Education

SB 842 requires Oklahoma public school districts, charter schools, and private schools to conduct a national criminal background check for all volunteers before they begin working at school sites. Starting with the 2025-2026 school year, volunteers must pay a fee of up to $50 (or the actual cost) for the check, processed by the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI), with fees deposited into the OSBI Revolving Fund. School boards may choose to reimburse volunteers for this fee and must publicly post on their websites whether the check is required and if reimbursement is available. The bill exempts volunteers meeting specific criteria under existing law, and takes effect July 1, 2025.

SB 472, titled "Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit Act; expanding scope of scholarships while participating in the program," was withdrawn from committee on February 19, 2025, and is no longer active. The bill's original intent, as reflected in its title, was to expand tax credit eligibility for education scholarships under Oklahoma's parental choice program. However, with the title stricken and the bill withdrawn, no legislative action or policy changes were enacted. This procedural withdrawal means the proposed expansion of scholarship access did not advance.

SB 141 requires Oklahoma's State Board of Education to issue a request for proposals by November 2025 for a statewide student information system that school districts must use by July 2027. The bill mandates the system include specific technical standards like XML data formats, interoperability protocols, and federal reporting capabilities to ensure consistent data sharing for state aid calculations, testing programs, and student mobility tracking. School districts must comply with these requirements or risk forfeiting state aid payments under amended funding rules. The system is designed to streamline data collection for state and federal education reporting, with the State Department of Education responsible for implementation by July 2027.

SB 240 modifies Oklahoma's school funding formula by increasing the percentage of state education funds retained for midyear adjustments from 1.5% to 4%. It updates how State Aid is calculated using actual tax collections, adjusted assessed valuation, and weighted average daily membership (ADM) from the previous year. The bill affects all Oklahoma public school districts by changing their allocation method and removing outdated provisions related to tax calculations and reporting requirements. These changes aim to improve the accuracy of funding distributions while streamlining administrative processes.

SB 339 would freeze tuition and fees at Oklahoma public universities and colleges at 2024-2025 approved rates for the 2025-2026 academic year. It directly affects all institutions within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education by prohibiting any rate increases beyond the previous academic year's approved levels. The key provision requires institutions to maintain tuition and fee rates no higher than those set for 2024-2025, effective July 1, 2025. This policy change aims to limit cost increases for students at public higher education institutions.