Articles
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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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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pivot by urging federal judges to reverse course and rule that an 1898 law impacting Oklahoma reservations is no longer in effect.Ray Carter | August 22, 2022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
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Education
Complaint seeks Shawnee accreditation downgrade over abuse
A complaint filed with the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) requests that the agency investigate and downgrade the accreditation status of the Shawnee school district, alleging that school officials failed to protect children from former coach Ronald Gene Arthur, who has been accused of grooming and sexually mistreating students.Ray Carter | August 16, 2022
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Education
High per-pupil funding has little impact on Oklahoma teacher pay
A review of public-school districts with some of Oklahoma’s highest per-pupil funding shows that extra cash doesn’t automatically translate into better pay for teachers, nor does it prevent educator shortages.Ray Carter | August 10, 2022
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Education
Lankford seeks education vouchers for students
U.S. Sen. James Lankford has filed federal legislation that would take unspent federal COVID funds and use the money to pay private-school tuition for low-income children who suffered COVID-learning loss due to prolonged public-school closures.Ray Carter | August 9, 2022
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Education
Some public schools have elite-prep-school funding, not results
Oklahoma’s per-pupil funding for public schools typically ranks low in 50-state comparisons. But significant local property-tax bases have allowed several dozen Oklahoma districts to achieve dramatically higher per-pupil funding levels.Ray Carter | August 9, 2022
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Budget & Tax, Good Government
Oklahoma state savings reach historic level
Gov. Kevin Stitt says record-high savings means the Oklahoma government can now provide tax relief.Ray Carter | August 4, 2022