StateImpact Oklahoma

15/11/2024

A report conducted by OSU and a women’s policy nonprofit highlights barriers to increasing the number of child care facilities in Oklahoma, which include "burdensome" licensing requirements and the need for increased financial support.

Oklahoma children outnumber the spots available in licensed child care facilities, and rural counties are feeling the burden of uneven access.

14/11/2024

BREAKING: State Supt. Ryan Walters sent district superintendents an email Thursday mandating they show a video to their students of him announcing the new Office of Religious Liberty and Patriotism and inviting students to join in a prayer for President-Elect Donald Trump: https://www.kgou.org/education/2024-11-14/walters-mandates-schools-show-video-inviting-students-to-pray-for-trump

14/11/2024

Four years ago, lawmakers passed a bill requiring all Oklahoma public schools to offer at least four AP courses. It went into effect this fall. But, most schools still aren’t teaching four courses — and rural schools say the law has had little impact:

Four years ago, lawmakers passed a bill requiring all Oklahoma public schools to offer at least four Advanced Placement courses. It went into effect this fall. But, most schools still aren’t teaching four AP courses — and rural schools say the law has had little impact.

13/11/2024

Oklahoma’s maternal mortality rate increased slightly, according to an annual state report. The uptick was consistent with elevated rates nationally that are linked, in part, to COVID-related deaths.

Data from an annual report outlines an increase in Oklahoma's maternal deaths from 31 per 100,000 live births during the 2019-2021 reporting period to 31.9 per 100,000 from 2020-2022.

11/11/2024

BREAKING: Supt. Ryan Walters announced the formation of a state advisory committee to implement Trump Administration policy changes, like transitioning through an anticipated U.S. Department of Education phase-out:

State Superintendent Ryan Walters announced Monday the formation of an advisory committee to oversee anticipated federal education policy changes from the incoming Trump administration.

11/11/2024

Amid a charged political climate, some transgender Oklahomans are looking to music for community and solidarity. Listen to this audio postcard from the inaugural concert of the Oklahoma Action Chorus — a choir of transgender Oklahomans and allies:

At Church of the Open Arms in northwest Oklahoma City, dozens gathered on Thursday evening to listen to the Oklahoma Action Chorus — a choir of trans Oklahomans and allies.

08/11/2024

An analysis of abortions during 2020 and 2023 found an uptick in nearly every state with a near-total abortion ban, excluding Texas, Idaho and Oklahoma, which had the steepest decline.

Reproductive health groups spoke to potential contributing factors.

A national analysis of abortions during 2020 and the end of 2023 found an uptick in nearly every state with a near-total abortion ban, excluding Texas, Idaho and Oklahoma, which had the steepest decline.

08/11/2024

Oklahoma nursing homes say an unfunded mandate asks them to find employees they can’t afford and that don’t exist. Now, Oklahoma has joined a lawsuit against it.

StateImpact’s Jillian Taylor spoke with the CEO of LeadingAge Oklahoma about the suit.

Oklahoma is one of about 20 states that recently joined a lawsuit against the federal government over its staffing mandate for nursing homes.

04/11/2024

Oklahoma’s program for investigating long-term care facility complaints is now operating under the attorney general’s office after Senate Bill 1709 became law on Friday.

The Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program moved from Oklahoma Human Services to the attorney general’s office after Senate Bill 1709 became law on Friday.

01/11/2024

Oklahoma’s vaccine exemption rates among kindergartners have risen from 4.7% in the 2022-2023 school year to 5.7% the following year

The CDC notes exemptions above 5% can increase the risk for outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases.

Oklahoma’s vaccine exemption rates among kindergartners have risen from 4.7% in the 2022-2023 school year to 5.7% the following year.

29/10/2024

A LOFT report on the State Department's handling of funds found no evidence of criminal action, but said the agency should have expedited communication to districts and lawmakers sooner:

The Oklahoma Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency said the State Department of Education did not do anything to warrant a criminal investigation for how it handled funding at its legislative presentation Tuesday. But, it said the agency should have communicated better with districts and lawmake...

29/10/2024

Two scientists from the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation are studying how exercise can combat aging through a $7.7 million grant from the National Institutes of Health.

OMRF scientists are collaborating with Florida researchers to use a nearly $8 million grant to create a model to predict what factors determine whether someone responds to exercise.

28/10/2024

The Oklahoma Hospital Association published a free resource for Oklahoma seniors to navigate choosing a Medicare plan during open enrollment, which goes through Dec. 7.

The Oklahoma Hospital Association's website, MedicareDisadvantaged.org, outlines the differences between Medicare plans during open enrollment, which ends Dec. 7.

25/10/2024

Whooping cough is on the rise in Oklahoma, with 232 cases reported this year compared to seven in all of 2023.

Two physicians have more on what could be influencing this increase and how you can protect yourself.

Whooping cough cases have nearly quadrupled nationwide since last year, and Oklahoma is seeing those impacts. Here's what you need to know.

24/10/2024

Oklahoma's attorney general refused to re-approve the State Board of Education's lawyer after friction over lawmaker access to executive sessions. At Thursday's meeting, that led to the board tabling much of its agenda:

The Oklahoma State Board of Education voted to table much of its agenda at Thursday’s meeting, saying it was uncomfortable voting due to a sudden change in the board’s legal counsel, affected by State Attorney General Gentner Drummond.

23/10/2024

Lawmakers studied a possible statewide school cell phone ban Tuesday and Wednesday, weighing concerns over a potential mandate usurping local control with the need to intervene to protect students’ mental health and academic outcomes:

The Senate Education Committee met Tuesday and Wednesday to hear from physicians, policy researchers and educators at a legislative interim study about banning or restricting student cell phone access in schools.

18/10/2024

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review a federal appeals court decision that said Oklahoma isn’t entitled to federal family planning money it lost last year.

Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review a federal appeals court decision saying Oklahoma isn’t entitled to federal family planning money it lost last year.

17/10/2024

More than 30 parents, teachers and faith leaders filed a lawsuit in the Oklahoma Supreme Court Thursday over State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ directive to require Bibles in every classroom. Walters responded he "will never back down to the woke mob":

More than 30 parents, teachers and faith leaders filed a lawsuit in the Oklahoma Supreme Court Thursday over State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ directive to require Bibles in every classroom and to use them as an instructional resource.