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 4158 increases the income threshold for Oklahoma Tuition Equalization Grants from $50,000 to $80,000 annually for students' parents (or $80,000 for independent students). This change directly affects Oklahoma residents whose family income previously exceeded $50,000 but now qualifies them for the $2,000 annual grant. The bill amends existing eligibility rules under Section 2632 of Oklahoma law, maintaining other requirements like full-time enrollment and institutional accreditation. It takes effect July 1, 2026, with emergency status.
HB 4149, the Strong Readers Act, requires Oklahoma public schools to screen all kindergarten through third-grade students for reading proficiency three times yearly using state-approved tools. It prohibits the "three-cueing system" (meaning/structure/visual cues) in reading instruction and mandates evidence-based teaching methods focused on phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension. Students who do not meet grade-level reading standards may be retained in third grade, with schools required to provide intensive reading instruction, notify parents, and establish acceleration classes for retained students. The law aims to ensure students achieve grade-level reading proficiency by the end of third grade through standardized assessments and targeted support.
HB 4146 expands paid maternity leave eligibility to full-time school employees in Oklahoma who have worked at least 1,250 hours over the past year. This includes employees in public school districts, technology center districts, rehabilitation services, correctional facilities, and juvenile affairs. Eligible employees receive six weeks of paid leave immediately after childbirth, which supplements but does not replace existing sick leave for pregnancy-related needs. The bill requires state funding through a revolving fund or allocated education budget to cover the leave costs, effective July 1, 2026.
HB 3703 requires Oklahoma public school districts to cover tuition costs for high school students enrolled in concurrent college courses. Specifically, it mandates districts to provide tuition waivers for seniors (up to 18 credit hours) and juniors (up to 9 credit hours), funded by district resources. Students who withdraw after the deadline must reimburse 50% of the course cost. The bill also requires districts to grant academic credit for correlated college courses and mandates annual reports tracking participation, waiver usage, graduation rates, and college degree attainment. These provisions aim to expand access to college courses while ensuring financial accountability for students and districts.
HB 1181 extends Oklahoma's School Resource Officer (SRO) pilot program from three to five years and increases the annual spending limit for the School Security Revolving Fund from $50 million to $75 million. The bill directly affects public school districts by allowing them to use state funds for SROs, security equipment (like cameras and ballistic shelters), and facility upgrades, while requiring new hires to complete specific training. Key provisions include prioritizing active law enforcement officers for SRO roles, permitting retired officers or licensed security guards under strict authorization rules, and mandating that fund use supplements - rather than replaces - existing school security funding. The bill takes effect July 1, 2025, and declares an emergency to allow immediate implementation.
HB 3019 reduces maximum class sizes for Oklahoma public schools in kindergarten through fifth grade over a three-year phase-in. Starting in 2026-2027, classes in kindergarten through second grade may not exceed 22 students; this limit drops to 20 students in 2027-2028, and 18 students starting in 2028-2029. To comply, schools must employ a teacher’s assistant in classes exceeding these limits (with exceptions for special education and certain other classes), and teacher assistants cannot count toward the class size limit. School districts that fail to meet these requirements face reduced state funding calculated based on the number of students over the limit.
HB 3069 changes Oklahoma's charter school application process by removing the requirement that applicants must submit applications either to a sponsor or their school district. Instead, applicants for traditional charter schools (not virtual charters, which still submit to the Statewide Charter School Board) can choose where to submit their application. The bill also adds a 10-hour training requirement for applicants and sponsors on charter school processes, to be completed before submission. These changes apply to applications filed after July 1, 2024, and aim to streamline the application pathway for new charter schools.
HB 2963 removes the requirement for a minimum 22 ACT score (or equivalent SAT/CLT score) for Oklahoma students who graduated from a high school not accredited by the State Board of Education to qualify for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program. This change directly affects students who attended non-accredited high schools and previously needed to meet the standardized test threshold to receive tuition assistance. The bill amends Section 2603 of the Oklahoma Statutes to eliminate this specific test requirement while maintaining other eligibility criteria like residency, citizenship, GPA, and financial need.
This bill, titled "Mathematics instruction..." but actually amending the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program, adjusts financial eligibility rules for students seeking higher education support. It raises income thresholds for program qualification (e.g., $80,000 annually for families with five+ children starting in 2025-2026) and adjusts age limits for participation (extending to age 18 for some applicants). Students must meet updated income requirements and comply with program terms like regular school attendance and avoiding substance abuse to maintain eligibility. The bill directly affects Oklahoma students in grades 5-11 seeking financial aid for post-secondary education through this state program.
