The House passed a bill that extends eligibility to the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program (OLAP), granting access to college tuition for students who otherwise might not be able to attend college. House Bill 2227, authored by State Rep. Todd Russ, R-Cordell, extends OLAP for qualifying students in 11th or 12th grades or who are…
A bill to require the same level of transparency from virtual charter schools as other public schools passed the Oklahoma House of Representatives. House Bill 1395 amends language in the Oklahoma Charter Schools Act of 2012 to hold virtual charter schools subject to the same financial reporting requirements and audits as traditional school districts. The…
The Senate approved a bill to better equip educators to recognize and address the mental health needs of students. Senate Bill 446, by Sen. John Haste, would require the State Department of Education and the Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to develop educator training programs on student mental health. The Broken Arrow…
A measure to build a statewide aerospace training facility cleared both the Senate Education and the Appropriation and Budget committees and is now headed to the Senate floor. Senate Bill 432, authored by Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, authorizes the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education to acquire or lease property for the purpose of…
Northwestern Oklahoma State University followed the trend of most of the state’s colleges and universities with a slightly smaller enrollment for the spring semester. A total of 1,818 students enrolled in spring classes, which is 39 students or 2.1 percent fewer than last year. Most public community colleges and universities in the state system are…
Plans for a Student Success Center on TCC’s West Campus advanced as the Hardesty Family Foundation announced a $1 million gift to TCC’s largest fundraising campaign, Clearing the Pathway: The Campaign for Completion. The college also announced the new facility will be named after Roger Hardesty and his wife, Donna Hardesty. The multi-year campaign wants…
The Senate Education Committee approved a bill to essentially mandate five-day school weeks in Oklahoma schools. Senate Bill 441 by Senator Marty Quinn, R-Claremore, says all public schools shall be in session for no less than 180 days. Currently, schools are to be in session for 1,080 hours. The bill provides exemptions to the five-day…
Legislation aimed at improving mentorship passed the House Common Education Committee. House Bill 1412, co-authored by Rep. John Waldron, D-Tulsa, and Sen. Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, seeks to modify the qualifications for lead teaching certificates by lowering the requirements from five years of certified teaching experience to either three years of certified teaching experience or a…
What do rock-and-roll legend Leon Russell and S. E. Hinton, author of The Outsiders, have in common? They are both members of the Tulsa Will Rogers High School Hall of Fame. They’ll be joined by a new class of Hall of Fame inductees during ceremonies on March 29. The list is: R. David Bynum, cell…
Tulsa school board District 2 incumbent Jania Wester won re-election February 12 and Nicole Nixon and Stacey Woolley will advance to a runoff election April 2 for the open seat in District 1. Wester got 280 votes (75 percent) over Gary Cooper. Wester was appointed to the District 2 seat in October following the resignation…