Articles
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Health Care
What's really behind rising hospital prices and insurance premiums?
Oklahoma families are feeling the pinch of ever-rising health care costs and insurance premiums.Kaitlyn Finley | January 20, 2021
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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
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Budget & Tax, Education
Experts warn school ‘equity’ mandate will fuel lawsuits
State Sen. Mary Boren has filed legislation to alter language in the Oklahoma Constitution that currently requires “a system of free public schools” so it instead requires maintenance of “an efficient and equitable system of free public schools."Ray Carter | January 19, 2021
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Education
State agency seeks COVID data on at-home learners
State data on COVID-19 infections among K-12 students will reportedly include cases that occurred among children who never attended school in-person and conducted their learning entirely online this year.Ray Carter | January 18, 2021
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Education
Despite pay raises, officials warn of teacher shortage
State officials continue to inform lawmakers that large tax increases and teacher pay raises enacted in 2018 appear to have had relatively little impact on teacher shortages.Ray Carter | January 15, 2021