Rep. Chad Caldwell

Maddy summaryHB 3712 is a procedural bill that names itself the "Oklahoma Education Reform Act of 2026" and sets its effective date as November 1, 2026. It contains no substantive policy changes or new requirements for education funding, curriculum, or programs. The bill serves only as a formal designation for future legislation (not codified in Oklahoma Statutes) and does not directly affect students, schools, or educators. It is purely a naming and procedural measure, with no actual reforms implemented.

Maddy summaryHB 3717 is a procedural bill that names the "Oklahoma Education Reform Act of 2026" and sets its effective date as November 1, 2026. It does not establish new education policies, programs, or funding mechanisms. The bill simply assigns a title to future legislation and specifies when it will take effect, with no substantive changes described in the text. This is a standard naming and effective date provision, not a policy bill. The bill was introduced on February 2, 2026, and referred to the Rules Committee.

Maddy summaryHB 3715 requires Oklahoma public school districts to adopt policies banning student use of personal electronic devices (like smartphones, tablets, smartwatches, and laptops) from the start to the end of each school day beginning with the 2025-2026 school year. For the 2026-2027 school year and beyond, districts may choose whether to maintain this ban. The policy must include disciplinary procedures and allow exceptions for emergencies or health monitoring. The bill takes effect July 1, 2026, and explicitly excludes school-issued devices used for classroom instruction.

Maddy summaryHB 3716 is a procedural bill that names the "Oklahoma Education Reform Act of 2026" and sets its effective date for November 1, 2026. It contains no substantive policy provisions or mechanisms, as it is designated as "noncodified" (not to be added to Oklahoma Statutes). The bill only establishes its official title and implementation timeline without describing any educational changes or affected groups. This is a standard naming and effective date bill, not a policy reform.

Maddy summaryHB 1282 renames Oklahoma's scholarship program to the "Oklahoma State Regents' Academic Rising Scholars Award Program" and updates eligibility criteria to include top Oklahoma students (top 0.5% test scores, National Merit Scholars, and institutional nominees), as well as students demonstrating exceptional promise through academic achievements or overcoming obstacles. The program provides funding covering tuition, fees, room, board, and required textbooks for up to five years at Oklahoma colleges, with public institutions capped at their annual tuition costs and private institutions receiving funding equivalent to the highest public tuition rates. It requires institutions to administer scholarships, mandates full-time enrollment, and establishes separate funding levels based on student eligibility categories. The bill, signed into law on May 30, 2025, directly affects Oklahoma students meeting these academic criteria who attend public or private accredited colleges within the state.

Maddy summaryHB 1282 renames Oklahoma's scholarship program to the "Oklahoma State Regents' Academic Rising Scholars Award Program" and updates its eligibility rules. It directly affects Oklahoma students meeting specific academic criteria, including National Merit Scholars, top-ranked in-state students, and institutional nominees with exceptional academic achievement. The bill clarifies funding mechanisms: public university students receive full tuition waivers up to state system costs, while private university students get tuition assistance capped at comparable public institution rates. It also adds provisions for waiver portability between institutions and maintains the program's goal of retaining Oklahoma students and attracting high-achieving out-of-state students to Oklahoma colleges.

Maddy summaryOklahoma Senate Bill 224 creates the Oklahoma Education and Workforce Efficiency Data System (EDS), a secure platform for state agencies to share de-identified student and workforce data across education and employment systems. It directly affects state agencies like the Oklahoma Department of Education, Workforce Commission, and higher education bodies by enabling data integration for improving educational outcomes and taxpayer return on investment. Key provisions include requiring strict privacy compliance (under FERPA and similar laws), prohibiting collection of sensitive data (religion, medical information), and establishing a Governance Council to oversee data access and vendor selection. The system aims to support evidence-based decisions while ensuring data privacy through formal agreements and anonymization for approved users like researchers.

Maddy summarySB 212 directs Oklahoma's Commission for Educational Quality and Accountability to establish a two-year pilot program called TeachForwardOK for teacher education programs at accredited public colleges and universities. The bill requires the Commission to issue grants to approved programs to hire technical evaluators who must assess four specific areas: teacher candidate recruitment/completion, program effectiveness, alignment with state workforce needs, and strategies for recruiting nontraditional teachers. Programs must submit electronic responses to evaluation reports within 60 days, and the Commission will award $500,000 to one program to address findings after the pilot. The Commission must submit a final report to state leaders by December 2027 detailing results and recommendations.

Maddy summaryHB 1277 updates Oklahoma's rules for revoking or suspending educator licenses. It automatically revokes licenses for individuals convicted of specific sexual abuse or exploitation crimes (listed in Oklahoma statutes), expands the grounds for revocation to include willful law violations, child abuse/neglect, moral turpitude, or incompetence, and requires 10 days' written notice before action. The bill applies directly to licensed teachers, principals, school nurses, bus drivers, and other public school staff who work directly with students. It also clarifies that emergency suspensions are limited to defined situations under state law and sets rules for handling certification fees.

Maddy summaryHB 1277 updates Oklahoma's rules for revoking or suspending educator licenses (e.g., teachers, principals, school nurses). It specifically requires license revocation for individuals convicted of sexual abuse or exploitation under certain Oklahoma laws, and outlines five additional grounds: willful law violations, child abuse/neglect, serious misconduct, incompetence, or neglect of professional duties. The bill mandates that license holders receive at least 10 days' notice before a complaint is filed and prohibits summary suspensions without proper process. This directly affects educators seeking or holding state-issued licenses for public school roles.