Education

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 29, 2025

SB 212: Teacher preparation; directing the Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability to establish TeachForwardOK.

SB 212 directs Oklahoma's Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability to establish a two-year pilot program called TeachForwardOK for teacher education programs at accredited public colleges and universities. The bill requires the Commission to issue grants to approved programs to hire technical evaluators who must assess four specific areas: teacher candidate recruitment/completion, program effectiveness, alignment with state workforce needs, and strategies for recruiting nontraditional teachers. Programs must submit electronic responses to evaluation reports within 60 days, and the Commission will award $500,000 to one program to address findings after the pilot. The Commission must submit a final report to state leaders by December 2027 detailing results and recommendations.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEstablishes grant-funded pilot program to strengthen teacher education programs through evaluation and alignment with workforce needs.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Oklahoma · House May 29, 2025

HB 2773: Capitol Improvement Authority; allocation of funds from Legacy Capital Financing Funds; utilization of certain amount for the Oklahoma State University Veterinary Medicine Authority.

HB 2773 allocates $250 million from Oklahoma's Legacy Capital Financing Fund to Oklahoma State University Veterinary Medicine Authority (OSUVMA) for constructing, refurbishing, or expanding animal teaching hospitals and related facilities. The funds become available after July 1, 2026, with repayment structured as 20-year recapitalization payments starting in the 2026 state fiscal year. This bill directly benefits OSUVMA by enabling facility improvements for veterinary education and care, using existing state capital funds without creating new state obligations.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $250M from state capital fund to university facilities, advancing public service funding within budget management.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates $250M for OSU veterinary facilities, directly enhancing higher education infrastructure and programs at a university.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 29, 2025

SB 1129: Office of Educational Quality and Accountability; requiring certain funds be utilized for certain purpose; providing for distribution of grants. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1129 appropriates $100,000 from Oklahoma's General Revenue Fund to the State Board of Education for purposes related to educational quality and accountability. The bill requires these funds to be used for specific duties assigned to the State Board under existing law, though it does not specify exact programs or beneficiaries. It declares an emergency to take immediate effect upon enactment, bypassing the usual 90-day waiting period. The legislation focuses solely on funding allocation without detailing how grants would be distributed or which educational programs would be directly impacted.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesAllocates $100,000 from General Revenue Fund to State Board of Education for educational quality/accountability programs, advancing public service funding.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationAllocates $100,000 from General Revenue to State Board for educational quality/accountability duties, advancing funding for education without restrictions.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Oklahoma · House May 22, 2025

HB 1086: School funding; school district general funds; general fund carryover; State Aid; calculation of per pupil revenue; exceptions; effective date; emergency.

HB 1086 updates Oklahoma's school funding rules by redefining how school districts manage their general funds. It requires districts to place capital project funds (like those for building repairs) into a separate building fund instead of the general fund, and eliminates the practice of carrying over general fund money to future years. The bill restricts general fund use for capital projects to only cases where a building is destroyed by disaster (fire, flood, etc.) and other funding sources (insurance, state aid) are insufficient. This directly affects all Oklahoma public school districts in how they track and spend state and local education funds.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEnforces fiscal responsibility by requiring capital project funds to be separated from general funds, preventing diversion of resources and promoting proper budget management.90% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts school districts' use of general funds for capital projects (e.g., building repairs), limiting infrastructure funding flexibility and requiring separate dedicated funds.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 13, 2025

SB 796: Higher education; prohibiting certain activities related to diversity, equity, and inclusion. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 796 prohibits Oklahoma public universities from using state funds, property, or resources for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs that grant preferential treatment based on race, ethnicity, sex, or national origin. It bans mandatory DEI training, pronoun disclosure requirements, and diversity statements in hiring, while allowing programs supporting first-generation students, low-income students, or underserved groups without race-based preferences. Universities must review and potentially restructure non-compliant DEI initiatives by July 2025 and submit annual compliance certificates starting July 2026. The bill exempts accreditation requirements, academic freedom, student organizations, and data collection from its restrictions.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationProhibits state-funded DEI programs using race/ethnicity preferences in higher ed, restricting diversity initiatives while banning mandatory DEI training.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Oklahoma · House May 12, 2025

HB 1940: Charter schools; sponsorship; adding county to certain sponsor; effective date; emergency.

HB 1940 amends Oklahoma's charter school law to establish a new annual limit: the Statewide Charter School Board may sponsor no more than five new charter schools per year in counties with fewer than 500,000 residents. This directly affects the Statewide Charter School Board's authority and charter school expansion in smaller counties, while maintaining existing sponsorship rules for other areas. The rule applies to all new charter school applications approved after July 1, 2025, when the bill takes effect. The bill does not change sponsorship requirements for schools in larger counties or other sponsor types.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts new charter school expansion in smaller counties by capping annual sponsorships at five, limiting educational access options for K-12 students.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Education

signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 12, 2025

SB 364: Schools; prohibiting use of corporal punishment on any student identified with a disability.

SB 364 prohibits Oklahoma public schools from using physical punishment (corporal punishment) on students with the most significant cognitive disabilities, as defined by state education criteria. It removes any prior allowance for waivers and requires that any exception must be explicitly documented in a student's individualized education program (IEP) under federal special education law. The law directly affects students with significant cognitive disabilities in Oklahoma schools, ensuring they cannot be subjected to physical punishment without specific IEP authorization. It takes effect on July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationProhibits corporal punishment for students with disabilities, protecting vulnerable learners and aligning with special education safeguards under federal law.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

passed · Oklahoma · Senate Apr 2, 2025

SB 186: Teachers; directing the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability to establish a grant program to provide grants to certain individuals seeking alternative certification. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 186 creates a grant program to help teachers with temporary emergency or provisional teaching certificates obtain permanent certification. The Office of Educational Quality and Accountability will award up to 1,000 annual grants per year (first-come, first-served) to eligible teachers through their school districts. Grants cover costs for exam preparation, exam fees, and part of required professional education hours. The program is funded through a new revolving fund and takes effect July 1, 2025.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates grants covering certification costs for teachers, directly funding educator professional development to strengthen teaching quality and certification pathways.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

Track

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 25, 2025

SB 174: Teachers' Retirement System of Oklahoma; providing for benefits increase.

SB 174 increases retirement benefits for Oklahoma teachers currently receiving payments from the Teachers’ Retirement System as of June 30, 2025. It provides a 0% increase for retirees with less than two years of retirement, 2% for those retired two to five years, and 4% for retirees with five or more years of retirement as of that date. The bill directly affects current retirees based on their retirement duration, not new retirees. Benefits are calculated as of June 30, 2025, and apply to those continuing to receive payments after the law takes effect. The bill codifies this benefit structure into Oklahoma Statutes.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesIncreases state spending on teacher retirement benefits, directly funding a public service program through adjusted government expenditures.90% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationIncreases retirement benefits for Oklahoma teachers, strengthening educator compensation and support per bill's focus on teacher retirement system benefits.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✗ Opposes Education

Track

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 24, 2025

SB 1006: State agencies; prohibiting state agencies from taking certain actions relating to diversity, equity, and inclusion; providing penalties. Effective date.

SB 1006 prohibits Oklahoma state agencies from requiring or implementing programs that mandate preferential treatment based on race, color, sex, ethnicity, or national origin. It specifically bans agencies from forcing employees or applicants to participate in diversity training, providing diversity statements, or signing loyalty oaths favoring specific groups. Violations trigger a budget penalty: the legislature must reduce the agency's funding by 1% or require a 1% deposit into the General Revenue Fund the following year. The bill directly affects all state agencies, including higher education (via the Oklahoma State Regents), and takes effect November 1, 2025.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts DEI mandates in state agencies, potentially limiting curriculum diversity and educational equity initiatives in schools.75% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✗ Opposes Education

Track