HB 2153 modifies Oklahoma charter school enrollment rules, primarily affecting students, families, and school districts. It requires charter schools to give enrollment priority to students with siblings already enrolled (over other preferences), limits admissions to specific geographic "academic enterprise zones" (60%+ free/reduced lunch eligibility), and establishes new rules for virtual charter schools. Effective July 2024, virtual charter schools become statewide entities, students transferring to them are considered "transfer students" requiring district record transfers within 3 days, and virtual charter students may not participate in Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSAA) events (only intramural activities). The bill also prohibits enrollment restrictions based on factors like ethnicity, income, or academic performance, except for specified cases.
HB 2749 creates a special fund called the Intergenerational Education Revolving Fund within the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. It establishes a competitive grant program to connect nursing facilities participating in Oklahoma's Medicaid program with public school districts for collaborative intergenerational education initiatives. Grant awards, provided as rate adjustments to qualifying facilities, will fund these partnerships. The program begins July 1, 2025, with funds limited to the total amount deposited into the revolving fund.
HB 1276 requires Oklahoma public school districts to adopt policies banning student cell phones and personal electronic devices (like tablets, smartwatches, or laptops) during the entire school day and on school grounds, effective July 2025. Exceptions are permitted for medical emergencies documented by a licensed professional. School boards may opt out of the ban through annual approval, but must still allow device use for emergencies. The bill defines "personal electronic devices" to exclude school-issued tech used for instruction and clarifies "school day" as the full instructional period from first to last bell. It directly affects all K-12 students and school districts in Oklahoma.
HB 2361, the "Successful Adulthood Act," requires Oklahoma's Department of Human Services to provide foster youth aged 14 and older with a "Notice of Rights" explaining their legal protections. It mandates that youth transitioning out of foster care at age 18 receive essential documents, including birth certificates, Social Security cards, medical records, and educational transcripts, to support independent living. The bill extends eligibility for transition services, including housing, education, and Medicaid coverage, until age 21 for those in foster care due to abuse or neglect. It also requires the Department to provide information about college financial aid programs to foster youth and their guardians. These provisions aim to improve stability and self-sufficiency for young adults aging out of foster care.
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.
HB 1484, known as "Rain's Law," requires Oklahoma public schools to provide annual, research-based instruction on fentanyl abuse prevention and drug poisoning awareness to students in grades 6 through 12. The bill mandates that this instruction cover suicide prevention, fentanyl abuse and addiction prevention, local resource access, and health education about fentanyl use. Schools must incorporate this content into health classes, and the State Department of Education will develop curriculum standards and resources to support implementation. The law also designates a week for "Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Week" to align with National Red Ribbon Week, with age-appropriate instruction determined by each school district.
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.
HB 1287 authorizes the University of Oklahoma's Board of Regents to create a high-dosage math tutoring pilot program for ninth-grade students who scored lowest on Oklahoma's eighth-grade math assessment. The program targets public high schools in districts with 30,000+ enrolled students and public charter schools. It requires the University of Oklahoma's College of Education to administer the tutoring, focusing on intensive, frequent support for struggling math students. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, with an emergency clause allowing immediate implementation upon approval.
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 1087 establishes a new minimum salary schedule for Oklahoma public school teachers based on years of experience and education level, directly affecting all certified teachers in the state's public schools. The bill sets specific annual salary amounts ranging from $39,601 for entry-level teachers with a Bachelor's degree to $65,319 for those with 35+ years of experience and a Doctorate. It clarifies that "fringe benefits" exclude certain retirement contributions and requires school districts to notify teachers if salary adjustments would fall below the minimum schedule. The law takes effect for the 2025-2026 school year after being approved by the governor on May 30, 2025.
