Legislative Update

By Dr. Jeanene Barnett, CCOSA Education Policy and Research Analyst

Governor Stitt outlined two education reform priorities very clearly in his state of the state address. The first two education-related bills that he signed fulfilled his priorities.

HB 2078: Funding Formula Change

HB 2078 by Rep. Kyle Hilbert, R-Depew, and Sen. Zack Taylor, R-Seminole changes the basis for state aid funding. Instead of using the highest weighted average daily membership from the current year or two prior years, districts can only use the highest weighted average daily membership from the current year or prior year. This new mode of calculating school funding goes into effect in 2022-2023. It also changes the percentage allowed for General Fund Balance, as shown in the table at right.

SB 793: Open Transfers

SB 783 Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond and Rep. Brad Boles, R-Marlow, requires each school district board of education to adopt an open transfer policy for the school district which specifies its criteria and standards for approval of transfers of students who do not reside in the district.

Additional details include:

■ Students can transfer at any time during the year with

■ no more than 2 transfers per year and

■ can re-enroll in district of residence at any time.

■ Transfer requests can be denied for lack of capacity based on grade level for each school site within a school district (defined in local policy), excessive absences (ten or more unexcused within a semester), and suspensions (as described in current law).

■ Local board of education must develop a policy by January 1, 2022 to address reasons for denying.

■ Each quarter, the local board shall:

■ establish capacity,

■ publish the capacity study in a prominent place on the website, and

■ notify the State Department of Education (SDE).

■ If transfer requests exceed capacity, the bill requires students to be enrolled in the order that the transfer applications are received.

■ If a transfer request is denied, parents can appeal the local board of education’s decision through the state board of education.

■ The local board of education must submit a report to the state board of education by June 30 annually providing the number of transfer requests approved and denied with reasons provided for those denied.

■ Office of Educational Quality and Accountability (OEQA) shall audit 10% of districts each year to make sure districts submit accurate documentation.

■ If OEQA finds inaccurate reporting of capacity levels by a school district, the Office shall set the capacity for the school district.

■ Districts are required to accept the following students, regardless of capacity:

■ A foster child living in the home of a student on a transfer.

■ A student whose parent is a member of the active uniformed military services of the United States on full-time active duty status and for whom Oklahoma is the home of record and students who are the dependent children of a member of the military reserve on active duty orders.

■ A student of a teacher in the district.

■ If a student’s grade is not offered in his or her home district.

■ It repeals all emergency transfer language.

It has been a busy legislative session, with a flurry of activity that began before session opened. It is expected to remain the same through sine die, May 28, 2021. CCOSA will bring an update of all the new legislation at Recharge: CCOSA Annual Summer Leadership Conference on June 8-10. We hope to see you there.