Articles
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Budget & Tax, Education
Oklahoma schools’ federal spending highlighted at meeting
Oklahoma schools are flush with federal cash, including COVID-bailout money, with only limited spending restrictions. Some reported uses have little obvious connection to COVID, as experts warn improper spending could create financial challenges for schools within two years.Ray Carter | August 29, 2022
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Education, Law & Principles
School bathroom regs adopted; Hofmeister voices concern
Members of the State Board of Education voted to approve emergency regulations that restrict school bathrooms to members of one sex, although State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister addressed transgender concerns even as she voted in favor of the new regulations.Ray Carter | August 25, 2022
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Education
Critical Race Theory in calculus, anatomy classes at Mustang?
Mustang officials begged the board to reconsider their accreditation decision, saying teachers in a wide range of classes at the district have indicated they believe they may violate the law.Ray Carter | August 25, 2022
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Education
School-choice supporters prevail in runoff
School-choice supporters continued to prevail in the Aug. 23 runoff elections with the most-high profile victory occurring in the race for the Republican nomination for state superintendent of public instruction.Ray Carter | August 24, 2022
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Criminal Justice
Work touted as crucial need to reform ex-convicts
If officials want the recidivism rate to decline for ex-convicts, Oklahoma must increase opportunities for incarcerated individuals to get job training and encourage more businesses to become “second chance” employers who will hire people with a record, lawmakers were told at a legislative study this week.Ray Carter | August 23, 2022
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Education
Seven public-school reforms for 2023
Parents are ready to work with policymakers to fix problems. In the 2023 legislative session, lawmakers can enact the these public-school reforms.Jonathan Small | August 23, 2022
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Law & Principles
Tribes reverse course from their prior McGirt arguments
Several tribes that celebrated the McGirt ruling are effectively doing a 180-degree pivot by urging federal judges to reverse course and rule that an 1898 law impacting Oklahoma reservations is no longer in effect.Ray Carter | August 22, 2022
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Education, Law & Principles
Stitt seeks teacher protection against union pressure
Citing both a U.S. Supreme Court ruling and a provision of the Oklahoma Constitution, Gov. Kevin Stitt is calling on State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister and members of the Oklahoma State Board of Education to ensure teachers are informed of their rights to decline union membership and payment of associated union fees.Ray Carter | August 19, 2022
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Education
Data backs board's opposition to school closure mandate
During COVID, many families moved to Oklahoma because schools were open. But things could have been very different under mandates proposed in 2020 by State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister.Ray Carter | August 18, 2022
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Education
Public-school failures have ripple effects in workforce
The failure of Oklahoma’s public-school system to produce enough students proficient in core academic subjects is creating significant workforce challenges that compound over time and deter new job creation, based on data presented to lawmakers during a recent hearing.Ray Carter | August 17, 2022