SB 1203 adds adoption leave to Oklahoma's existing paid leave policies for education employees, including teachers and school district staff. The bill allows eligible employees to take up to 90 days of paid leave for adoption, with continued credit toward salary and retirement benefits. It also establishes a leave sharing program where colleagues can donate sick leave to support adoption-related absences. The law updates multiple statutes to replace "maternity leave" with "maternity or adoption leave" and modifies revolving fund names and purposes to reflect this change. This applies directly to full-time education employees in Oklahoma public schools.
SB 410 requires Oklahoma public high school students in grades 8-12 to complete a computer science unit to earn a standard diploma starting with the 2024-2025 school year. This replaces the previous requirement for two world language units with a new computer technology course requirement covering programming, hardware, and business applications like spreadsheets. The bill mandates that this unit must be approved for college admission and excludes basic keyboarding or typing courses. It directly affects all students pursuing standard diplomas in Oklahoma public high schools under the updated graduation requirements.
This bill expands Oklahoma's School Security Revolving Fund to cover additional security measures and requires annual allocations for three fiscal years. It directly affects Oklahoma public schools and the State Department of Education, which manages the fund. Key provisions include removing previous spending limits, mandating yearly fund allocations (subject to available money), and specifying that funds must be used for school resource officers, physical security upgrades (like cameras, locks, and ballistic shelters), and mental health counseling services. The bill emphasizes these funds must supplement, not replace, existing school security funding.
HB 2021 creates the Oklahoma Kids After-School Grant Program (OKAGP) under the Department of Human Services to fund community-based organizations running after-school programs for K-12 students. Eligible organizations must operate at least five locations across Oklahoma (either directly or through partnerships) and qualify for exemptions from child care licensing under Title 10. The bill establishes a revolving fund in the State Treasury for these grants, funded by state appropriations and donations, with no annual budget restrictions. The program becomes effective November 1, 2025, and will provide grants to support after-school programming for children.
SB 58 creates Oklahoma's First Responder Recruitment and Retention Act, providing resident tuition waivers at state colleges for eligible first responders. It directly affects peace officers (per 21 O.S. §648), fire department members (volunteer or paid), and licensed emergency medical technicians (per 63 O.S. §1-2505). Eligible students can receive tuition waivers for up to five years or until degree completion, whichever comes first, but only after exhausting other state or federal aid. The program requires applications verifying eligibility and maintaining academic standards at participating Oklahoma higher education institutions.
HB 1243 creates the Oklahoma National Guard CareerTech Assistance Program, providing tuition assistance to eligible Oklahoma National Guard members enrolled in state technology center programs that lead to certification or licensure. The program covers tuition costs (up to a three-year limit) for members who agree to remain in service for 24 months after completing their training and maintain academic requirements like a 2.0 GPA. Members who fail to meet service or academic obligations must repay assistance calculated as a monthly amount based on the total assistance received, though hardship waivers are available. The program is funded through a new revolving fund in the state treasury, supported by annual state appropriations, and administered by the State Board of Career and Technology Education.
HB 1412 changes how Oklahoma school districts compensate teachers with advanced, lead, or master certificates. Instead of providing salary increases, districts must pay stipends using lottery funds (as specified in Section 713 of Title 3A) for these certified educators. The law, signed by the governor on May 23, 2025, directly affects teachers holding these higher-level credentials. It modifies Oklahoma Statutes § 6-190 to require stipends from lottery revenue rather than general salary adjustments.
HB 1396 prohibits private schools in Oklahoma from requiring parents to participate in the Oklahoma Parental Choice Tax Credit Program as a condition for enrolling their child. It requires schools to provide enrolled students using the tax credit a written tuition agreement showing the base rate, with future increases limited to the State Treasurer's annual inflation measure (based on local consumer index data) and requiring written notice at least one semester in advance. This applies only to students receiving the tax credit, not to other students. The bill aims to prevent schools from tying enrollment to tax credit participation while standardizing tuition increase notifications for tax credit users. It takes effect July 1, 2025.
SB 682 modifies Oklahoma's Parental Choice Tax Credit Program to change how taxpayers claim credits for private school expenses. It establishes income-based credit limits (ranging from $5,000 to $7,500 annually) for parents or guardians paying tuition at accredited private schools, with higher amounts for families below certain income thresholds. The bill also prohibits the Oklahoma Tax Commission from reclaiming credits for eligible students and clarifies that credits cover tuition, fees, and approved educational materials. This directly affects Oklahoma families using the program to offset private school costs, with specific provisions for schools serving homeless or financially disadvantaged students.
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.
