Oklahoma House panel advances bills impacting virtual school days, tutoring programs
Jenks High School students attend an advanced chemistry class at the Jenks Public Schools Math and Science Center on Nov. 13. (Photo by Nuria Martinez-Keel/Oklahoma Voice)
OKLAHOMA CITY — Senate bills limiting virtual school days and expanding school tutoring are a crucial step closer to becoming law after passing the first House committee stage on Monday.
A House subcommittee focused on education funding approved a lengthy slate of bills in its final meeting of the 2025 legislative session. The bundle of bills now advances to the House Appropriations and Budget Committee for consideration.
The panel advanced one of the Senate's priority education bills, Senate Bill 758. The legislation would limit public schools to two virtual learning days per academic year, if the state superintendent approves the district's online instruction plan or if the governor issues a state of emergency in the district.
The bill originated from Sen. Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond, and the Senate's top lawmaker, President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle.
The House's No. 2 Republican leader, Speaker Pro Tem Anthony Moore, R-Clinton, presented SB 758 to the subcommittee.
'If we're serious about actually educating our kids, they need to be in chairs with qualified professionals to help them understand what they're learning, and that's the only way they're going to learn and grow,' Moore said while debating in favor of the bill.
The subcommittee's two Democrats, Rep. Michelle McCane and Rep. John Waldron, both of Tulsa, voted against the measure.
McCane said some guardrails on online school days are appropriate but found the limitations in SB 758 too narrow. Waldron said the Legislature should address Oklahoma's teacher shortage first.
The bill passed 7-4, with dissenting votes from two GOP members — Rep. Toni Hasenbeck, R-Elgin, and Rep. Ronny Johns, R-Ada. Neither spoke against the bill.
The subcommittee advanced another bill that could extend students' time in classrooms. SB 409 would require districts to add a school day for every increase of $25 million the Legislature adds to the education funding formula, which is the chief driver of state appropriations to public schools.
The panel's chairperson, Rep. Chad Caldwell, R-Enid, said the bill would ensure students benefit from future funding increases.
The bill's senate author, Education Committee leader Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, said at the beginning of the legislative session that he filed the bill with the hope of boosting education funding by $125 million, thereby adding another five days to the school year.
Another bill from Moore would dedicate funds for students who need extra help in math. SB 215, called the Oklahoma Math Achievement and Proficiency Act, would require students in second through fifth grade to take three math screening tests each school year.
Children testing above their grade level would have the option to take an advanced math program.
Schools would have to develop a math intervention plan, involving remediation and tutoring, within 30 days of a student scoring below grade level.
The bill would cost between $10.2 million and $13.2 million, according to a fiscal impact estimate from House staff. Improving math skills in Oklahoma's future workforce is worth the investment, Moore said.
National testing found 31% of Oklahoma fourth graders scored proficiently in math and 23% in reading. By eighth grade, levels dropped further to 17% proficiency in math and 20% in reading.
The subcommittee approved the bill with an 8-2 vote.
McCane and Waldron cast the only two votes against the legislation after voicing concerns of adding to teachers' workload and affording the bill in a tight-budget year.
The two Democrats also were the only to oppose a new K-8 high-dosage tutoring program outlined in SB 245. The bill, which passed unanimously in the Senate, advanced from the House subcommittee 8-2.
The legislation from Sen. Dusty Deevers and Rep. Toni Hasenbeck, both Republicans from Elgin, is expected to cost $7.18 million.
The bill would pay teachers or hired contractors $1,600 for each cohort of students they tutor per semester in reading or math. Tutors could earn $1,000 for every grade-level increase that each student improves.
Waldron and McCane questioned whether the tutoring sessions would match the quality and methods of instruction provided during school hours.
Hasenbeck said the program would complement Moore's math achievement bill.
'This bill meets the kids where they are and teaches them the skills they need to have,' she said during Monday's meeting.
Two bills earned unanimous support from the subcommittee.
SB 140 would extend the application window for the Oklahoma's Promise Scholarship to Dec. 31 of a high school student's senior year. Students must apply by the end of 11th grade under current law. There is no fiscal impact estimate for the bill.
SB 235 would offer matching funds to districts that give financial aid to employees working toward a college degree in education. These initiatives, known as Grow Your Own Teacher Programs, help aspiring teachers graduate from college and achieve a teaching certification.
The expected fiscal impact from the bill is $5.2 million, said its House author, Rep. Dell Kerbs, R-Shawnee.
SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Wisconsin Democratic Convention, new party chair to be elected
The Brief Wisconsin Democrats will elect a new party chair at this year's state convention. Ben Wikler is credited with transforming the party into a fundraising powerhouse. The convention may provide insight into whether Evers intends to run for reelection. MILWAUKEE - Wisconsin Democrats will elect a new party chair at this year's state convention, which runs Saturday and Sunday. What's next Delegates will decide who will succeed WisDems Chair Ben Wikler. In April, the party announced that he would not seek a fourth term. He was first elected in 2019. FREE DOWNLOAD: Get breaking news alerts in the FOX LOCAL Mobile app for iOS or Android Wikler is credited with transforming the party into a fundraising powerhouse that helped lead to some big wins for Democrats statewide during his tenure – including successful reelection campaigns for Gov. Tony Evers and U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin. >>IMAGE>> Three candidates, Glendale Mayor Bryan Kennedy among them, have emerged to succeed Wikler. Sarah Abel, WisDems executive director, said whoever wins will have big shoes to fill. "I think the qualities that each of these candidates bring are similar. They have knowledge of how to run and win elections. They have some knowledge when it comes to fundraising, and they have knowledge when it comes to messaging and media," she said. "I think those are the really core things, understanding our organizing and our county parties, who are the backbone of this state party, is really important, and I think all three candidates understand that." Republican Party of Wisconsin Chair Brian Schimming was reelected to his second term in December. The convention could also provide insight into whether Gov. Tony Evers intends to run for reelection. Evers has repeatedly said he won't make a decision about whether to run for a third term in 2026 until after the upcoming state budget is done. Earlier this month, Senate Republicans said they were confident the Legislature would pass a budget that Evers would sign into law. SIGN UP TODAY: Get daily headlines, breaking news emails from FOX6 News Abel said she is hopeful the governor will decide to run for a third term. "I'm not going to question his decisions on when he should be making those decisions," she said. "I certainly hope he will run again. He's been an incredible leader for this state and for our party. And you know, we're looking to our entire convention theme is 'Road to 2026.' We're looking to flip the state House and state Senate to give him partners to work with, so we can hopefully finally pass some legislation." Evers is listed as the final speaker before a keynote address on Saturday night. The Source FOX6 News interviewed Abel and referenced an Associated Press report for this story.
23 minutes ago
Lawsuit centers on power struggle over elections in Arizona's most populous county
PHOENIX -- The top elections official in one of the nation's most pivotal swing counties is suing the Maricopa County governing board over allegations that it's attempting to gain more control over how elections are administered. County Recorder Justin Heap filed a lawsuit Thursday in state court with the backing of America First Legal, a conservative public interest group founded by Stephen Miller, who is now the White House deputy chief of staff. Heap, a former GOP state lawmaker who has questioned election administration in Arizona's most populous county, has been at odds with the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors for months over an agreement that would divide election operations between the two offices. After taking office in January, Heap terminated a previous agreement that was reached between his predecessor and the board. He claimed in his lawsuit it would have restrained his power to run elections by reducing funding and IT resources for the recorder's office. Last year's agreement also gave the board authority over early ballot processing, which drew criticism from Heap in his lawsuit. Heap is asking the court to undo what the lawsuit calls 'unlawful' actions by the board and to issue an order requiring the board to fund expenses he deems necessary. 'Despite their repeated misinformation and gaslighting of the public on these issues, defending the civil right to free, fair and honest elections for every Maricopa County voter isn't simply my job as county recorder, it's the right thing to do and a mission I'm fully committed to achieving,' Heap said in a statement Thursday. The board's chair and vice chair have called the legal challenge frivolous, saying Heap is wasting taxpayer money by going to court. Negotiations between the offices have been ongoing since the beginning of the year, and the board said in a statement that it appeared things were going well after a meeting in April. It was only weeks later, the board said, that Heap came back with what he called a final offer that included dozens of changes. Heap claims in the lawsuit that the board rejected his proposed agreement in late May. In a statement, America First Legal says the board separately voted on a tentative budget that shifts Heap's key duties and underfunds the recorder's office. 'From day one, Recorder Heap has been making promises that the law doesn't allow him to keep," Board Chairman Thomas Galvin said. "Arizona election statutes delineate election administration between county boards of supervisors and recorders to ensure there are checks and balances, and Recorder Heap clearly doesn't understand the responsibilities of his position.' Following President Donald Trump's 2020 loss, Maricopa County became an epicenter for election conspiracy theories. Heap has stopped short of saying the 2020 and 2022 elections were stolen, but he has said the state's practices for handling early ballots are insecure and has questioned how ballots are transported, handled and stored after they are submitted. Last year, Heap proposed an unsuccessful bill to remove Arizona from a multistate effort to maintain voter lists. Heap's predecessor, Stephen Richer, was rebuked in some GOP circles for defending the legitimacy of the 2020 and 2022 elections, in which Democrats including former President Joe Biden and Gov. Katie Hobbs won by razor-thin margins. Trump won Arizona in 2024, along with the other battleground states.
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Takeaways from AP's investigation of US death benefits program for public safety officers
A federal program that provides benefits to families of police officers and firefighters who die and become disabled on duty is rapidly growing while facing criticism for increasing delays in deciding claims. Congress created the Public Safety Officers' Benefits program in 1976 to guarantee that the spouses and children of officers who put their lives on the line would receive financial support. But repeated expansions in eligibility approved by Congress, including three passed in the last five years, have made the program more popular and complex to administer. Critics say the program fails some families by taking too long to grant or deny benefits and making inconsistent rulings. An Associated Press analysis found that hundreds of families are waiting years to learn whether they qualify for payments, and more are ultimately being denied. For one widow, payment came just as she'd given up hope New Jersey widow Sharline Volcy learned this month that she'd been awarded the benefits, more than 3 1/2 years after her husband, Ronald Donat, died while training at the Gwinnett County Police Academy in Georgia. Volcy said she was grateful for the aid, which will provide some financial security and help pay for her two daughters to go to college. But she said the long wait was stressful, when she was told time and again the claim remained under review and ultimately saw her inquiries ignored. 'They told me they didn't know how long it would take because they don't have a deadline. That's the hardest thing to hear,' she said. 'I felt defeated.' She said lawyers didn't want to take the case, and a plea for help to her congressperson went nowhere. She said she'd given up hope and was lucky she had a job as an airport gate agent in the meantime. The benefits program isn't meeting its timeframe goal Volcy's experience isn't unique, and some cases take longer. As of late April, more than 120 claims by surviving relatives or disabled first responders have been awaiting initial determinations or rulings on their appeals for more than five years, according AP's findings. About a dozen have waited over a decade for an answer. The program has a goal of making determinations within one year but has not taken steps to track its progress, according to a recent Government Accountability Office report. But roughly three in 10 cases have not met that timeframe in recent years. As of late late April, 900 claims had been pending longer than one year. That includes claims from nearly every state. Republican lawmakers have introduced a bill to require the program to make determinations within 270 days. The denial rate for benefits is up, too Over the last year, the denial rate has increased, with roughly one in three death and disability claims getting rejected. Applicants can appeal to a hearing officer and then the director if they choose, but that isn't common. Many say they can't afford attorneys or want to get on with their lives. Justice Department officials, who oversee the program, say they're making complicated decisions about whether cases meet legal criteria. 'Death and disability claims involving complex medical and causation issues, voluminous evidence and conflicting medical opinions, take longer to determine, as do claims in various stages of appeal,' they said in a statement. Claims have doubled in recent years The program started as a simple $50,000 payout for the families of officers who were fatally shot on duty or died as a result of other violence or dangers. But Congress expanded the program in 1990 to cover some first responders who were disabled on duty, which made some determinations harder to reach. A 1998 law added educational benefits for the spouses and children of those deceased and disabled officers. Since 2020, Congress has passed three laws making many other types of deaths and disabilities eligible, including deaths related to COVID-19, deaths and injuries of those working rescue and cleanup operations after the September 2001 attacks, and responders who committed suicide under certain circumstances. Annual claims have more than doubled in the last five years, from 500 in 2019 to roughly 1,200 today. Critics say a key partnership creates a conflict of interest While many applicants have criticized the increasing delays, the leading group that represents the relatives of officers who die on duty has been silent. Critics say that's because the group, Concerns of Police Survivors, has a financial incentive not to criticize the program, which has awarded it tens of millions of dollars in grant funding in recent decades. The Missouri-based nonprofit recently received a new $6 million grant from the program to for its work with deceased officers' relatives, including counseling, hosting memorial events, educating agencies about the program and assisting with claims. The group's founder and retired executive director, Suzie Sawyer, said she was warned many years ago that fighting too hard for claimants could jeopardize its grant funding. But current spokesperson Sara Slone said advocacy isn't the group's mission and that it works 'hand in hand' with PSOB to assist applicants and provide education about benefits. One widow's fight has been remarkable, supporters say Lisa Afolayan's husband died after a training exercise at the Border Patrol academy more than 16 years ago, but she's still fighting the program for benefits. An autopsy found that Nate Afolayan died from heat illness after completing a 1.5-mile test run in 88 degree heat, at a high altitude in the New Mexico desert. The program had awarded benefits to families after similar training deaths, dating back to an officer who died at an academy in 1988. But its independent investigation blamed Nate's death on sickle cell trait, a genetic condition that's usually benign but has been linked to rare exertion-related deaths in police, military and sports training. The program denied Lisa's claim and her subsequent appeals, arguing the death wasn't the result of heat along and didn't qualify. The program stood by its denial in 2024, even after a federal appeals court said it may have failed to adequately consider the weather's role and violated a law barring discrimination on the basis of genetic information.
