Articles
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Education
Survey: Oklahoma voters support providing liability insurance for teachers
As legislation creating an “Educators' Professional Liability Insurance Program” for teachers and other school employees winds its way through the Legislature, a new poll shows broad public support for the proposal.Ray Carter | April 5, 2019
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Budget & Tax
With an eye on commodity prices, policymakers look for ‘stability through savings’
A crash in oil prices from 2014 to 2016 also cratered Oklahoma government revenues. That scenario could repeat should oil prices experience a similar decline again, based on a new report, a finding with much significance as Gov. Kevin Stitt and lawmakers debate whether and how much to increase state savings for future downturns.Ray Carter | April 5, 2019
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Good Government
Oklahoma’s digital transformation
Oklahoma’s Secretary of Digital Transformation and Administration, David Ostrowe, is looking to move state government into the future by focusing on transparency and integration. It’s high time state government entered the 21st century.Curtis Shelton | April 4, 2019
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Judicial Reform
Judicial-selection reform clears Senate committee
Legislation making its way through the Oklahoma Legislature would reform and modernize the 1967-era geographical districts by which state Supreme Court and Court of Criminal Appeals judges are appointed.Mike Brake | April 4, 2019
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Education
Study finds school choice improves mental health
School choice plays a significant role in improving overall student mental health, including lowering adolescent suicide rates. That’s according to a groundbreaking new study.Staci Elder Hensley | April 3, 2019
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Education
New survey asks pastors: Do schools influence faith formation?
New research by the Barna Group shows education’s impact on the transmission of moral values is increasingly an issue of concern for religious leaders, many of whom now view schools as a negative influence when it comes to a child’s faith formation.Ray Carter | April 3, 2019
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Budget & Tax
New Tax Foundation property tax map
Many tax consumers claim Oklahoma is a low-tax state, but state taxes are near the national average. It is local taxes that are low, as shown by the Tax Foundation's latest map of per capita property tax collections.Curtis Shelton | April 2, 2019
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Health Care
Three reforms for Oklahoma health care
Instead of expanding Medicaid and increasing demand for government-subsidized health care by adding hundreds of thousands of able-bodied, working-age adults onto the state’s bloated Medicaid program, Oklahoma policymakers should pursue real regulatory reform to allow free-market principles to organically increase the supply and lower the costs of health care for all Oklahomans.Kaitlyn Finley | April 1, 2019
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Budget & Tax
Coastal fairy tales on education
Beware the coastal fairy tales on education.Jonathan Small | March 29, 2019
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Good Government
Transparency and caution
As session continues, the focus now moves from accountability to transparency.Jonathan Small | March 22, 2019