Articles
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Education
Effort to handcuff school-choice program fails in Oklahoma Senate committee
An Oklahoma Senate committee has defeated legislation that would have undermined the state’s Parental Choice Tax Credit program.Ray Carter | February 23, 2026
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Education
As demand rises, Oklahoma Senate panel votes to raise Parental Choice Tax Credit ceiling
Oklahoma lawmakers are moving to expand the state’s Parental Choice Tax Credit program as rising demand pushes the current $250 million cap to the breaking point. SB 1380 passed a Senate committee on a 10-2 vote that broke along party lines, with Republicans in support and Democrats opposed.Ray Carter | February 23, 2026
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Education
OCPA: Say no to watering down educational excellence
OCPA President Jonathan Small urged lawmakers to oppose Senate Bill 1391, which is scheduled for a vote in the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee. The bill effectively forces private schools to adopt a public-school curriculum by mandating that private schools administer state tests based on the public-school curriculum.Staff | February 23, 2026
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Education
House panel advances bill requiring school districts to post share of funds going to instruction
Oklahoma schools would have to prominently disclose what share of their budgets goes to classroom instruction under House Bill 3711. The bill’s author says any district confident in its priorities should have no problem showing the public how much is actually spent on instruction.Ray Carter | February 19, 2026
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Education
Oklahoma public school revenue surges to nearly $15,000 per student
New figures from the Oklahoma Cost Accounting System show public schools took in $9.59 billion from local, state, and federal sources in the 2024–2025 school year—nearly $15,000 per student when divided by average daily attendance. That’s a 53% jump in per-student revenue since 2018.Ray Carter | February 18, 2026
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Education
Third-grade reading reform moves ahead
Oklahoma lawmakers have advanced HB 4420, a sweeping literacy bill that revives mandatory retention and early intervention requirements similar to Mississippi’s nationally acclaimed model.Ray Carter | February 16, 2026
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Education
Amid record school revenues, Oklahoma teacher hiring lags administrative growth
A new analysis from Georgetown University’s Edunomics Lab shows that despite more than $3 billion in additional funding since the 2018 teacher walkout, Oklahoma schools have added relatively few teachers while rapidly expanding non-teaching staff.Ray Carter | February 16, 2026
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Education
Oklahoma’s short school year draws scrutiny as academic scores lag
Oklahoma students receive far less classroom time than their peers nationwide, and lawmakers say that deficit helps explain why state academic outcomes rank among the worst in the country despite billions in new funding.Ray Carter | February 16, 2026
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Education, Good Government
Bill to stop abusers from hopping districts clears committee
An Oklahoma House committee has unanimously advanced legislation to help prevent school employees accused of abusing children from quietly resigning and taking jobs in new districts.Ray Carter | February 10, 2026
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Education
Boost to school-choice program clears House committee
The demand for Oklahoma’s Parental Choice Tax Credit program is now so high that the program’s $250 million cap threatens to shut out families next year. House Bill 3705 would raise the cap to keep up with demand.Ray Carter | February 9, 2026