HB 2197 prohibits Oklahoma public universities from requiring students to purchase meal plans as a condition for enrollment or on-campus housing. This directly affects all students attending institutions in the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education, removing a mandatory cost tied to enrollment or housing. The law takes effect July 1, 2025, and eliminates a specific financial requirement for students. It does not change other meal plan policies or costs.
SB 235 creates Oklahoma's "Grow Your Own Educator Program," which provides matching grants to eligible public school districts that help current employees pursue teaching degrees. School districts must have existing tuition or loan repayment programs for staff enrolled in accredited teacher preparation programs to qualify. The state establishes a dedicated "Grow Your Own Educator Revolving Fund" to cover the matching portion of these grants, awarded on a first-come basis with funds limited by available appropriations. Districts must report annually on employee progress and outcomes, while the state submits broader program reports to elected officials.
HB 1282 renames Oklahoma's scholarship program to the "Oklahoma State Regents' Academic Rising Scholars Award Program" and updates eligibility criteria to include top Oklahoma students (top 0.5% test scores, National Merit Scholars, and institutional nominees), as well as students demonstrating exceptional promise through academic achievements or overcoming obstacles. The program provides funding covering tuition, fees, room, board, and required textbooks for up to five years at Oklahoma colleges, with public institutions capped at their annual tuition costs and private institutions receiving funding equivalent to the highest public tuition rates. It requires institutions to administer scholarships, mandates full-time enrollment, and establishes separate funding levels based on student eligibility categories. The bill, signed into law on May 30, 2025, directly affects Oklahoma students meeting these academic criteria who attend public or private accredited colleges within the state.
HB 1521 changes Oklahoma high school graduation requirements for math credits. It mandates four math units, including Algebra I and either Algebra II or Geometry, plus a third course at or above Algebra I rigor (such as Finance, Computer Science, or dual-credit math). Schools may also use locally developed, applied math courses that connect to real-world contexts. The bill directly affects Oklahoma public high school students and school districts setting graduation standards. It updates existing requirements but does not alter personal financial literacy or AP course policies.
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.
SB 31 creates the Oklahoma National Guard CareerTech Assistance Program, providing tuition coverage for eligible members enrolled in career and technology programs at Oklahoma technology centers that lead to certification or licensure. It directly affects current Oklahoma National Guard members in good standing with a high school diploma or GED who enroll in such programs, limiting assistance to three years and requiring a 24-month active service commitment after program completion. Key provisions include maintaining a 2.0 GPA, holding a military occupational specialty (MOS) after the first semester, and mandatory repayment if service or academic requirements are not met. The program is funded through a revolving fund supported by state appropriations and repayments, with applications processed through the Military Department.
SB 212 directs Oklahoma's Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability to establish a two-year pilot program called TeachForwardOK for teacher education programs at accredited public colleges and universities. The bill requires the Commission to issue grants to approved programs to hire technical evaluators who must assess four specific areas: teacher candidate recruitment/completion, program effectiveness, alignment with state workforce needs, and strategies for recruiting nontraditional teachers. Programs must submit electronic responses to evaluation reports within 60 days, and the Commission will award $500,000 to one program to address findings after the pilot. The Commission must submit a final report to state leaders by December 2027 detailing results and recommendations.
SB 840 creates two new micro-credentials for Oklahoma teachers: one for Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) and one for Center for Effective Reading Instruction (CERI). To earn either, teachers must hold a master’s degree, complete specialized training, pass a competency exam, and provide 28 days of instruction post-exam. Certified teachers with these micro-credentials gain authorization to screen students for and identify dyslexia characteristics. The micro-credential will be added to the teacher’s official certificate, effective July 1, 2025. This bill directly affects certified teachers seeking specialized training in dyslexia identification.
HB 1277 updates Oklahoma's rules for revoking or suspending educator licenses. It automatically revokes licenses for individuals convicted of specific sexual abuse or exploitation crimes (listed in Oklahoma statutes), expands the grounds for revocation to include willful law violations, child abuse/neglect, moral turpitude, or incompetence, and requires 10 days' written notice before action. The bill applies directly to licensed teachers, principals, school nurses, bus drivers, and other public school staff who work directly with students. It also clarifies that emergency suspensions are limited to defined situations under state law and sets rules for handling certification fees.
HB 2779 redirects $750,000 in state funds from the Department of Public Safety's budget to the School Secure Program. It transfers management of this program from the State Board of Education to the Department of Public Safety. The change takes effect July 1, 2025, and applies to school security funding previously administered by the State Board. This is a procedural budget reallocation, not a new policy.
