OK Senate Appropriations Committee passes tax reform measures

An income tax credit during years of growth, rather than a full blown tax cut? I'm a bit skeptical of the idea (it's certainly a novel proposal that I've never heard of before).

Senate Appropriations Committee Advances Tax Reform Measures to Strengthen Oklahoma’s Economy

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 6th) – The Senate Appropriations Committee passed a series of tax reform measures aimed at simplifying Oklahoma’s tax code, providing relief to individuals and businesses and promoting economic growth. 

Senate Bills 304, 299, 291, and 60, authored by Senator Dave Rader, R- Tulsa, and Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, address income tax structure, corporate tax fairness and taxpayer relief mechanisms.

OCPA column: Bad instruction prompts lawsuit

Bad instruction prompts lawsuit

By Jonathan Small

One of the lower-key victories of the 2024 Oklahoma legislative session was passage of Senate Bill 362, which stated that Oklahoma public-school teachers “shall be prohibited from using the three-cueing system model of teaching students to read” starting in the 2025-2026 school year.

Under the three-cueing method, students are encouraged to guess words based on associated pictures and context, and to memorize entire words, rather than learn to sound them out phonetically.

APMreports has noted “that cognitive scientists have repeatedly debunked” three-cueing, while ExcelinEd in Action noted the three-cueing system “can be boiled down to this: Teachers using this method instruct students to guess.”

Eliminating three-cueing will prevent unnecessary academic hardship for Oklahoma children. Lawmakers deserve praise for passing the ban, particularly state Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, who championed the issue.

But the benefits of SB 362 may extend beyond academic impact. It turns out the ban could also limit future financial liability for Oklahoma schools that might otherwise face litigation.

State Sens. Pugh, Seifried hold in-depth interim study on crisis of cell phones in schools

Photo by RDNE Stock project

Pugh, Seifried hold in depth interim study on crisis of cell phones in schools

OKLAHOMA CITY (October 23rd) – Sens. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, and Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, hosted a robust, two-day interim study this week to examine the detrimental effects of cell phone use among K-12 students in schools.

Pugh, chairman of the Senate Education Committee, and Seifried, the committee’s vice chair, urged their fellow committee members to invite local educators and national experts to present. As a result, about a dozen speakers from a wide range of backgrounds spoke at the study. They included teachers, school administrators, mental health experts, a psychiatrist and a neuroscientist.

The presenters noted the correlation between kids’ phone use and poor academic outcomes, increased anxiety and overall worse mental health. The speakers overwhelmingly expressed support for restricting students’ phone use in schools and many urged lawmakers to craft a statewide policy that provides districts some flexibility.

Pugh said he wants Oklahoma to lead the nation on this issue by empowering schools to find innovative ways to create phone-free campuses. 

“The effects of social media and excessive device usage have significantly impacted the mental health, social skills, academic progress, and literacy rates of Oklahoma students, and exacerbated other concerns such as cyberbullying,” Pugh said. “The expertise and classroom experiences shared during this comprehensive interim study indicated that urgent action is needed to help school districts address these unique challenges. Our committee is dedicated to fostering positive learning outcomes for students across our state, and we will continue to explore legislative solutions to mitigate the issues associated with cell phone use in schools.”

After introducing legislation last year to create a pilot program to limit student phone usage, Seifried said legislative action to restrict devices for the entire school day is overdue.

“This study reinforces what many of us already know: Cell phones are undoubtedly a distraction in schools, negatively impacting students’ mental health and academic performance,” Seifried said. “Our job now is to build on this momentum and craft policies that restrict phone use from bell to bell in a manner that supports our schools and our dedicated educators.

“I’m committed to working with parents, teachers, administrators and mental health professionals to find a way to get smartphones out of classrooms so Oklahoma students can reach their full potential at school and at home.”

Mental health experts who presented in the study talked about the addictive nature of smartphones and social media, especially for kids because their brains are still developing. Across the country, test scores have dropped and rates of anxiety and depression among adolescents have skyrocketed as smartphones have become ubiquitous and social media platforms have become more popular, said New York University scientist Zachary Rausch.

Oklahoma Union Public Schools Superintendent Brenda Taylor said students, parents and staff in her district supported a new policy prohibiting smartphones in the classroom. Since the district implemented the change, teachers have noticed students are more engaged in their coursework, there are fewer distractions and kids are interacting with each other more, Taylor said.

Healthy Minds Policy Initiative Executive Director Zack Stoycoff said eight states have enacted statewide policies to ban or restrict cell phones in schools. He said there is clearly a link between youth phone usage and mental health and well-being.

Nationally, middle and high school students spend nearly five hours a day on social media. One in four adolescent Oklahomans said they typically feel like they can’t go a day without social media, and one in five Oklahoma high schoolers said social media made them feel worse about their lives, he said.

Seifried and Pugh plan to file legislation on this issue ahead of the 2025 legislative session. Bill filing begins Nov. 15.

Small: Budget plans includes worthwhile items

Budget plans includes worthwhile items

By Jonathan Small

The Oklahoma House of Representatives and Senate have both unveiled their state budget plans for the pending fiscal year. Each side has included goals that merit praise.

The House budget plan includes a quarter-point reduction in the state’s personal income tax, which would reduce our top rate from 4.75 percent to 4.5 percent. Because the personal income tax is a penalty on work and investment, the tax depresses economic growth. The lower the rate, the better the job creation and opportunity for all Oklahomans. While the best rate would be zero, any move in that direction is welcome.

Small: A renewed focus on reading instruction is good news

A renewed focus on reading instruction

By Jonathan Small

Reading instruction is receiving lawmakers’ attention this year. That’s good news because Oklahoma has much ground to make up.

In 2011, lawmakers strengthened the state’s reading law, requiring students to retake the third grade if they were reading far below grade level, and providing remediation to struggling students.

That program drew wails from many public-school officials—but it worked. Reading performance improved dramatically from 2011 to 2015 on National Assessment of Education Progress (NAEP) tests.

By 2015, Oklahoma recorded the third-largest gain in the country on fourth-grade reading scores on NAEP and the state score was above the national average. 

But then lawmakers watered down the state’s third-grade reading law and made social promotion easier.

House passes bill to fix teacher signing bonus issue

McBride Passes Teacher Signing Bonus Fix

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 8th) – Rep. Mark McBride, R-Moore, this week passed a bill in the Oklahoma House of Representatives that he said would fix the State Department of Education's flawed signing bonus for teachers returning to Oklahoma public school classrooms.

House Bill 4017 directs the Oklahoma State Board of Education to establish a $7,000 annual signing bonus program for teachers who return to teaching in state public schools beginning with the 2024-25 school year and who agree to serve for five years. The signing bonus shall be paid in five equal annual installments not to exceed $35,000 per participant.

State Senate Republicans announce Education priorities for '24 session

Senate Republicans Announce Education Priorities

OKLAHOMA CITY (Jan. 31st) – Members of the Oklahoma Senate Education Committee today laid out their education initiatives for the upcoming regular session that begins Monday. [listen to a recording here]

Chairman of the Senate Education committee, Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, was joined by fellow members Sen. Dewayne Pemberton, R-Muskogee, Sen. Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond and Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore to lay out a robust plan that includes additional teacher pay raises, advanced reading criteria, initiatives to get more teachers into the classroom and reforms to higher education.

State Sen. Pugh files VET Act to recruit military retirees to classrooms

Pugh files VET Act to recruit military retirees to classrooms

OKLAHOMA CITY (Dec. 15th) – Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, has filed legislation to attract military retirees from around the country to Oklahoma’s classrooms. Senate Bill 1311 would create the Veterans Entering Teaching (VET) Act and pay for veterans’ schooling to become educators if they agreed to teach in the state for three consecutive years.

State Sen. Pugh files bill to protect military surviving spouse benefits

Pugh files bill to protect military surviving spouse benefits

OKLAHOMA CITY (Nov. 9th) – As Oklahomans prepare to celebrate Veteran’s Day, Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, filed legislation Thursday to honor veterans killed in action by protecting the benefits of their surviving spouses. He pointed out that surviving spouses only get benefits as long as they do not remarry before the age of 55 – an unfair and disrespectful federal law that Pugh hopes to raise awareness of with Senate Bill 1201, while also providing assistance for those loved ones left behind in Oklahoma.  

$22M in OK Lottery proceeds moved into Teacher Empowerment Fund for distribution

Senate Pro Tem Treat, Senate Education Chairman Pugh Announce over $22 Million Moved to Teacher Empowerment Fund

OKLAHOMA CITY (Sept. 1st) – Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, and Senate Education Chairman Senator Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, today announced over $22.58 million has been deposited into the Teacher Empowerment Fund from the Oklahoma Lottery proceeds.

Gov. Stitt calls for compromise, proposes plan to break education reform stalemate

Can Governor Stitt find a middle ground for House Speaker McCall and Senate Pro Tem Treat to come to? He's giving it his best shot. We'll see how it goes.

GOVERNOR STITT CALLS FOR COMPROMISE, PROPOSES THE OKLAHOMA EDUCATION AND PARENTAL CHOICE PLAN

OKLAHOMA CITY (April 21, 2023) - Governor Kevin Stitt today unveiled his proposed education reform compromise, the Oklahoma Education and Parental Choice Plan, after weeks of meetings with House and Senate leadership, Speaker Charles McCall, Senate Pro Tem Greg Treat, and members of both chambers.

Pugh's education reform bills pass Senate by overwhelming margins

Pugh’s education reforms pass Senate overwhelmingly

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 14th) – The Senate overwhelmingly gave its bipartisan support Tuesday to the first round of major education reforms that will be moving through the process this session. Senate Education Committee and Appropriations Subcommittee chairman Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, authored the bills after months of meetings with educators, parents and other stakeholders about how to best improve Oklahoma’s education system.

State House passes bills to allow ACT retake and examine graduation requirements

House Passes Bills to Allow ACT Retake and Examine Graduation Requirements

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 9th) – The House on Wednesday passed two bills to give high school seniors an additional opportunity to retake the ACT and to modernize state graduation requirements.

House Bills 2673 and 2675 are authored by Rep. Rhonda Baker, chair of the House Common Education Committee.

OCPA column: Focus on reading & graduation standards needed

Focus on reading & graduation standards needed

By Jonathan Small

In August, Allison D. Garrett, chancellor for the Oklahoma State System of Higher Education, warned lawmakers that Oklahoma high-school graduates are largely unprepared for college in English, math, reading, and science.

State Sen. Pugh releases $541M education reform package

With the reelection of Gov. Kevin Stitt and the election of State Superintendent Ryan Walters, it's a sure bet that education reform will be a top priority in the coming four years. State Sen. Adam Pugh is out with a $541M public education reform package that includes some old standbys (a teacher pay raise) and some intriguing new proposals (such as a multistate teacher licensure compact). NonDoc has a good article covering yesterday's press conference; Pugh's press release is below:

Sen. Adam Pugh releases education agenda

Plan includes $541 million to enhance public education

OKLAHOMA CITY (Jan. 19th) - Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, released his public education agenda Wednesday, which he believes will improve public education outcomes for Oklahoma children.

State leaders vow to help teachers fired by OKCPS over illegal mask mandate

STATE LEADERS VOW TO HELP TEACHERS FIRED BY OKLAHOMA CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS GET BACK IN THE CLASSROOM

OKLAHOMA CITY (Nov. 4, 2021) – Today, Secretary of Education Ryan Walters, Representative Rhonda Baker, and Senator Adam Pugh denounced the decision by the Oklahoma City Public Schools Board of Education to fire six talented educators for making personal decisions about their own health.

In September, a District Judge made it clear that due to SB 658 schools could only mandate masks if they allowed exemptions for medical, religious, or personal reasons. Other Oklahoma districts have permitted students and teachers to opt-out of mandates, but OKCPS decided to put politics before education.

The decision comes when school leaders across the state are struggling to recruit and retain teachers. Just this week, staffing issues forced Tulsa Public Schools to eliminate the sixth grade at McClure Elementary School. Those students now must go straight to middle school, or transfer to another district.

These state leaders are committed to doing everything they can to get the six teachers let go by OKCPS back in the classroom where they belong.

Governor Stitt signs landmark education reform bills into law

GOVERNOR STITT SIGNS MOST TRANSFORMATIVE EDUCATION REFORM IN STATE HISTORY INTO LAW

Legislation allows for students to attend schools that best fit their needs, modernizes funding formula to match recent enrollment

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 31, 2021) – Governor Kevin Stitt signed the most transformative education reform legislation in Oklahoma history into law today in a ceremony in the Blue Room at the Capitol.

House Bill 2078 and Senate Bill 783 allow for students to attend public schools that best meet their needs and modernize the funding formula to match enrollment counts more accurately.

“This is a monumental day for education reform in Oklahoma,” said Gov. Stitt. “Education is not one-size-fits-all, and these bills allow parents and students to have the freedom to attend the best public school for them regardless of their ZIP code. Additionally, modernizing the funding formula ensures funding follows the student, not the school. These reforms are vital to getting Oklahoma to be a Top Ten state in education and I am proud of this Republican legislature for its dedication to putting students first.”

“Today is a historic day for education in Oklahoma,” said Secretary of Education Ryan Walters. “We have transformed funding for every single student in the state and empowered them to choose a school that best fits their needs. These two bills will work seamlessly together to have an immediate impact on the way we educate Oklahoma’s students and I commend our state leaders for getting this across the finish line.”

HB 2078, authored by Rep. Kyle Hilbert (R-Depew) and Sen. Zack Taylor (R-Seminole), modernizes the education funding formula by basing per-pupil funding on the most recent enrollment data. The previous system gave school districts multiple enrollment figures from which to base their funding, causing some districts to receive state funds for students who are no longer enrolled.

SB 783, authored by Sen. Adam Pugh (R-Edmond), Sen. Kim David (R-Porter) and Rep. Brad Boles (R-Marlow), amends the Education Open Transfer Act to allow students the ability to transfer to another school district at any time, provided the district has space available.

House passes bill to require passing citizenship test as graduation requirement, Dems oppose

Believe it or not, but I actually am sympathetic to the argument the House Dems make in their press release response to the passage of this bill. Read on:

O’Donnell Bill To Require Citizenship Test for Students Passes House

OKLAHOMA CITY – House Speaker Pro Tempore Terry O’Donnell, R-Catoosa, on Monday won passage of a bill in the House that would help students become more engaged citizens.

House Bill 2030 would require high school students to pass the civics portion of the United States’ naturalization test in order to graduate beginning in the 2022-23 school year.

“Unfortunately, too many of our students graduate high school without basic knowledge of how our nation was founded or how our system of government works,” O’Donnell said. “This legislation would help correct that, leading to a more engaged and informed electorate in the future.”

O’Donnell explained this is the same test required of anyone desiring to become a citizen of the United States. Fourteen other states have adopted similar legislation.

HB 2030 would require subject matter standards for history, social studies, and U.S. Government courses in Oklahoma public schools to include the study of important historical documents, including the Constitution, Declaration of Independence, Emancipation Proclamation, and Federalist Papers. Subject matter standards for U.S. Government also must include simulations of the democratic process and lessons on the structure and relationship between national, state, county and local governments.

O’Donnell said he too many students graduate without being able to answer basic questions such as how many branches of government exist in the United States or what actually is protected under the First Amendment to the Constitution. He said students would only have to achieve a bare minimum of a score of 60 in order to pass the test before graduation.

“That is not too high of a bar for young adults who will become part of our work force and our communities, and who will be future voters and perhaps even members of our government bodies,” O’Donnell said.

An amendment to the bill would exempt students that have an individualized education plan (IEP).

HB 2030 passed the House with a vote of 80-18. It now advances to the state Senate where it is authored by Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond.  

House Democrats Oppose More Testing for High Schoolers

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Members of the House Democratic Caucus released the following statements today in opposition to House Bill 2030, which requires Oklahoma public school students to take a citizenship test before graduation.

"I’m not concerned about making Oklahoma students take the US Citizenship test,” said Rep. Andy Fugate, D-Del City. “But, the concerns expressed about people in Portland, Seattle, and Washington D.C. won’t be solved by making Oklahoma students take a test.

“Oklahomans deserve better than political posturing in the guise of pandering to patriotism.”

“I like the idea of our students taking the US Naturalization test as an assignment as a part of a unit when the content is delivered, traditionally in the 8th grade,” said Rep. Melissa Provenzano, D-Tulsa. “I can’t support making it a graduation requirement which only creates more unnecessary mandatory testing for our children. Oklahoma parents have spoken loud and clear- our kids have testing fatigue. Testing isn’t the only way to assess a child’s mastery of a subject.

“This bill is ill-conceived, loosely designed, and poorly executed. It will not turn out well for Oklahoma children if we adopt loose testing protocols, security, and implementation.”

“As a former 8th-grade public school history teacher, I can attest that teachers already cover in-depth what the U.S. Naturalization Test assesses,” said Rep. Jacob Rosecrants, D-Norman. “Further, as a believer in the importance of  hands-on kinesthetic learning, I know that children learn better by doing rather than by prepping for a one-time test, and if we really want our students to learn about civics on a deeper level, we should invest in civics curriculum that truly engages our children.”

“It is not our business to legislate standards, especially when we already have a civics curriculum,” said Rep. John Waldron, D-Tulsa. “Imposing test requirements that override the work of Oklahoma educators will not solve the problems we face. Students and teachers don’t need another mandate. They need a government that works for them. ”

House passes bill to allow snow cone stands to stay open year-round

Have you ever scratched your head and wondered just why government can be so stupid? Try this one: in Oklahoma, snow cone stands cannot operate year-round. Because government is just stupid.

State Rep. Lonnie Sims is trying to change that, and his bill would allow snow cone stands that also sell hot beverages to apply for a year-round license. Read on:

House Says Selling Both Snow Cones and Hot Beverages Is ‘Snow’ Longer a Problem

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma House of Representatives today voted to stop giving hot beverages the cold shoulder.

House Bill 1772 by Rep. Lonnie Sims, R-Jenks, directs the State Board of Health to create a multi-seasonal license allowing snow cone stands serving hot beverages to remain open year-round.

GOP State Senator files bill to extend early in-person voting

Pugh files legislation to extend early in-person voting

OKLAHOMA CITY – While more Oklahomans voted in November than in the 2016 presidential election, the state still ranks last for voter turnout as a share of the total voting-eligible population according to the U.S. Elections Project. Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, wants to improve voter participation and has filed Senate Bill 440 to extend in-person early voting from three days to one week.
           
“Oklahoma has the shortest in-person early voting period in the nation. Three days is an extremely limited amount of time for citizens to cast their early votes, especially when you consider people’s busy schedules and that they have to drive to their county election board, which can be a significant distance for many Oklahomans,” Pugh said. “Allowing one week to cast early in-person ballots will help improve voter participation and turnout to ensure more Oklahomans have their voices heard and are able to participate in our greatest freedom as Americans.”
           
Under SB 440, voters could cast an early in-person ballot the entire week, Monday through Saturday, preceding any election at their county election board. Currently, this type of early in-person voting is only available the Thursday through Saturday before an election.
           
According to the nonpartisan National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL), early voting periods in the U.S. range in length from four days to 45 days, with the average length being 19 days.