Articles
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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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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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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
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Education
New literacy law brings science-of-reading training to hundreds of Oklahoma teachers
Oklahoma is beginning to implement a major overhaul of its approach to reading instruction after years of dismal literacy outcomes, with hundreds of teachers now receiving training grounded in the science of reading.Ray Carter | September 2, 2026
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Budget & Tax, Education
State data contradict Munson’s claims about taxes, education funding, teacher pay
Oklahoma House Democratic Caucus leader Cyndi Munson has made several claims about state taxes and education policy that conflict with publicly available government data.Ray Carter | August 26, 2026
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Education
In both Florida and Oklahoma, education increases don’t go to teachers
A new analysis of Florida’s public schools reveals trends strikingly similar to those in Oklahoma: Inflation-adjusted school spending and per-student expenditures have risen substantially even as enrollment has declined. Much of the new money has gone toward non-teaching positions rather than teachers.Ray Carter | August 24, 2026
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Education
Oklahoma education reforms expose local leadership problems
Oklahoma’s poor public education outcomes are partly a consequence of a lack of leadership at the local level, as recent comments from Oklahoma school superintendents demonstrate.Jonathan Small | August 24, 2026
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Education
Oklahoma public schools receive $15,111 per student. 80 percent of private schools charge less.
Oklahoma public schools received an average of $15,111 in revenue per student during the 2024-2025 school year. That’s more than the tuition charged by at least 80% of Oklahoma private schools.Ray Carter | August 18, 2026
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Budget & Tax, Education
Oklahoma schools got $3 billion more. Much of it is sitting in the bank.
A new report raises questions about whether Oklahoma’s education system has a funding problem or a spending problem, particularly as school districts accumulate large reserves while teacher hiring lags behind overall staffing growth.Ray Carter | August 13, 2026