2027 academic year and directly affects eligible international students from those specific countries. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education must create rules to implement the law, though private or non-state funding for such aid remains unaffected. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and is classified as an emergency measure.
HB 3372 creates a state-backed loan program to help charter schools fund capital expenses like building repairs or equipment. It establishes a revolving fund administered by the Statewide Charter School Board, allowing charter schools to access low-interest loans and issue bonds with state credit enhancement. The bill removes previous prohibitions on charter schools issuing bonds and requires participants to pay a one-time fee. This directly affects Oklahoma charter schools seeking financing for physical infrastructure, while the state manages repayment and fund operations through specific legislative appropriations.
SB 1482 creates the Oklahoma City National Memorial Education Revolving Fund, funded by fees from the sale of "Heart of the Heartland" special license plates. The fund will support curriculum materials and instruction about the April 19, 1995, bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building for students across Oklahoma, managed by the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry. The bill amends existing law to redirect these license plate fees into the fund, ensuring dedicated, ongoing funding without annual budget limitations for this educational purpose.
HB 3129 prohibits Oklahoma public colleges and universities from charging security fees to students or student organizations based on the content of their speech, a guest speaker's content, or anticipated reactions to that speech. It designates outdoor campus areas as public forums where students can peacefully assemble, protest, distribute literature, or express views without "free speech zones," while allowing reasonable time, place, and manner restrictions. The bill requires institutions to publicly post annual compliance reports detailing free expression policies and any disruptions to speech on their websites. These changes directly affect all students, student organizations, and campus administrators at Oklahoma's public higher education institutions.
SB 1975 requires Oklahoma public school districts to make Advanced Placement (AP) exams available to any student residing in the district and to post exam dates, registration details, and procedures on their websites by August 31 each year. It also mandates the Statewide Charter School Board to maintain an online learning platform offering AP courses, STEM subjects, foreign languages, and other high-quality courses for all Oklahoma students. The State Department of Education must provide information to students and parents about AP courses and their benefits for college readiness, scholarships, and financial aid opportunities. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 3458 appropriates $150 million from Oklahoma's General Revenue Fund to the School Security Revolving Fund for the 2027 fiscal year. This funding directly supports school security initiatives, including school resource officers, as authorized under existing law (Section 5-148.1 of Title 70). The bill takes effect on July 1, 2026, and is designated as an emergency measure to address immediate security needs. It does not create new policies but allocates existing funds to implement current school security requirements.
SB 1891 creates the Oklahoma Teacher-Led Curriculum Development Act, requiring the State Department of Education to establish a teacher-led consortium by August 1, 2026. The consortium must include certified teachers with at least five years of experience and a "superior" or "highly effective" evaluation rating, representing diverse school sizes (urban, rural, and varying student enrollment). It will review and approve first-grade math curriculum meeting state standards, with the approved curriculum published online by January 31, 2027, and expand to other subjects per a schedule. The bill directly affects Oklahoma public school teachers and districts by shifting curriculum development authority to teacher-led groups.
SB 1736, the Oklahoma Sexual Education Reform and Parental Rights Protection Act, requires written parental consent for students to participate in certain sexual education classes. It defines "comprehensive sexual education" (which the bill restricts) as programs promoting sexual activity outside marriage, non-heterosexual orientations, or contraceptive methods without emphasizing risks, and mandates "optimal sexual health education" (which the bill promotes) focusing on abstinence, traditional marriage, and health risks of premarital sex. School districts must adopt procedures to notify parents and obtain written consent before offering these classes, update website information about curriculum, and prohibit certain materials or organizations from leading such programs. The bill directly affects Oklahoma K-12 students, parents/guardians (who must consent), and school districts (which must implement new procedures).
SB 1594 requires Oklahoma school principals to complete specific professional education on special education laws and practices, including federal/state regulations, individualized education programs (IEPs), and student discipline procedures. This applies to all principals seeking or renewing certification, except those who earned their master's degree in education administration before July 1, 2005. The bill amends existing certification rules (Section 6-189) to mandate this training as part of the principal certification requirements. It does not change other existing requirements like master's degrees or teaching experience.
HB 4326 expands eligibility for Oklahoma's Higher Learning Access Program to include students in court-ordered custody of private nonprofit child-placing agencies or federally recognized Indian tribes during specific grades (8th-11th). It removes the income requirement for these students and adds eligibility for students whose parent is a certified classroom teacher. The bill amends existing program rules to broaden access for these groups while maintaining other standard requirements like residency, academic performance, and admission standards. This change directly affects students in foster care or tribal custody who previously faced financial barriers to qualify.
