HB 2854 allows Oklahoma's public higher education institutions to modify their program offerings to address unmet workforce needs, beginning in the 2026-2027 academic year. It specifically updates provisions for the University Center at Ponca City (involving Northern Oklahoma College) and a new campus in Muskogee (serving Connors State College and Northeastern State University), removing Northern Oklahoma College's exclusive authority over lower-division courses at Ponca City starting in 2026. The bill establishes separate boards of trustees for each center to manage operations, budgets, and program approvals. These changes apply to institutions within the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education and directly affect students seeking accessible degree programs in those communities. The legislation focuses on expanding educational access and program flexibility without altering tuition or state funding mechanisms.
This bill removes a requirement that students with disabilities must have attended a public school the previous year to qualify for the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship Program. It directly affects families seeking private school options for children with disabilities who previously needed public school enrollment history. The key change eliminates the "prior public school attendance" rule in Section 13-101.2, while maintaining other eligibility criteria like having an IEP or meeting specific exemptions (e.g., military transfers, foster care, homelessness). Private schools must still meet program standards, and scholarships remain available until the student graduates, enrolls in public school, or turns 22. The change makes the program more accessible for eligible students without prior public school enrollment.
HB 2287 clarifies and expands how Oklahoma defines "per-pupil expenditure" for reporting purposes. It requires school districts and the state to calculate this metric by dividing total daily school operation costs (including instruction, student support, administration, transportation, and nutrition) by the student count as of October 1. The bill specifically adds categories like career and technology education and concurrent graduation courses to the definition while excluding non-operational costs (e.g., building construction, debt). This change ensures the State Department of Education must publish detailed breakdowns of all spending categories alongside the overall per-pupil figure, starting July 1, 2025.
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.
SB 942 is a clarifying amendment to an existing education discrimination bill. It adds a specific provision (subsection G) explicitly stating that the bill's provisions do not restrict the implementation, funding, or administration of Indian education programs or services established under federal or state law. This amendment directly affects existing Indian education programs by ensuring they remain protected from potential unintended restrictions under the broader anti-discrimination law. The amendment was added to the bill on February 24, 2025, and the bill became law after the governor approved it on May 6, 2025.
SB 139 requires Oklahoma public school district boards of education to adopt cell phone policies by the 2025-2026 school year. Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, boards may choose to implement policies prohibiting students from using cell phones or personal electronic devices on school campuses "from bell to bell" during school hours. The bill directly affects school districts by setting a timeline for policy adoption and defining the scope of device restrictions during instructional time. This legislation, approved by the governor on May 3, 2025, provides a framework for district-level decisions without mandating specific enforcement.
SB 409 would require Oklahoma public school districts to add one additional day of classroom instruction starting July 1, 2025, if the state allocates at least $25 million more in funding for public schools than the previous fiscal year. This provision directly affects all Oklahoma public school districts by mandating an extra school day when specific state budget increases are met. The bill establishes a clear funding trigger ($25 million greater than prior year) as the mechanism for the requirement, with no changes to existing minimum instructional time standards (180 days or 1,080 hours). It is designed to link state education funding increases directly to expanded instructional time for students. The bill was introduced but failed passage in April 2025 (22-63 vote).
SB 554 would require Oklahoma school districts to provide stipends (one-time payments) instead of regular salary increases to teachers holding specific certifications, such as out-of-state, international, or National Board for Professional Teaching Standards credentials. The bill prohibits these stipends from being counted toward future salary calculations or raises. It amends existing teacher certification laws to clarify that compensation for these certified teachers must follow this stipend structure rather than standard salary progression. This change directly affects teachers with the specified certifications who currently qualify for salary-based increases under Oklahoma law.
SB 388 allows students enrolled in charter schools or virtual charter schools to participate in public school extracurricular activities, such as sports or clubs, if they meet residency requirements. It requires school associations to update their policies to include these students and amends Oklahoma’s Extracurricular Activities Accountability Act (70 O.S. 27-103) to reflect this change. The bill defines "resident school district" based on student residence and applies to all charter schools, including virtual ones, effective July 1, 2024. This policy change directly affects students in non-traditional schools seeking equal access to campus activities.
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.
