Articles
-
Budget & Tax, Education
Legislative leader shocked by schools’ cash stockpile
Rep. Mark McBride noted combined school-district carryover almost reached $1 billion, which represents nearly one-seventh of the $7 billion public schools received last year from all sources.Ray Carter | January 27, 2021
-
Education
‘Private school’ criticisms have familiar ring
A new report argues that private schools participating in school-choice programs may be flawed. But the issues raised in that report are widespread in the traditional public school system it touts as superior.Ray Carter | January 27, 2021
-
Education
Pastor touts anti-Christian-school report
A top official with the group “Pastors for Oklahoma Kids” is touting a report that opposes school-choice programs because participating private schools may adhere to historic Christian teachings about issues such as transgenderism and are free to hire only Christian staff.Ray Carter | January 27, 2021
-
Health Care
Health Department unable to determine mask-mandate impact
Officials at the Oklahoma State Department of Health say they are no longer able to provide accurate data on what, if any, impact mask mandates have on COVID-19 transmission and will no longer be providing that information to the public.Ray Carter | January 26, 2021
-
Budget & Tax, Health Care
Budget based on low take-up of Medicaid expansion
Officials at the Oklahoma Health Care Authority, which runs the state’s Medicaid system, continue to project that a voter-approved expansion of Medicaid will require state taxpayers to provide another $164 million per year.Ray Carter | January 25, 2021
-
Budget & Tax
Federal COVID funding in Oklahoma far exceeding actual need
When the COVID-19 pandemic first began sweeping the country, Congress responded by approving in March 2020 a huge package of bailout funding for state governments via the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act.Ray Carter | January 25, 2021
-
Law & Principles
Stitt calls for tribal compacts on McGirt issues
Gov. Kevin Stitt has called on tribal leaders to begin compact negotiations to address the many issues created by the U.S. Supreme Court’s McGirt v. Oklahoma ruling, which declared the Muscogee (Creek) Nation’s reservation was never disestablished.Ray Carter | January 22, 2021
-
Budget & Tax, Education
School choice’s appeal grows along with low-income benefit
Critics suggested Gov. Kevin Stitt’s “Stay in School” program benefitted the well-to-do under the cover of aiding low-income families. But the program’s beneficiaries all earn less than a household headed by Oklahoma teachers earning average teacher pay—and often dramatically less.Ray Carter | January 21, 2021
-
Budget & Tax, Education
School choice program proves dramatic success
The “Stay in School” program launched by Gov. Kevin Stitt has allowed over 1,000 low-income Oklahoma students to attend private schools at substantially lower cost than what would have been spent in traditional public schools, a new report shows.Ray Carter | January 20, 2021
-
Education
Oklahoma school district says diploma is no indicator of learning
In a court filing, an Oklahoma school district has declared the issuance of either a passing grade or a high school diploma is not—“and never has been”—an indicator that a student mastered state-mandated core courses.Ray Carter | January 20, 2021