HB 3710: Education; Rising Scholars Award Program; eligibility; cohort-based award schedules; effective date. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to change the scholarship program from a cash award to a tuition waiver. This modification alters how students receive financial aid, shifting from a direct payment to an institutional tuition reduction.

Scope change

The scope of the financial benefit changed from a cash scholarship to a tuition waiver, though the eligibility criteria for receiving the benefit remain largely the same.

FISCAL

The funding mechanism was changed from a cash scholarship to a tuition waiver, meaning the institution receives the funds directly to offset tuition costs rather than paying the student.

The maximum award amount was adjusted from a specific dollar cap to a cap based on the 'average cost of tuition' at the institution.

The duration of the award was changed from four years to five years of undergraduate and/or graduate study.

The text was updated to clarify that the State Regents may establish separate award levels for each qualifying category.

House Committee Substitute → Floor (House) · 2 edits

MINOR

The bill was amended to include the Senate's co-author, Pugh, and updated the header to reflect the House Floor version. The substantive policy content regarding the Rising Scholars Award Program, including eligibility criteria and funding rules, remains unchanged from the Committee Substitute.

TECHNICAL

Added the name of the Senate co-author, Pugh, to the bill's sponsor list.

Updated the document header to indicate this is the 'House Floor' version of the bill.

Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 → House Committee Substitute · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was completely rewritten to replace a proposal about district school realignment with a new scholarship program called the 'Oklahoma Rising Scholars Award Program.' This change shifts the bill's focus from managing school district boundaries to providing financial aid for high-achieving students.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed entirely from creating a 'District Realignment Commission' to establishing a scholarship program for eligible students at accredited institutions of higher education in Oklahoma.

SCOPE

Removed all provisions related to creating a District Realignment Commission, appointing commissioners, and evaluating school district efficiency.

ELIGIBILITY

Added eligibility criteria for the Rising Scholars Award, requiring students to have top-tier test scores (99.5-100th percentile) or be designated Presidential, National Merit, or Institutional Nominee scholars.

FISCAL

Added funding provisions allowing scholarships to cover tuition, fees, room, and board for up to five years, with specific caps based on whether the student attends a public or private institution.

DEFINITION

Added new definitions for specific student categories including 'Individual Applicant Qualified Student,' 'Presidential Scholar,' 'National Merit Scholar,' 'National Merit Finalist,' and 'Institutional Nominee.'

TIMELINE

Changed the effective date and legislative session references from the original proposed policy to the current 60th Legislature (2026).

Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 → Proposed Policy Committee Substitute 1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was completely rewritten to replace a scholarship program for high-achieving students with a new 'District Realignment Commission.' The original text regarding the Rising Scholars Award, student eligibility, and scholarship funding has been entirely removed and replaced with a mandate to create a nine-member commission to evaluate and recommend changes to school district boundaries.

Scope change

The bill's scope shifted entirely from providing financial aid to individual students to establishing a state-level administrative body responsible for reviewing and recommending the consolidation, division, or modification of school districts.

SCOPE

All provisions related to the Oklahoma Rising Scholars Award Program, including student eligibility criteria, scholarship amounts, and funding rules, were deleted.

A new 'District Realignment Commission' was created, consisting of nine appointed members, tasked with evaluating schools based on financial compliance, efficiency, and academic outcomes.

REQUIREMENT

The Commission is required to submit a final report with specific recommendations on how to modify, divide, or consolidate school districts by December 1, 2027.

A legislative measure must be introduced in 2028 to allow voters to decide on the Commission's recommendations regarding school district changes.

Elected officials are prohibited from serving on the Commission, and any member who becomes an elected official during their term must vacate their position.

Enrolled (final version) → Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 · 3 edits

MINOR

The bill was rewritten to replace the original text with a new version that adds an emergency clause and clarifies the funding calculation for private institutions. The substantive eligibility criteria, award amounts, and program requirements remain identical to the original enrolled version.

Scope change

The bill's scope is unchanged; it still governs the Oklahoma Rising Scholars Award Program eligibility and funding rules.

TECHNICAL

Added a 'declaring an emergency' provision to the bill title, allowing the law to take effect immediately without waiting for the regular legislative session to end.

Replaced the original text with a re-typed version that includes minor formatting adjustments and line breaks, but the legal language regarding student qualifications and scholarship amounts is identical.

Included a committee amendment header and metadata indicating the bill was amended by Representative Chad Caldwell on March 2, 2026.

Engrossed → Enrolled (final version) · 2 edits · Mar 24, 2026

MINOR

The bill was finalized from its Engrossed version to the Enrolled version with no substantive policy changes. The text of the law regarding eligibility, funding amounts, and program rules remains identical; the only differences are formatting adjustments, such as the removal of page numbers and the addition of a subject header.

TECHNICAL

Removed page numbers and internal markup symbols used during the legislative process.

Added a 'SUBJECT: Education' line to the Enrolled version for cataloging purposes.

Introduced → Engrossed · 4 edits · Mar 23, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was amended from a new 'Common Education Policy Act' to a specific amendment of existing scholarship law. The primary change is the addition of a new category of eligibility called 'Institutional Nominee,' allowing students nominated by Oklahoma State System of Higher Education institutions to receive awards. The funding structure was also updated to distinguish between top-tier students (covering all costs) and Institutional Nominees (covering tuition and fees plus room and board).

Scope change

The bill's scope narrowed from a broad new policy act to a targeted amendment of the Oklahoma Rising Scholars Award Program, specifically expanding eligibility to include institution-nominated students.

ELIGIBILITY

Added a new eligibility category for 'Institutional Nominees,' defined as students nominated by institutions within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Education who meet specific academic or achievement criteria.

FISCAL

Modified the funding rules to create two tiers: top-tier students (categories a-d) receive full coverage of tuition, fees, room, and board, while Institutional Nominees (category e) receive tuition waivers plus coverage of fees, room, and board.

TECHNICAL

Removed the text establishing a new 'Common Education Policy Act of 2026' and replaced it with language amending the existing Oklahoma Rising Scholars Award Act.

DEFINITION

Added detailed definitions for 'Individual Applicant Qualified Student' (top 0.5% test scores) and 'Presidential Scholar' to clarify existing eligibility categories.

Education; Rising Scholars Award Program; eligibility; cohort-based award schedules; effective date.

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