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2024 Census data: Oklahoma ranks as 8th poorest state

By: Dave Hamby
September 11, 2025 // Updated: September 12, 2025
Data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2024 American Community Survey, released Sept. 11, show that Oklahoma’s poverty rate was 14.9 percent, which means that more than 1 in 7 state residents live in poverty. While the state’s overall poverty rate… Read more More...

Recent Posts

In The Know: OK School Districts Desperately Need Help As Testing Nears

By: Courtney Cullison
April 3, 2017 // Updated: April 3, 2017
In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Click here to subscribe to In The Know and see past editions. Check out OK… Read more [More...]

The Weekly Wonk: SB 81 breaks Oklahoma’s obligation to educate all children, state agencies face terrible choices if the legislature fails to address the budget crisis, and more

By: Courtney Cullison
April 2, 2017 // Updated: April 2, 2017
What’s up this week at Oklahoma Policy Institute? The Weekly Wonk shares our most recent publications and other resources to help you stay informed about Oklahoma. Numbers of the Day and Policy Notes are from our daily news briefing, In… Read more [More...]

Lawmakers are finally starting to look at revenue options (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
March 31, 2017 // Updated: March 30, 2017
Steve Lewis served as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1989-1991. He currently practices law in Tulsa and represents clients at the Capitol. Last week saw a flurry of bills meet the deadline for floor passage in their… Read more [More...]

SB 81 would break Oklahoma’s obligation to educate all kids

By: Gene Perry
March 30, 2017 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Article 13 of Oklahoma’s Constitution begins: “The Legislature shall establish and maintain a system of free public schools wherein all the children of the State may be educated.” That commitment to educate all of the children in our state is prominent in our… Read more [More...]

OK PolicyCast Episode 27: So You Want To Effect Change

By: Gene Perry
March 28, 2017 // Updated: March 28, 2017
You can subscribe to our podcast on iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, or RSS. The podcast theme music is by Zébre. If you have any questions for the OK PolicyCast, topics you’d like us to cover, or people you want us to interview, you can reach us at… Read more [More...]

In The Know: Lawmakers concerned cuts could lead to federal takeover

By: Courtney Cullison
March 27, 2017 // Updated: March 27, 2017
In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Click here to subscribe to In The Know and see past editions. Check out OK… Read more [More...]

The Weekly Wonk: OK Policy welcomes two new additions, Republican health bill would devastate Oklahomans’ access to care, DHS may soon run out of money to care for vulnerable seniors, and more

By: Courtney Cullison
March 26, 2017 // Updated: March 26, 2017
What’s up this week at Oklahoma Policy Institute? The Weekly Wonk shares our most recent publications and other resources to help you stay informed about Oklahoma. Numbers of the Day and Policy Notes are from our daily news briefing, In… Read more [More...]

As we near halfway point of legislative session, still waiting for solutions on big issues (Capitol Update)

By: Steve Lewis
March 24, 2017 // Updated: March 24, 2017
Steve Lewis served as Speaker of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1989-1991. He currently practices law in Tulsa and represents clients at the Capitol. This past week was spring break week for most of the state’s schools, so the… Read more [More...]

DHS Director: Oklahoma budget cut scenarios range “from the terrible to the unthinkable”

By: Gene Perry
March 23, 2017 // Updated: May 2, 2019
Unless lawmakers find new revenues to close their budget shortfall, Oklahoma is looking at unprecedented cuts to the most basic services of state government, including those for the most vulnerable seniors, children, and people with disabilities. Even before next year’s… Read more [More...]

In The Know: Senate plan for teacher pay raises hinges on fuel tax hike

By: Carly Putnam
// Updated: March 23, 2017
In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Click here to subscribe to In The Know and see past editions. Check out OK… Read more [More...]

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