Articles
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Education, Economy
Report: Oklahoma ranks 16th in school choice, trails Arkansas and Texas
A new report ranks Oklahoma 16th nationally for its student-centered funding programs, highlighting the strong performance of the Oklahoma Parental Tax Credit program—but also warning that the state’s $250 million cap is holding back thousands of families who want access to private-school options.Ray Carter | January 28, 2026
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Budget & Tax, Education
Stitt launches school choice hub, opts Oklahoma into new federal tax credit
Gov. Kevin Stitt marked National School Choice Week by ordering the creation of an Oklahoma School Choice Hub—an online, parent-friendly resource launching within 90 days—and announcing that Oklahoma will join a new federal tax-credit program that funds private-school scholarships.Ray Carter | January 27, 2026
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Good Government
Stitt orders fraud review of welfare programs
Gov. Kevin Stitt has ordered a sweeping review of Oklahoma’s welfare programs. His executive order requires agencies to audit fraud safeguards, eligibility rules, and error rates across SNAP, Medicaid, TANF, WIC, and related programs.Ray Carter | January 27, 2026
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Education
Oklahoma public school funding soars, but less money reaches classrooms
State Superintendent Lindel Fields told lawmakers this week that Oklahoma’s per-pupil funding is up about 50 percent over the past decade and that average teacher pay, adjusted for cost of living, is $69,046. He said more school days could help lift student performance.Ray Carter | January 27, 2026
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Law & Principles
Pro-SQ 836 group says nearly all Republican lawmakers ‘should be voted out’
After 114 Republican lawmakers warned voters about SQ 836, the Kirkpatrick Policy Group responded by thanking OCPA “for providing a list of the first politicians who should be voted out once SQ 836 passes.”Ray Carter | January 26, 2026
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Law & Principles
Oklahoma weighs tougher penalties for disrupting worship
Senate Bill 743, authored by state Sen. Todd Gollihare, would impose jail time and escalating fines for those who invade or obstruct religious gatherings. The bill is inspired by both national incidents and harassment at Gollihare’s own church.Ray Carter | January 23, 2026
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Law & Principles
Nearly all Oklahoma Republican state lawmakers oppose SQ 836, warn of California-style elections
More than 90 percent of Oklahoma House Republicans and 97 percent of Senate Republicans are urging voters to reject State Question 836, warning that the proposal would dismantle Oklahoma’s primary system and replicate California’s “top two” model.Ray Carter | January 22, 2026
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Economy
Hern launches policy institute to expand opportunities for future generations
U.S. Rep. Kevin Hern, R-Tulsa, who rose from poverty to become a highly successful businessman before entering Congress, is launching the Hern Policy Institute to help future generations access the same opportunities he enjoyed.Ray Carter | January 22, 2026
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Higher Education
Whistleblower: OU dental school prioritizing high-tuition foreign students as some Oklahomans get squeezed out
A whistleblower says the University of Oklahoma’s dental school is increasingly prioritizing high-paying foreign students over U.S. applicants, limiting opportunities for Oklahomans—even though language barriers and lower-quality prior training drain faculty time and diminish instruction for American students.Ray Carter | January 21, 2026
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Law & Principles, Good Government
Accused criminal’s reelection highlights Oklahoma election-date problem
A Warr Acres city councilman was reelected without a single vote cast—then arrested days later on charges of first-degree rape and multiple counts of lewd acts with children—highlighting what critics call a structural flaw in Oklahoma’s low-profile, off-cycle elections.Ray Carter | January 20, 2026