Oklahoma Business Professionals of America returned from the National Leadership Conference with two Hall of Fame awards, an adviser award, three state association awards and a number of chapter and individual awards.
OKLAHOMA CITY – A bill requiring allegations of abuse or neglect by a school employee to be reported to law enforcement within 24 hours has been signed into law by the governor.
Rep. Steve Bashore, R-Miami, is the author of House Bill 2959. The measure would require independent law enforcement to be notified prior of any formal investigation by the school or school board or the questioning of the subject of the accusation.
“Our most important priority is to protect our youth,” Bashore said. “This legislation will ensure that law enforcement is made immediately aware of any allegation of misconduct so they can properly investigate the situation. This will keep students and the larger community safe from any potential abusers.”
In a release today, Rep. Nicole Miller, R-Edmond, and Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, applauded the signing of House Bill 4274, a measure to support military families by improving school transfer access in Oklahoma for their children.
HB4274 updates Oklahoma’s open transfer law to better support active-duty military families during relocation. The measure requires school districts to treat military students relocating under official orders as in-district residents during enrollment periods, allowing schools to begin processing enrollment paperwork earlier and giving families greater certainty and stability as they transition to a new community.
Oklahoma has built one of the most robust school choice ecosystems in the country, fueled in part by the state’s Parental Choice Tax Credit, which puts dollars directly in families’ hands to pursue the right fit for their child. However, navigating the options and scholarship eligibility requirements can be challenging.
This week, that changed. The Oklahoma School Choice Hub, powered by GreatSchools, is a first-of-its-kind state partnership designed to give families a single, trustworthy destination to explore their options, understand the financial aid available to them, and find a school or program that’s the right fit.
In the last article published Monday, I described a contradiction hiding in plain sight: Oklahoma operates one education system—CareerTech—that works, and another—traditional K–12—that struggles to produce consistent results.
That raises a deeper question. Can a large, statewide system actually be fixed? Or are we stuck with whatever we have? Oklahoma already knows the answer—because we’ve lived through it.
