This bill establishes and clarifies the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program in Oklahoma, allowing parents of students with special needs to use state funds to enroll their children in eligible private schools. The legislation defines specific eligibility criteria, including students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), children of military families, and those in foster care or juvenile justice placements, while requiring parents to secure private school admission before receiving funding. It also sets a 45-day deadline for school districts to determine special education eligibility, deeming students eligible for scholarships if the district fails to decide within that timeframe, and outlines financial responsibilities such as transportation costs remaining with the family. The bill ensures continuity of educational choice by allowing scholarships to remain active until a student graduates, turns 22, or re-enrolls in public school, while mandating that private schools meet state accreditation standards to participate.
HB 3467 modifies leave policies for education employees in Oklahoma, specifically expanding maternity and adoption leave to cover children under four years old. The bill directly affects public school staff and other education employees who take leave for childbirth or adoption. Its key provision limits eligibility to cases where the child is under four years of age, narrowing the scope of existing leave coverage. The bill was amended to include this age restriction and referred to the Education Oversight committee for further review.
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.
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.
SB 1477 limits concurrent enrollment in college courses to high school students under 21 years of age, prohibiting those 21 or older from participating. The bill amends Oklahoma Statutes Section 628.13 to establish this age restriction, affecting high school students aged 21 and above who would no longer qualify for college course enrollment through their high school program. This change directly alters eligibility for concurrent enrollment, a program allowing students to earn college credit while still in high school. The law takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 3151, the Education Reform Act of 2026, sets minimum requirements for classroom instruction time in Oklahoma public schools. It mandates that districts provide at least 181 days or 1,086 hours of actual classroom instruction annually, prohibiting the counting of more than 30 hours of staff meetings or 12 hours of parent-teacher conferences toward this total. Starting in 2026-2027, schools cannot count virtual instruction days toward the required hours, except for up to two days (12 hours) per year with prior approval of the Superintendent of Public Instruction. The bill directly affects all Oklahoma public school districts and charter schools by defining what constitutes valid instructional time.
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 3711 requires Oklahoma school districts with websites to publicly disclose detailed spending data on their websites, including all state, federal, and local funds used for instruction, administration, and other purposes. It specifically mandates that districts display the percentage of total spending allocated to "instructional expenditures" (defined as funds directly supporting teaching, per the National Center for Education Statistics) on their homepage. This applies to all school districts with websites, requiring them to post this information alongside full expenditure details like budgeted vs. actual costs and superintendent compensation. The bill aims to increase transparency for parents and the public about how school funds are spent.
This bill proposes a constitutional amendment to establish the "Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust Fund" for Oklahoma's tobacco settlement funds. It requires that at least 75% of new tobacco settlement payments (after 2001) be deposited into this trust fund, with specific percentages increasing over time. The trust fund's earnings must be used for cancer research, tobacco prevention programs, children's health initiatives, senior care programs, and education-related expenses, with unused funds remaining in the trust. The amendment creates two governing boards to manage investments and allocate funds, and it would require voter approval before taking effect.
HB 4358 limits screen time for prekindergarten through fifth grade public school students to one hour per school day, including all classroom activities using devices like tablets, computers, or smart devices. The law exempts students requiring special education accommodations under IEPs or 504 plans, as well as necessary assistive technology. It applies to all public schools in Oklahoma starting the 2026-2027 school year. The bill defines "screen time" broadly to cover both teacher-directed and student-selected digital activities during school hours.
