New education laws take effect in Oklahoma this school year (Capitol Update)

As the school year begins, my thoughts turn to some of the new requirements Oklahoma schools must attend to in the year ahead. As usual, legislators have enacted a variety of education laws they deem necessary to improve student outcomes and safety. 

The new Strong Readers Act, authored by Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, and Sen. Adam Pugh, R-Edmond, received most of the education-related publicity last session, at least partly because it requires retaining third graders who fail to read at grade level beginning in the 2027-2028 school year.

However, other education issues were also on legislators’ minds. A few of those are below:

1. HB 1484, by Rep. Ronny Johns, R-Ada, and Sen. Darrell Weaver, R-Moore, requires each school district to provide annual, research-based instruction related to fentanyl abuse prevention and drug poisoning awareness to students in grades six through twelve.

2. HB 2959, by Rep. Steve Bashore, R-Miami, and Sen. Kristen Thompson, R-Edmond, strengthens an existing law requiring school employees who have reason to believe a student is a victim of abuse or neglect to report the matter immediately to local law enforcement.  The new law also adds responsibilities for school administrators when abuse allegations involve a school employee: 

1. Any superintendent or school administrator who has reason to believe, receives an allegation, or receives a disclosure that a school employee abused or neglected a student must report the matter to local law enforcement within twenty-four (24) hours. 
2. The allegation must be reported to law enforcement before the school or school board begins any formal investigation or questions the accused employee. 
3. School investigators, administrators, and officials may not formally interview the employee or begin disciplinary proceedings until law enforcement has been notified and has had an opportunity to interview the parties involved, unless law enforcement determines that an immediate school response is needed to protect student safety. 
4. An employee’s resignation, termination, transfer, or other separation from employment does not relieve anyone of the duty to report the matter to law enforcement as required by this law.

The intention of HB 2959 is to prevent situations where statements and evidence obtained by a school investigation cannot be used later in court because they are not considered to have been obtained voluntarily when the employee was obligated by school policy to cooperate in the investigation. 

3. SB 1360, by Sen. Ally Seifried, R-Claremore, and Rep. Anthony Moore, R-Clinton, overhauled the “Oklahoma Math Achievement and Proficiency Act.”  The bill creates an Office of Mathematics Improvement within the State Department of Education and requires that the Superintendent of Public Instruction appoint a director within 90 days after the effective date of the Act. The Director’s exclusive focus must be mathematics instruction for students in grades kindergarten through five. The bill requires the director to have experience in administration, teaching mathematics at the elementary level in a public or private school, and serving as an elementary mathematics specialist, coach, or administrator.

Instead of the current math screening program, the new law calls for a multi-tiered system of supports (MTSS) similar to those required by the amendments to the Strong Readers Act. The screening will identify students with increased need for support, and the bill provides a weighted funding system for school districts depending on student needs. It also provides incentive funding for accomplishment of measurable improvement in math.

Key provisions of SB 1360 emphasize early identification of mathematics deficiencies, intensive intervention for students with identified deficiencies, communication with parents about their child’s progress and available supports, including participation in summer academies, and teacher training opportunities.

The new Director of the Office of Mathematics Improvement will: 

1. Monitor the use of a single statewide screening instrument, diagnostic assessments, and formative assessments for kindergarten through fifth grade to identify students needing support in key numeracy concepts; 
2. Recommend educator training and support for effectively implementing and interpreting diagnostic tools, which must be used with students identified as having mathematics deficiencies through statewide screening, diagnostic assessments, formative assessments, benchmark assessments, teacher observations, or any combination of those measures; 
3. Appoint a team of educators to examine the relationship between number-sense difficulties and dyscalculia and to evaluate potentially effective screening tools; 
4. Dedicate resources to understanding the needs of students who struggle with number sense, dyscalculia, or both before adopting instructional practices or assessments that could negatively affect student learning; 
5. Monitor the implementation and progress of summer mathematics academies; 
6. Use data collected and analyzed by the Office of Mathematics Improvement to recommend changes and improvements to professional development providers and public schools in the state; and 
7. Monitor the implementation and progress of the Oklahoma Math Achievement and Proficiency Act.

  The Legislature appropriated $7.5 million for the math program.