Rebecca Fine worked as the Education Policy Analyst and KIDS COUNT Coordinator at OK Policy from July 2018 until December 2020. Originally from New York, she began her career in education as an Oklahoma teacher. Rebecca proudly comes from a family of educators, and spent four years teaching middle school in Tulsa and Union Public Schools. She graduated magna cum laude with a B.A. in political science from the University of Rochester and received an M.A. in Educational Policy Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
By: Rebecca Fine
February 27, 2019 // Updated: September 22, 2023
Correction 4/1/19: This post has been updated to correct information about the income eligibility for scholarship recipients.
In 2011, the Legislature passed the Oklahoma Equal Opportunity Education Scholarship Act, which grants tax credits to individuals or corporations who make a… Read more [More...]
By: Rebecca Fine
February 19, 2019 // Updated: February 27, 2019
Legislators filed approximately 2,800 bills this session, and about 250 of those dealt with education. This list below only touches the surface of those headed through the Legislature, but they could have considerable impact on Oklahoma's schools. [More...]
By: Rebecca Fine
February 13, 2019 // Updated: July 2, 2019
Oklahoma schools don't have enough support staff to meet needs, and their salaries are far too low averaging just $21,583 a year. While HB 1010xx gave support professionals a $1,250 pay raise, it was well short of the $5,000 they asked for. This session, education support professionals must be a bigger part of our conversations about how to better serve Oklahoma's schools. [More...]
By: Rebecca Fine
February 5, 2019 // Updated: July 2, 2019
SB 11 would move cutoff dates for children entering pre-K from September 1 to July 1. Oklahoma would be the only state to have a cutoff before July 31st. The change would delay pre-K eligibility by a year for children who are two months shy of the new cutoff date. SB 11 would particularly hurt low-income families and children of color who benefit most from pre-K programs. [More...]
By: Rebecca Fine
January 15, 2019 // Updated: July 2, 2019
There is a saying that “what gets measured, gets done,” and in 1990, our state Legislature seemed to understand this adage. That year, they passed HB 1017, which dedicated $560 million dollars over five years to implement historic education reforms including class size reduction, curriculum standards, testing, and early childhood programs. Since that time, state funding gains have severely eroded, and Oklahoma has not been able to maintain many aspects of HB 1017 including class size limits. [More...]
By: Rebecca Fine
December 18, 2018 // Updated: September 22, 2023
Oklahomans know every student needs access to quality public education. Unfortunately, our state has struggled to uphold this commitment. While all areas of public education have suffered from slashed education funding over the past decade, budget cuts have hit fine… Read more [More...]
By: Rebecca Fine
October 24, 2018 // Updated: September 22, 2023
Last April, the Oklahoma Legislature passed HB1010xx and other revenue measures, which restored $480 million dollars of education funding. The majority of the new revenue is being used to fund a long-awaited pay raise for teachers. HB1010xx also increased funding… Read more [More...]
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@RebeccaPFine
Correction 4/1/19: This post has been updated to correct information about the income eligibility for scholarship recipients.
In 2011, the Legislature passed the Oklahoma Equal Opportunity Education Scholarship Act, which grants tax credits to individuals or corporations who make a… Read more [More...]
Legislators filed approximately 2,800 bills this session, and about 250 of those dealt with education. This list below only touches the surface of those headed through the Legislature, but they could have considerable impact on Oklahoma's schools. [More...]
![[Image Source: U.S. Department of Education / Flickr]](https://i0.wp.com/okpolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/Support-staff-pay-raise-and-restoring-cuts-is-key-to-improving-Oklahomas-schools-image.jpg?fit=375%2C248&ssl=1)
Oklahoma schools don't have enough support staff to meet needs, and their salaries are far too low averaging just $21,583 a year. While HB 1010xx gave support professionals a $1,250 pay raise, it was well short of the $5,000 they asked for. This session, education support professionals must be a bigger part of our conversations about how to better serve Oklahoma's schools. [More...]
![[Image Source: U.S. Department of Education / Flickr]](https://i0.wp.com/okpolicy.org/wp-content/uploads/Delaying-Pre-K-would-be-a-step-back-for-Oklahomas-children.jpg?fit=375%2C248&ssl=1)
SB 11 would move cutoff dates for children entering pre-K from September 1 to July 1. Oklahoma would be the only state to have a cutoff before July 31st. The change would delay pre-K eligibility by a year for children who are two months shy of the new cutoff date. SB 11 would particularly hurt low-income families and children of color who benefit most from pre-K programs. [More...]
There is a saying that “what gets measured, gets done,” and in 1990, our state Legislature seemed to understand this adage. That year, they passed HB 1017, which dedicated $560 million dollars over five years to implement historic education reforms including class size reduction, curriculum standards, testing, and early childhood programs. Since that time, state funding gains have severely eroded, and Oklahoma has not been able to maintain many aspects of HB 1017 including class size limits. [More...]
Oklahomans know every student needs access to quality public education. Unfortunately, our state has struggled to uphold this commitment. While all areas of public education have suffered from slashed education funding over the past decade, budget cuts have hit fine… Read more [More...]
Last April, the Oklahoma Legislature passed HB1010xx and other revenue measures, which restored $480 million dollars of education funding. The majority of the new revenue is being used to fund a long-awaited pay raise for teachers. HB1010xx also increased funding… Read more [More...]
