Education (Higher Education)

in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 3, 2026

HB 3395: Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program; changing certified classroom teacher to school employee; modifying definition; effective date; emergency.

HB 3395 amends Oklahoma's Higher Learning Access Program eligibility rules by changing the term "certified classroom teacher" to "school employee" in the definition used for student eligibility. Specifically, it updates Section 2603(8)(e) to allow students whose parents are "school employees" (not just certified classroom teachers) to qualify for tuition assistance. This change affects students with parents working in Oklahoma schools, broadening who qualifies under this specific eligibility category. The bill modifies the statutory definition without altering other program requirements or benefits. It is an administrative update to align terminology with current school employment classifications.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands eligibility for tuition assistance by including all school employees (not just certified teachers), broadening educational access for students with parent employment in Oklahoma schools.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid Teachers

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 10, 2026

SB 1973: Oklahoma Crime Victims Compensation Act; modifying definition of allowable expense. Effective date.

SB 1973 amends Oklahoma's Crime Victims Compensation Act to expand the definition of "allowable expense" to include educational costs. Specifically, it adds reimbursement for tuition and fees at private schools, career and technology programs, public or private colleges, and academic tutoring services. This change directly affects crime victims or their dependents applying for compensation under the Act, allowing them to claim these new educational expenses as part of their reimbursement. The bill modifies Section 142.3 of the Act to include these provisions, effective upon passage.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill explicitly expands reimbursement for educational costs (private schools, colleges, tutoring) under crime victim compensation, increasing access to education for victims and dependents.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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died · Oklahoma · House Feb 4, 2026

HB 3963: Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program; changing certified classroom teacher to school employee; modifying definition; expanding eligibility to children of permanently disabled veterans; effective date; emergency.

HB 3963 amends Oklahoma's Higher Learning Access Program to expand eligibility for tuition assistance. It adds children of veterans with a 100% permanent disability from military service (certified by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) to the list of qualifying groups, alongside existing categories like children of certified classroom teachers. The bill changes the definition of "certified classroom teacher school employee" to "school employee" in the eligibility rules. This policy change directly affects qualifying veterans' children seeking in-state tuition assistance at Oklahoma colleges and universities.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands tuition assistance eligibility to children of disabled veterans, increasing access to higher education through the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program.90% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransExpands tuition assistance eligibility to children of veterans with 100% service-connected disability, directly advancing veteran benefits under the Higher Learning Access Program.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid Teachers Veteran Benefits Veteran Education

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 1615: Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program; providing eligibility for children of certified administrators. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1615 expands eligibility for Oklahoma's Higher Learning Access Program to include children of certified classroom teachers and certified administrators. The bill amends eligibility requirements (70 O.S. § 2603) to add a new qualifying category under paragraph 8(e), allowing these students to qualify for tuition assistance if they meet other standard program criteria like residency, academic performance, and financial need. This change directly affects students whose parents work as certified educators in Oklahoma schools. The bill updates statutory language to reflect this expansion and repeals prior eligibility language. It takes effect immediately upon enactment as an emergency measure.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands tuition assistance eligibility for children of educators, directly enhancing higher education access and supporting teachers' families through program funding.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid

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in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 3, 2026

HB 4411: Schools; Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit; Oklahoma Tax Commission website requirements; effective date.

HB 4411 amends Oklahoma's Parental Choice Tax Credit program to allow taxpayers to claim credits for private school tuition and related expenses (like textbooks and tutoring) at accredited schools, with credit amounts based on family income (up to $7,500 annually for lower-income families). It requires accredited private schools to publicly display their tuition costs and updates the Oklahoma Tax Commission's website to include program details. The bill directly affects Oklahoma parents/guardians with eligible students who choose accredited private schools and the Tax Commission in administering the program. The credit applies to qualified expenses for students attending accredited private schools or participating in approved nonpublic learning programs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesProvides tax credits for lower-income families' private school expenses, reducing taxable income for eligible parents per bill's income-based credit structure.95% confidence ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands educational access by providing tax credits for private school tuition and related expenses, increasing funding options for lower-income families.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Tax Credits Higher Education School Choice

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 17, 2026

SB 1893: Students; creating the Teacher Shortage Reduction Act; providing criteria for certain graduation recognition; providing criteria for certain education designation. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1893, the "Teacher Shortage Reduction Act," creates new graduation recognition and college designations to support future educators. It requires Oklahoma high schools to award a graduation "education endorsement" to students who meet specific criteria: earning a standard diploma, identifying teaching as a career goal in their academic plan, and completing an education-related apprenticeship, internship, or mentorship. For students earning this endorsement and 30+ college credits or an associate degree through concurrent enrollment, the Oklahoma State Regents must award an "education designation" on their college diploma and transcript. This designation guarantees acceptance into a college of education and grants credit for prior field experience, directly affecting high school students and higher education institutions starting with the 2027-2028 graduating class.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill creates 'education endorsement' for future teachers via graduation criteria and apprenticeships, directly addressing teacher shortages to strengthen educator pipeline.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education K-12 Education Teachers

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 1886: Higher education; affording certain rights to students enrolled in certain institutions of higher education. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1886 requires Oklahoma's public universities to guarantee students specific rights, including freedom of religious expression, an unbiased education free from promotion of socialism or anti-American sentiment, and protection from grading bias based on political views. Each institution must establish a seven-member "Free Campus Committee" with student, administrative, and appointed community members to handle violations and create a due process plan for reporting and investigating complaints. The bill allows students or their parents to sue institutions or individual faculty for violations within one year of the incident, with the committee able to request investigations by the Attorney General. These provisions aim to ensure campus environments comply with the outlined rights, affecting all students and faculty at Oklahoma's public higher education institutions.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationGuarantees student rights including freedom of expression and unbiased education, protecting academic freedom in higher education institutions.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education

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in committee · Oklahoma · House Feb 9, 2026

HB 2963: Higher education; Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program; removing ACT test requirement; effective date; emergency.

HB 2963 removes the requirement for a minimum 22 ACT score (or equivalent SAT/CLT score) for Oklahoma students who graduated from a high school not accredited by the State Board of Education to qualify for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program. This change directly affects students who attended non-accredited high schools and previously needed to meet the standardized test threshold to receive tuition assistance. The bill amends Section 2603 of the Oklahoma Statutes to eliminate this specific test requirement while maintaining other eligibility criteria like residency, citizenship, GPA, and financial need.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationRemoves ACT score barrier for non-accredited high school students to access tuition aid, expanding higher education access under the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Student Financial Aid Testing & Assessment

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 1968: Higher education; directing the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education to adopt certain policy regarding courses taken at technology center school districts. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1968 requires Oklahoma's State Regents for Higher Education to create a policy allowing public colleges to grant college credit for courses taken at state-funded technology centers. This directly affects students enrolled in technology center courses (who gain transferable credit) and public colleges (which must adopt the policy). The policy must include clear processes for recording credit, a detailed list of eligible courses, and specific requirements for technology center instructors teaching college-level material. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, with an emergency declaration making it effective immediately upon approval.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnables transferable college credit for technology center courses, expanding educational access and pathways for students without additional cost.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Career & Technical Education Higher Education

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in committee · Oklahoma · Senate Feb 3, 2026

SB 1899: Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program; providing eligibility for children of school district certified personnel. Effective date. Emergency.

SB 1899 expands eligibility for Oklahoma's Higher Learning Access Program to include children of certified school personnel, such as teachers and other district employees. The bill amends Section 2603 of Oklahoma law to explicitly add "children of certified classroom teachers or certified personnel" as a qualifying group under financial need requirements. This change allows these students to receive tuition assistance equivalent to resident rates for their first semester of college, provided they meet other standard program criteria like high school graduation and academic requirements. The amendment updates existing eligibility rules without altering the program's core structure or funding mechanisms.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationExpands tuition assistance for children of teachers, enhancing higher education access for educator families under Oklahoma's program.95% confidence

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

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