Articles
-
Budget & Tax, Education
Lawmakers seek to address Oklahoma’s reading crisis
After a decade of steep declines in student reading performance, two Oklahoma lawmakers have introduced legislation aimed at restoring literacy as a core focus of K-12 education.Ray Carter | December 19, 2025
-
Higher Education
Out-of-state students leave Oklahoma after graduation
State data show that two-thirds of nonresident OU graduates leave Oklahoma within five years, compared to more than 80 percent of in-state graduates who remain.Ray Carter | December 18, 2025
-
Health Care
GAO finds Obamacare fraud is easy
Government Accountability Office officials told Sen. James Lankford that 19 of 20 fraudulent test applications for Obamacare—submitted using entirely fake identities, Social Security numbers, and documents—were approved through HealthCare.gov or insurance brokers.Ray Carter | December 17, 2025
-
Law & Principles
Holt calls state leaders ‘bitterly unpopular’—but they outpoll him
Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt, who promotes “Pride Month” celebrating transgenderism and other sexual identities, recently dismissed Oklahoma statewide elected officials as “bitterly unpopular.” Holt says a California-style election system will produce superior governance.Ray Carter | December 17, 2025
-
Higher Education
OU professor to promote ‘accurate’ science education on evolution, climate change
A University of Oklahoma associate professor has been named a 2025 Sound Science Fellow by the National Center for Science Education. The fellowship is “aimed at advancing the teaching of evolution, climate change, and accurate scientific education.”Ray Carter | December 15, 2025
-
Budget & Tax
Oklahoma state agencies go big with Christmas wish list
Oklahoma state agencies have unveiled their latest holiday wish lists, asking lawmakers for an extra $1.74 billion in funding—double last year’s request. The appeal comes after years of steep spending growth, with appropriations rising $4.7 billion since Gov. Kevin Stitt took office. Higher education is seeking the largest boost at $426 million, while the Space Port Authority again asks for the biggest percentage increase: 2,067%.Curtis Shelton | December 15, 2025
-
Higher Education
Time for OU regents to act
The University of Oklahoma continues to draw national attention for ideological theatrics. It’s time for the OU regents to lead rather than spectate.Jonathan Small | December 15, 2025
-
Higher Education
Survey shows college students support violent responses to unwelcome speech
A new nationwide survey taken after the Sept. 10 assassination of Charlie Kirk shows a significant share of college students—especially those on the political left—now believe that physical retaliation can be justified in response to speech they dislike.Ray Carter | December 11, 2025
-
Law & Principles
With California election system, no Governors Bellmon, Bartlett, Keating, or Stitt
A review of Oklahoma’s past elections shows that the California-style “top two” system proposed in State Question 836 would have kept nearly every Republican governor in Oklahoma history off the November ballot the year they were first elected.Ray Carter | December 10, 2025
-
Higher Education
Oklahoma regents cut some low-graduate programs, keep most
A recent review by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education found that 357 degree programs at state colleges and universities produced fewer than five graduates on average over a five-year span. Fully 295 of those degree programs will continue, while 41 are being eliminated and 21 are being suspended.Ray Carter | December 10, 2025