Education

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 1437: Schools; creating the Donald J. Trump Physical Fitness Act. Effective date.

SB 1437 requires Oklahoma school districts to administer the Presidential Fitness Test starting in the 2026-2027 school year, using guidelines established by the State Department of Education. These guidelines must include staff training, exemptions for students with disabilities or medical conditions, and a parent opt-out option. School districts must use test results to promote physical activity, adjust fitness programs, and encourage participation in exercise both at school and in the community. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and directs the guidelines to align with recommendations from the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates fitness testing to promote student physical activity, aligning with school health programs and enhancing student wellness initiatives under K-12 education.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 29, 2026

SB 1726: Higher education; directing certain institutions of higher education to establish certain training program for graduate instructors. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1726 requires Oklahoma public universities to create mandatory training programs for graduate students serving as primary instructors in undergraduate courses. The training must cover teaching methods, classroom management, grading, student accommodations, academic integrity, and specific protections for student speech under the First Amendment - ensuring students aren't penalized for lawful expression. It applies to all institutions within Oklahoma's State System of Higher Education and takes effect July 1, 2026. The bill was designated an emergency to expedite implementation.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates instructor training on teaching methods, academic integrity, and student speech protections, strengthening educational quality and academic freedom in higher education.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

died · Oklahoma · Senate May 14, 2026

SB 1546: Education; modifying eligibility under the Equal Opportunity Education Scholarship Act.

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases state appropriations for teacher scholarships ($11k max per student), directly funding education workforce development through public spending.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationIncreases teacher scholarship funding ($11k max) to recruit educators, directly supporting K-12 teacher workforce development and education access.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

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passed both · Oklahoma · Senate May 14, 2026

SB 514: Schools; student eligibility; virtual charter school students; Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) activities; policies. Effective date.

SB 514 expands Oklahoma's statewide alternative education system to explicitly include charter schools and virtual charter schools that are designated by the State Department of Education as offering alternative education programs. It requires school districts serving grades 7-12 to provide alternative education programs meeting specific standards (like smaller class sizes, certified teachers, and individualized plans) and allows districts to use full-time virtual or blended instruction. Designated charter and virtual charter schools must follow the same performance standards and attendance policies as district programs, while funding is based on student enrollment with 15% reserved for cooperative agreements between districts. The bill directly affects school districts, designated charter/virtual schools, and students at risk of not completing high school.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands alternative education access by mandating inclusion of charter/virtual schools and requiring quality standards like certified teachers and individualized plans.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

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passed both · Oklahoma · Senate May 14, 2026

SB 1338: Education; creating the Education Impact and Innovation Revolving Fund; providing for competitive grants pool; providing for use of grants. Effective date.

SB 1338 amends Oklahoma's Strong Readers Act by removing the existing three-year pilot program for literacy instructional teams and adding a requirement for the State Department of Education to submit biennial reports to the Governor and legislative leaders. School districts that decline literacy team support become ineligible for certain state funds under this provision. The bill mandates reports evaluating team effectiveness, tracking student reading proficiency improvements, and offering recommendations for the program. These reports must be submitted by December 31 of each odd-numbered year starting in 2026. The changes take effect July 1, 2026, with an emergency declaration.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill replaces temporary pilot with permanent biennial reporting and ties funding to literacy team participation, strengthening accountability and implementation of K-12 literacy programs.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

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signed · Oklahoma · House May 11, 2026

HB 3076: Teachers; new and innovative pathways toward teacher certification; alternative teacher preparation programs; alternative placement teaching certificates; effective date; emergency.

HB 3076 creates a pilot program for alternative teacher certification pathways in Oklahoma, allowing organizations like school districts or colleges to offer non-traditional teacher preparation programs. It requires the State Board of Education Commission to approve providers meeting specific criteria (such as financial stability, infrastructure, and program effectiveness) within 60 days, and mandates that approved programs use research-based methods to prepare teachers. The bill permits teacher candidates to demonstrate competency through non-traditional means like work experience or industry certifications, rather than solely standardized tests. The pilot program is limited to a two-year timeframe ending July 1, 2026, and requires annual reporting on program success rates.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationCreates alternative teacher certification pathways to expand educator recruitment and support, aligning with teacher support and access indicators.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

passed · Oklahoma · Senate May 7, 2026

SB 1884: School employees; modifying the access statewide professional educators' associations have to school employees; allowing termination of certain membership at any time. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1884 ensures school districts grant statewide professional educators' associations (like teacher unions) equal access to school employees for activities such as distributing materials, speaking at meetings, and using school facilities. It prohibits schools from conditioning this access on fees, meals, or donations and requires districts to notify the State Board of Education if access is denied within 15 days. The bill also allows school employees to terminate membership in these associations at any time without restrictions or requiring a reason, and invalidates any existing agreements that limit this right. These changes take effect July 1, 2026, applying directly to school employees and educators' associations in Oklahoma.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnsures equal access for teacher unions to school employees, prohibits fees/donations for union activities, strengthening educator association operations and support.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentEnsures equal access for educator unions to organize, prohibits fees/conditions on union activities, directly strengthening collective bargaining rights for school employees.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

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signed · Oklahoma · House May 6, 2026

HB 3700: Higher education; requiring policy ensuring student grades are evaluated solely on an academic basis; directing the State Regents to withhold state-appropriated funds for failure to adopt a policy; effective date; emergency.

HB 3700 requires all Oklahoma public colleges and universities to adopt a policy ensuring student grades are based solely on academic factors like attendance, course knowledge, and performance standards - prohibiting grades from being influenced by a student's personal opinions, beliefs, or unrelated conduct. This policy must be implemented by the 2026-2027 academic year, with institutions required to submit compliance verification to the State Regents for Higher Education. Failure to adopt the policy will result in the State Regents withholding all state funding from the noncompliant institution until adoption occurs. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates academic-only grading policies to protect educational integrity, aligning with 'protect' indicator under support stance.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Oklahoma · House May 6, 2026

HB 3590: Revenue and taxation; Oklahoma Equal Opportunity Education Scholarship Act; eligibility; removing federal law reference; authorizing payment be made via secure electronic funds transfer; effective date.

HB 3590, the Oklahoma Opportunity Scholarship Act of 2026, expands tax credits for Oklahoma taxpayers who contribute to scholarship-granting organizations. It increases the maximum annual tax credit: to $5,000 for single filers (up from $1,000), $10,000 for married couples filing jointly (up from $2,000), and $250,000 for businesses (up from $100,000). Taxpayers who commit to contribute the same amount for two consecutive years qualify for a 100% credit (up from 75%) on those contributions. The bill affects Oklahoma taxpayers making eligible contributions and requires scholarship organizations to submit annual financial reports to the Oklahoma Tax Commission. It takes effect January 1, 2027.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesExpands tax credits, including $250k business credit, creating breaks primarily for wealthy entities per bill's tax relief structure.85% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands tax credits for scholarship donations, increasing access to private education options through enhanced incentives for contributions to scholarship-granting organizations.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

passed both · Oklahoma · Senate May 6, 2026

SB 215: Mathematics instruction; creating the Oklahoma Math Achievement and Proficiency Act.

This document is a floor amendment to Senate Bill 215, which would establish the Oklahoma Math Achievement and Proficiency Act to improve mathematics instruction in the state. The amendment proposes three specific changes: replacing a requirement for a minimum number of resources with a list, updating the school year reference from 2025-2026 to 2026-2027, and changing language about student identification from testing positive to being identified with characteristics. These adjustments modify how the bill defines requirements and timelines for mathematics education programs affecting Oklahoma schools. The bill has not yet been enacted as conference committee members were unable to reach an agreement on the final version.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill aims to improve mathematics instruction through the Oklahoma Math Achievement and Proficiency Act, enhancing educational quality and student outcomes.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

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