Articles
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Education
Oklahoma schools with sky-high per-student funding are sitting on millions in reserves—and aren’t necessarily producing the highest academic results
Forty-one Oklahoma school districts receive no state aid because of their substantial local revenues. Could some of these districts put more of their available resources toward teacher compensation and/or property-tax rebates?Ray Carter | September 15, 2026
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Education, Higher Education
SPLC challenged Oklahoma’s anti-racism law. Then it faced federal charges over alleged payments to people tied to extremist groups
Oklahoma’s HB 1775 restricts public-school employees from teaching eight specified concepts about race and sex, prompting legal challenges—including one from the Southern Poverty Law Center, which now faces separate federal charges over alleged payments to people associated with extremist groups.Ray Carter | September 15, 2026
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Higher Education
Oklahoma college students lean left despite state’s conservative politics
Oklahoma’s college campuses are considerably more liberal than the state’s electorate, according to new data from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE).Ray Carter | September 14, 2026
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Education
Federal appeals court clears the way for Oklahoma to enforce anti-racism law
A federal appeals court has cleared the way for Oklahoma to enforce the K-12 provisions of its 2021 law (HB 1775) restricting public-school employees from teaching eight race- and sex-based concepts as truths.Ray Carter | September 10, 2026
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Local Government
Denver transit official warns Oklahoma about the high cost of commuter rail
A Denver transit official is warning Oklahoma against repeating the mistakes of a rail system that has struggled with aging infrastructure, changing commuting patterns, rising costs, and chronic financial pressure.Ray Carter | September 10, 2026
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Education
‘We intentionally structured it this way’: School choice freeing up millions for Oklahoma public schools
Oklahoma’s Parental Choice Tax Credit program provides a per-student funding boost for public schools even as it helps families afford private education. “We intentionally structured the tax credit this way,” said House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, “to provide choice while protecting funds for public education.”Ray Carter | September 9, 2026
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Education
Oklahoma school-choice program keeps growing, with lower- and middle-income families leading the way
Participation in Oklahoma’s Parental Choice Tax Credit program continues to grow, with lower- and middle-income families accounting for a majority of beneficiaries, according to final Oklahoma Tax Commission figures for the 2026-27 school year.Ray Carter | September 8, 2026
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Higher Education
Oklahoma approves three-year bachelor’s degrees at three public universities
Three-year bachelor’s degrees are now a reality in Oklahoma, with the State Regents for Higher Education approving four reduced-credit programs at three public universities.Ray Carter | September 8, 2026
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Higher Education
Report raises concerns about Oklahoma universities’ participation in Chinese exchange program
Two Oklahoma universities sent students to China through the Young Envoys Scholarship Program, which a new report alleges is part of a Chinese Communist Party propaganda and influence effort. Neither university responded to requests for comment.Ray Carter | September 3, 2026
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Education
Oklahoma bucks national trend of declining high-school graduates
While most states are projected to have fewer high-school graduates by 2041, Oklahoma is expected to maintain roughly its current number, putting it among just 12 states projected to experience stable or growing graduate populations.Ray Carter | September 3, 2026