Education

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 793: Education; requiring certain display. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 793 requires all Oklahoma public school districts and charter schools to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom by January 1, 2026. The bill mandates a minimum 11x14 inch poster or framed document with the full text of the Ten Commandments in a large, readable font, centered as the primary focus. It also requires a historical context statement explaining the Ten Commandments' role in American education, citing their use in historical textbooks like the McGuffey Readers. The law applies to all K-12 public schools and specifies that displays must be free of charge to schools.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationMandates religious text display in classrooms, restricting curriculum freedom and academic neutrality in education.85% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 788: Students; creating the Students' Bill of Rights; affording certain rights to students enrolled in public school districts or public charter schools. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 788, the "Students’ Bill of Rights," creates specific protections for students in Oklahoma public schools and public charter schools. It guarantees rights including a safe environment free from bullying, an education free from "socialism, communism, or Marxism," no display of socialist/communist symbols in classrooms or school events, religious expression rights (like voluntary prayer and reading religious texts), and protection from punishment for lawful conduct. The bill requires schools to respond in writing within seven business days to written complaints about rights violations and allows legal action with attorney fees for successful claims, though lawsuits about bullying require prior notification and multiple incidents. It directly affects all students, parents, and school districts in Oklahoma public education.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts curriculum by banning 'socialism, communism, or Marxism' content and mandating religious expression, directly limiting educational content per bill language.90% confidence

Sub-Topics School Safety

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in committee · Oklahoma · House Apr 2, 2025

HJR 1030: Joint resolution; disapproving social studies standards adopted by the Department of Education; distribution.

HJR 1030 is a legislative resolution disapproving Oklahoma's newly adopted social studies standards, which were approved by the State Board of Education on February 27, 2025. The resolution formally rejects these standards under Oklahoma law (Section 11-103.6a-1 of Title 70), directing the Secretary of State to distribute copies to the Governor, State Department of Education, and "The Oklahoma Register." This action does not change the current standards but blocks their implementation by the legislature. The resolution directly affects how social studies curriculum is set in Oklahoma public schools, as it prevents the disapproved standards from taking effect.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationBill explicitly disapproves and blocks implementation of new social studies standards, restricting curriculum adoption by the State Board of Education.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Curriculum

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signed · Oklahoma · Senate May 5, 2025

SB 758: Schools; providing conditions under which virtual instruction may count toward certain required instructional hours or days.

SB 758 limits when Oklahoma public school districts and charter schools can count virtual instruction toward required annual instructional hours (1,080 hours or 180 days). Starting in the 2026-2027 school year, schools generally cannot count days when school is closed with virtual instruction toward these requirements. The bill allows counting up to two days (or 12 hours) per year only if the Superintendent of Public Instruction approves the school's virtual instruction plan. This change directly affects how districts report instructional time and must comply with state guidelines for virtual learning.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts virtual instruction from counting toward required hours, limiting school flexibility in meeting instructional requirements.92% confidence

in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 412: School district boards of education; removing requirement to complete certain hours of instruction. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 412 reduces Oklahoma school board members' required training from 12 to 3 hours annually, removing specific topic mandates like school finance, open records law, and ethics. It eliminates penalties for non-completion, changes record-keeping from the State Board to individual school districts (requiring public posting online), and repeals the previous 12-hour training requirement. The bill directly affects all elected and appointed school board members in Oklahoma public school districts. It takes effect July 1, 2025, as an emergency measure.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationReduces school board training requirements from 12 to 3 hours annually, removes specific topic mandates, and eliminates penalties, weakening governance standards for school districts.92% confidence

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in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 11, 2025

HB 1184: Education; Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program; minimum ACT score; effective date.

HB 1184 raises the minimum ACT composite score required for Oklahoma high school graduates to qualify for the state's Higher Learning Access Program tuition assistance from 21 to 22. This change directly affects students seeking first-time enrollment in Oklahoma public or private colleges, as they must now achieve a 22 ACT score (along with maintaining a 2.5 GPA and meeting other existing eligibility criteria). The bill amends Section 2603 of Oklahoma law to update this academic threshold for program participation. It does not alter other requirements like residency, financial need, or graduation timeframe. The policy change applies to students graduating within the previous three years.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRaises ACT score requirement from 21 to 22 for tuition assistance, restricting access to state funding for college-bound students.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 1282: Schools; modifying the Parents' Bill of Rights; requiring written consent for certain instruction. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1282 amends Oklahoma's Parents' Bill of Rights to require written parental consent before students receive sex education instruction or any instruction/presentations about sexuality. The bill directly affects parents and guardians of K-12 students in Oklahoma public schools, mandating they provide written permission for these specific educational activities. Key provisions include expanding parental consent rights to cover photograph creation (with limited exceptions) and requiring schools to provide written explanations for denying parental record access requests within a shortened timeframe. The bill also updates definitions and procedures for parental involvement in school decisions regarding their children's education and health.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRequires parental consent for sex education, restricting curriculum content in K-12 schools per explicit bill provisions.95% confidence

Sub-Topics K-12 Education

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 5, 2025

SB 759: Schools; amending the Parents' Bill of Rights. Emergency.

SB 759 updates Oklahoma's Parents' Bill of Rights to require written parental consent before students receive sex education, instruction about sexuality, or lessons on sexual orientation/gender identity. It mandates schools to notify parents and obtain written consent for students to participate in clubs or activities, access certain materials, or have photographs taken. The bill also expands parental access to medical records, requires annual staff training on these policies, and shortens timelines for schools to respond to parental requests. It directly affects all public school parents and districts in Oklahoma by imposing new consent and notification procedures for educational content and student information.

Topics ✗ EducationOpposes EducationRestricts curriculum by mandating parental consent for sex education, LGBTQ+ topics, and school activities, limiting school instruction on these subjects per bill's requirements.95% confidence

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 4, 2025

SB 73: Transportation; Oklahoma Vehicle License and Registration Act collections; limiting certain apportionment to certain amount. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 73 amends Oklahoma's vehicle license fee distribution rules to cap the percentage of funds apportioned to school districts at the level established for the 2015 fiscal year (ending June 30, 2015). For fiscal years beginning July 1, 2019, and later, school districts will continue to receive 36.20% of vehicle registration fees, but the total amount cannot exceed what was distributed in 2015. Any excess funds above this cap will be directed to the Rebuilding Oklahoma Access and Driver Safety Fund instead of school districts. This bill directly affects school districts that receive vehicle registration fee distributions under Oklahoma law.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesCaps school district vehicle fee funding at 2015 level, restricting growth of public school allocations from this tax source.95% confidence ✗ EducationOpposes EducationCaps school district vehicle fee funding at 2015 levels, preventing future increases and limiting education funding growth despite rising revenue.85% confidence ✓ TransportationSupports TransportationRedirects excess vehicle registration fees to Rebuilding Oklahoma Access and Driver Safety Fund, enhancing transportation infrastructure funding and safety initiatives.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Fees & Licensing Transportation Funding Vehicle Registration

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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