Education

passed both · Oklahoma · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 1317: Teachers; modifying definition of career teacher. Effective date.

SB 1317 updates Oklahoma's definition of a "career teacher" to clarify job security requirements for educators. The bill directly affects public school teachers in Oklahoma, particularly those hired in or after the 2017-2018 school year who seek career status (beyond probationary periods). It establishes three specific pathways to qualify: completing three consecutive years with a "superior" rating for at least two years, four consecutive years with an average "effective" rating and "effective" in the last two years, or four or more consecutive years with a principal's petition approved by the school board. The changes take effect July 1, 2026, and amend Oklahoma Statutes Title 70, Section 6-101.3.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationClarifies career teacher pathways to strengthen job security for educators, aligning with teacher support indicators.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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signed · Oklahoma · Senate Apr 24, 2026

SB 1432: Teachers; removing reference to pilot status of new and innovative pathways toward teacher certification; removing sunset date. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1432 removes the temporary "pilot program" designation and the July 1, 2026 sunset date from Oklahoma's alternative teacher certification pathways. This permanent change affects teacher certification providers and candidates who use non-traditional routes to become licensed educators. The bill amends Oklahoma law to make these innovative certification programs permanent, eliminating the requirement for annual reapproval and the expiration date. It ensures providers offering these pathways no longer need to operate under temporary status, streamlining the process for educators seeking certification through alternative routes.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves temporary barriers for alternative teacher certification pathways, permanently supporting educator workforce development and access to non-traditional teaching routes.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

passed · Oklahoma · House Apr 23, 2026

HB 3029: Schools; requiring the State Board of Education to create a four-year plan to address Department programming needs; effective date.

HB 3029 requires Oklahoma's State Board of Education to create a four-year plan addressing the Oklahoma Department of Education's program needs. The plan must include long-term goals, details on new programs, cost analyses, and specific implementation strategies. The State Board must submit this annual plan to the Governor and legislature by December 1 each year, with updates reviewed yearly. The bill takes effect September 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRequires State Board to create annual plan for education programs, including new initiatives and cost analysis, aiming to improve program coordination and resource allocation.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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signed · Oklahoma · Senate Apr 22, 2026

SB 1481: Schools; requiring certain schools to provide students in certain grades with certain amount of recess per day. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1481 requires Oklahoma public elementary schools (kindergarten through grade 5) to provide 40 minutes of daily recess as a condition for school accreditation, separate from existing physical education requirements. Recess must be supervised, unstructured play time and cannot be taken away as punishment for students. Schools may divide the 40 minutes into two 20-minute periods. This bill directly affects all Oklahoma public elementary schools serving those grades and takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates 40 min daily recess for K-5 as accreditation requirement, enhancing student well-being and unstructured play programs.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Oklahoma · Senate Apr 22, 2026

SB 1733: Schools; requiring public and private school employees to report certain disclosure, allegation, or information to law enforcement within certain time period; requiring school employees to annually sign certain attestation. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1733 requires Oklahoma school employees (including teachers, coaches, and administrators) to report suspected student sexual abuse, assault, or misconduct to law enforcement within 24 hours. It prohibits school investigations or disciplinary actions before reporting and mandates annual attestation forms confirming staff understanding of these duties. The law applies to all public and charter school staff, with confidentiality protections for reporters. It takes effect July 1, 2026, and declares an emergency for immediate implementation.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates school employees to report suspected child sexual abuse to law enforcement within 24 hours, strengthening criminal justice process by ensuring timely crime reporting and investigations.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates student safety reporting to protect educational environment, aligning with 'protect' in support indicators for student welfare in schools.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Oklahoma · Senate Apr 21, 2026

SB 1778: Strong Readers Act; modifying number of screening instruments to be approved by the State Board of Education beginning in certain school year. Emergency.

SB 1778, the Strong Readers Act, requires Oklahoma public schools to screen all kindergarten through third-grade students for reading skills at multiple points during the school year using approved tools. It mandates intensive reading intervention services for students not meeting grade-level targets, including summer academies for first- and third-grade students who remain behind, and requires retention of third graders who do not meet reading proficiency after interventions (with specific exemptions for students with disabilities or English learners). The bill also requires schools to provide written parental notifications about interventions, maintain reading intervention plans within 30 days of identification, and report progress data to the state. These provisions aim to improve early literacy outcomes through structured screening, targeted support, and accountability for student reading proficiency.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates reading screenings, interventions, and summer academies for K-3 students to improve literacy, directly strengthening educational outcomes in early grades.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Oklahoma · House Apr 20, 2026

HB 3704: Revenue and taxation; income tax; federal income tax credit; election to participate; scholarship granting organizations; Oklahoma Tax Commission; effective date.

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEnables tax credit for SGO donations, reducing taxable income for donors, aligning with tax relief indicators.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnables tax credits for donations to SGOs, expanding scholarship access for K-12 education through private funding mechanisms.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

signed · Oklahoma · House Apr 20, 2026

HB 2893: Education; paraprofessionals; teachers; exemption; effective date; emergency.

HB 2893 exempts certain paraprofessionals and teachers from additional professional education coursework requirements. Specifically, it states that paraprofessionals with a bachelor's degree in education (and within 10 years of classroom work) and teachers with a bachelor's in education (also within 10 years of classroom service) will be deemed to have satisfied existing rules for certification renewal or professional development. The bill directly affects Oklahoma public school paraprofessionals and teachers holding qualifying degrees. It takes effect July 1, 2025, and was designated an emergency measure to take immediate effect upon passage.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExempts qualified educators from redundant coursework, reducing certification barriers and supporting teacher retention without cutting funding or restricting requirements.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

passed · Oklahoma · House Apr 16, 2026

HB 3025: Schools; general fund expenditures; gift, grant, and donation monies; general fund carryover; effective date.

HB 3025 modifies Oklahoma school district funding rules for gift, grant, and donation monies. It requires schools to place funds received for building projects (capital expenditures) into a dedicated building fund, not the general fund. For noncapital funds (like operational costs), districts may retain them in the general fund but must wait one year before using them, preventing immediate spending. This affects all Oklahoma public school districts receiving external funds for school operations or construction. The bill clarifies how districts must categorize and manage these funds to ensure proper financial accountability.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRequires one-year delay for noncapital operational funds, restricting immediate spending on school operations per bill's funding rules.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Education

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passed · Oklahoma · House Apr 14, 2026

HB 3708: Education; Oklahoma Equal Opportunity Education Scholarship Act; adding grants; definition of a scholarship-granting organization; defining capital improvement grant; information to be submitted to Tax Commission; effective date; emergency.

HB 3708 modifies Oklahoma's tax credit system to expand education-related incentives. It creates three tax credit options: 50% of contributions (up to $1,000 for individuals, $2,000 for joint filers, or $100,000 for businesses) to scholarship-granting organizations, educational improvement grant organizations, or public school foundations/districts. A 75% credit is available for donors who commit to contributing the same amount for two consecutive years. Organizations receiving funds must annually submit audited financial reports to the Oklahoma Tax Commission and publicly share program outcomes. The bill directly affects individual taxpayers, businesses, and eligible education-focused nonprofits.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesExpands tax credits (50-75%) for education donations, directing private funds to public schools via tax incentives, aligning with funding public services.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates tax credits to incentivize private donations to schools and educational organizations, expanding funding streams for K-12 education.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Education

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