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.
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By:
Gene Perry
January 23, 2019 // Updated: January 26, 2020
Note: The application period for our 2019 communications internships has closed. Visit our Jobs & Internship page for updates.
OK Policy is now accepting applications for a paid, part-time communications internship in our Tulsa office. The internship runs from late-February…
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By:
Guest
January 16, 2019 // Updated: May 2, 2019
This spring, Governor Fallin and the state Legislature directed the state Medicaid agency to build a plan to cut health coverage for low-income parents who don’t meet a work requirement. When a draft of the agency’s plan became available this…
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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.
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By:
Steve Lewis
January 14, 2019 // Updated: January 19, 2019
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.
It looks like we may be in for a wholesale change in the way state government works…
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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…
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By:
David Blatt
January 10, 2019 // Updated: May 1, 2019
After a decade of ongoing shortfalls and repeated cuts to core services, Oklahoma’s finances are finally in recovery. Revenues are growing and lawmakers are expected to have substantially more money for next year’s budget, according to initial projections that were…
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Oklahoma is in crisis. While need for mental health care climbs, Oklahomans overwhelmingly lack access to the care needed to address these sometimes preventable, always treatable conditions. This has serious consequences: untreated mental illness can mean increased risk for other…
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By:
Steve Lewis
January 7, 2019 // Updated: June 17, 2019
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.
“We’re not going to build any more prisons.” I remember House Speaker Dan Draper making that declarative…
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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…
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