Recent Articles

Census data confirms we must do more to help Oklahoma children and families

Census data confirms that Oklahoma policymakers must do more to help Oklahoma families get ahead.  [More...]

Black and Latino Oklahoma children are still more likely to live in concentrated poverty

Despite some improvement since the Great Recession, Black and Latino children in Oklahoma are still more likely to live in concentrated poverty according to “Children Living in High Poverty, Low-Opportunity Neighborhoods,” a new KIDS COUNT® data snapshot released today by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.  [More...]

Report: Juvenile crime plummets in Oklahoma, but racial and local disparities remain

For Immediate Release Contact: Jessica Vazquez, jvazquez@okpolicy.org, (918) 794-3944 TULSA, Okla. (Sep. 11, 2019) — Rates of serious violent and property crimes by youth have fallen dramatically over the past three decades, according to a report released today by Open Justice Oklahoma,… Read more [More...]

Ahniwake Rose takes OK Policy helm while organization honors outgoing director David Blatt with Legacy Fund and Events

Today marks a new era in the history of Oklahoma Policy Institute (OK Policy) as Ahniwake Rose takes over the helm as Executive Director, succeeding longtime director David Blatt. [More...]

OK Policy selects second class of fellows for Oklahoma Mental Health Policy Fellowship

Oklahoma Policy Institute has hired Ky’lee Barnoski and Bobby Koolis as the second class of fellows for the Oklahoma Mental Health Policy Fellowship.  [More...]

New dashboard from Open Justice Oklahoma provides live data on Oklahoma’s prison population

For Immediate Release Contact: Ryan Gentzler, rgentzler@okpolicy.org, (918) 794-3944 TULSA, Okla. – A new data tool published by Open Justice Oklahoma provides up-to-date looks at the state’s incarceration rate and prison overcrowding crisis. The Oklahoma DOC Tracker will be updated… Read more [More...]

Report: Federal funds provide needed boost for affordable child care in Oklahoma

Contact: Rebecca Fine, rfine@okpolicy.org, 918-794-3944 TULSA, Okla. — A new report from Oklahoma Policy Institute finds that new federal grant funding is making affordable child care a reality for more Oklahomans. In fiscal year 2019, Oklahoma’s child care subsidy program… Read more [More...]

Now Hiring: Outreach & Legislative Liaison

Are you an experienced advocate committed to expanding opportunity and social justice for all Oklahomans? You could join our growing team at Oklahoma Policy Institute as an Outreach & Legislative Liaison. The new hire will report to OK Policy’s Outreach… Read more [More...]

Meet OK Policy: Policy Director Carly Putnam

Oklahoma Policy Institute has grown a lot in the past few years. From humble beginnings in 2008, we now have a staff of 19, including talented individuals who focus on a wide range of policy issues, intensive data analysis, outreach,… Read more [More...]

Bill Watch: We have a budget

On Wednesday, Republican leaders announced they had reached agreement on an $8.3 billion state budget. That budget was approved in House and Senate committees yesterday and should go to final vote in both chambers today and early next week. [More...]