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Since the first public revelations last fall that the Oklahoma State Department of Health had suddenly and surprisingly run out of money, some people inside and outside of the agency have claimed the reason was budget cuts. The true story is slightly different.

A growing body of research has been finding that rising test scores in school don’t correspond with improved long-term life outcomes.

While the state sales tax rate has remained at 4.5% for the past two decades, revenue brought in from the tax has grown even when adjusted for inflation and population growth.

While removing the capital gains deduction would bring in additional revenue, it would also become one more unstable revenue source.

Since March 29, $610 million in new tax increases and annual revenues have become law. Since the 2015 legislative session, more than $1 billion in new tax increases and annual revenues have become law.

In 2015, House Bill 1748, authored by state Sen. Greg Treat (R-Oklahoma City) and state Rep. Tom Newell (R-Seminole), required Oklahoma state agencies to publicly report not only the amount of federal funding they receive but also the strings attached to that money. The measure passed overwhelmingly in both chambers but was vetoed by Gov. Mary Fallin.

Thanks to the various restrictions on how schools can spend money, it is possible for an Oklahoma school district to be both nearly broke and rolling in dollars at the same time.

School choice is good for teachers. With so much focus on education policy right now, that’s an important fact.

When looking at regional teacher pay, Oklahoma moves from the bottom of the list to second, just behind Texas, with a new average salary of more than $51,000. When cost of living is taken into account Oklahoma nears the top ten nationally.

The University of Oklahoma regents have selected James Gallogly as the next OU president. It’s a terrific hire.