HB 3850 requires Oklahoma's Department of Corrections to fully fund a program enabling all state prison inmates to earn high school equivalency diplomas (like a GED) before release, removing prior financial hardship exemptions. It mandates that the department assess each inmate's educational needs upon intake, prioritize those with basic literacy gaps or nearing release dates, and link program completion to parole eligibility. Inmates refusing recommended education programs lose earned credits and face parole eligibility risks. The law applies broadly to all inmates except those documented as incapable of benefiting from education. It takes effect November 1, 2026.
SB 1615 expands eligibility for Oklahoma's Higher Learning Access Program to include children of certified classroom teachers and certified administrators. The bill amends eligibility requirements (70 O.S. § 2603) to add a new qualifying category under paragraph 8(e), allowing these students to qualify for tuition assistance if they meet other standard program criteria like residency, academic performance, and financial need. This change directly affects students whose parents work as certified educators in Oklahoma schools. The bill updates statutory language to reflect this expansion and repeals prior eligibility language. It takes effect immediately upon enactment as an emergency measure.
HB 3702 requires Oklahoma public school districts to operate for at least 185 days (up from 181) and provide 1,110 hours of classroom instruction annually (up from 1,086), effective for the 2026-2027 school year. School districts must adopt a specific school-hours policy and notify the State Board of Education by October 15 each year to qualify for this requirement. The bill limits districts from counting more than 30 hours of professional meetings toward the required instructional time and prohibits counting parent-teacher conferences beyond 12 hours yearly. It also mandates districts using extended-day schedules to document student achievement impacts and report annually to the State Board of Education. This bill directly affects all Oklahoma public school districts that choose to adopt the new policy framework.
SB 1546 renames Oklahoma's teacher scholarship program to the NEXT-ED Program and increases scholarship amounts for students pursuing teaching degrees. The bill provides up to $2,000 per year for the first three years (for students with fewer than 90 credits) and up to $5,000 for the final year (for students with 90+ credits), with a total maximum of $11,000 per student. To qualify, students must commit to teaching in Oklahoma public schools for five years after graduation and maintain a 2.5 GPA. Participants who fulfill this teaching commitment may also receive up to $20,000 in total through annual employment incentive payments of up to $4,000 per year.
HB 3704 directs Oklahoma to participate in a federal income tax credit program allowing individuals to claim a credit for donations to scholarship granting organizations (SGOs). The bill requires the Governor to certify Oklahoma's participation to the U.S. Treasury and designates the Oklahoma Tax Commission to register SGOs, maintain their lists, and handle federal reporting. This enables Oklahoma taxpayers to claim the federal credit for qualifying donations, while coordinating with Oklahoma's existing state tax credit for SGO contributions. The law takes effect July 1, 2026, and remains in place until changed by law or federal policy.
HB 3706 requires all Oklahoma public elementary schools to provide at least 60 minutes of daily mathematics instruction for full-day kindergarten through fifth-grade students starting in the 2026-2027 school year. The instruction must align with the Oklahoma Academic Standards for Mathematics (OAS-M) approved by the State Board of Education. This law directly affects K-5 students and public elementary schools across Oklahoma, mandating a specific daily math time requirement. It becomes effective July 1, 2026, with an emergency declaration allowing immediate implementation upon approval. The bill does not change existing math standards but enforces a minimum daily instructional time.
HB 3151, the Education Reform Act of 2026, sets minimum requirements for classroom instruction time in Oklahoma public schools. It mandates that districts provide at least 181 days or 1,086 hours of actual classroom instruction annually, prohibiting the counting of more than 30 hours of staff meetings or 12 hours of parent-teacher conferences toward this total. Starting in 2026-2027, schools cannot count virtual instruction days toward the required hours, except for up to two days (12 hours) per year with prior approval of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The bill directly affects all Oklahoma public school districts and charter schools by defining what constitutes valid instructional time.
SB 1776 creates a $10,000 annual income tax credit for Oklahoma teachers who have completed eight consecutive years teaching in the same school district. To qualify, teachers must continue teaching in that district for the remainder of their eighth year plus three additional years (with exceptions for layoffs, death, or medical hardship). The credit is refundable, meaning any amount exceeding a teacher's tax liability will be paid directly to them. The Oklahoma Tax Commission may audit claims and require repayment if eligibility is later found to be invalid. This bill would apply to tax years starting in 2027.
HB 3656 requires reporting of hazing incidents involving children under 18 to a new statewide hotline established by Oklahoma's Department of Human Services. School employees must report such incidents to the hotline and local law enforcement for students under 18, while reporting to law enforcement only for students aged 18 or older. The bill imposes criminal penalties for willful failure to report hazing (misdemeanor for initial failure, Class D1 felony for prolonged knowledge) and prohibits retaliation against reporters. This legislation expands existing child abuse and neglect reporting requirements to explicitly include hazing as a distinct reportable incident.
HB 4122 requires Oklahoma's State Department of Education to develop a curriculum for ninth through twelfth graders on recognizing, preventing, and seeking help for domestic violence and human trafficking by the 2027-2028 school year. The curriculum must cover warning signs of abusive behavior, promote healthy relationships, and be medically accurate for students' ages. School districts may teach it as a separate unit or integrate it into existing courses, but must provide parents or guardians an option to opt their child out. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, with implementation beginning in the 2027-2028 school year.
