Government
Oklahoma senator reintroduces bill protecting religious groups on campus(The Daily Signal) – Sen. James Lankford says he will be reintroducing legislation Thursday to protect religious student organizations on campus from being discriminated against because of their religious… Read More
Christian Schools
Oklahoma Catholic leaders plan to open online private schoolAfter the U.S. Supreme Court blocked what would have been the nation’s first religious charter school on a rare 4-4 vote, Catholic leaders in Oklahoma now… Read More
Public Education
Oklahoma schools work on enforcing new ‘bell-to-bell’ cellphone banOklahoma has joined the growing list of states passing “bell-to-bell no cell” phone bans throughout school days – although it has given districts latitude on enforcement, Griffin’s Newson6.com… Read More
Government
Oklahoma governor cuts public funding for abortion providersOklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt has issued an executive order terminating any Medicaid contracts with pro-abortion healthcare providers. “Oklahoma is a pro-life state, and our policies… Read More
Government
New conservative virtual academy opens in OklahomaAmerican Virtual Academy (AVA) is partnering with the Oklahoma State Department of Education to provide another educational option for parents. Oklahoma State Superintendent Ryan Walters told… Read More
Christian Schools
‘God is faithful’: How one homeschool mom started a tuition-free Christian school for children of incarcerated parentsIn the late 1980s, Robin Khoury was a new homeschool mom facing opposition from friends and family members who didn’t understand her decision to teach her oldest son at home… Read More
Government
‘Patriotism, not pride’: Oklahoma lawmaker aims to ban LGBTQ flags on federal property(The Daily Signal) – Rep. Josh Brecheen, R-Okla., is reintroducing a bill this week to end the display of LGBTQ+ pride flags on federal property, The Daily Signal has learned. Read More
Public Education
Changes to Oklahoma social studies standards invite debate about 2020 election, ‘encourage critical thinking’Oklahoma high schoolers will now dig deeper into the debate about the 2020 election as part of the state’s updated social studies curriculum. The standards, recently… Read More
Courts
Divided Supreme Court upholds ban on first-of-its-kind Oklahoma religious charter school, doesn’t set precedentA divided Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a ban on a first-of-its-kind Catholic charter school, in a case that sparked national debate on religious freedom in education. “The judgment is… Read More
Government
Oklahoma passes legislation to streamline adoptionsA new law in Oklahoma streamlines the adoption process for adopting immediate relatives. House Bill 2647, called the Shai Cooper Act, was automatically enacted May 11 after passing both chambers… Read More
Courts
‘The people have spoken’: Throng of school choice supporters gather outside of Supreme Court amid ‘groundbreaking’ education caseThe Supreme Court on Wednesday appeared open to greenlighting the nation’s first religious charter school, in an education case that has sparked a national religious liberty conversation. Outside of the… Read More
Public Education
Report: Tulsa Public Schools hid embezzler’s exit plan with secret paymentsBefore a major embezzlement scheme surfaced at Tulsa Public Schools (TPS), the ex-superintendent and others secretly arranged the official’s exit using covert payments to a consultant, a news investigation concludes. Read More
Courts
‘The stakes are incredibly high’: Debate ramps up in nation’s capital over first religious charter school ahead of Supreme Court argumentsFour education policy experts debated the merits and constitutionality of the nation’s first tax-funded religious charter school ahead of next week’s oral arguments in a Supreme Court case that could… Read More
Public Education
Poor academic outcomes persist in highly funded Oklahoma schools, report findsMore taxpayer money doesn’t necessarily result in a better education, analysts conclude in a new survey of Oklahoma public schools. “The argument that increased school funding produces better academic outcomes,… Read More
Courts
‘The law is on our side’: Lawsuit against Oklahoma Superintendent Walters dismissedA judge has dismissed a lawsuit against Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters over accusations the state neglected to address bullying complaints. The lawsuit, filed in November, was… Read More
Public Education
North Carolina school choice applications surge amid expansionApplications for North Carolina’s school choice program are surging after the state lifted income restrictions. Numbers released by the state Department of Education show applications for the current school year… Read More
Public Education
Oklahoma Bible battle continues as state superintendent now raising $3 million to place them in classroomsThe battle over Bibles continues in Oklahoma as state Superintendent Ryan Walters continues his attempts to place the holy book in the state’s public schools and curriculum. Walters, an… Read More
Courts
Opening brief sets stage for upcoming Supreme Court arguments over nation’s first religious charter schoolThe nation’s first potential tax-funded religious charter shouldn’t be discriminated against because it is religiously affiliated, a new brief before the Supreme Court argued. St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual… Read More
Public Education
‘Culture of financial non-compliance’ at Tulsa Public Schools allowed for $25 million in fiscal mismanagement, audit concludesThe Tulsa Teacher Corps describes itself as a “highly supported certification pathway” for educators, yet it came under fire by the Oklahoma state auditor, Cindy Byrd,… Read More
Public Education
Two Oklahoma schools undergoing investigations for alleged abuseAllegations of abuse have rocked two school districts in Oklahoma, prompting the state’s Department of Education to open investigations into each case. The latest investigation concerned Hugo Public Schools,… Read More