First, Stitt said he wants better literacy outcomes for Oklahoma students. Lawmakers have filed several bills that would overhaul the state’s literacy policy. Those include Senate Bill 1778 from Sen. Adam Pugh (R-Edmond), which would require first through third-grade students who do not meet literacy targets to participate in a summer academy.
It would also implement transitional grades and third-grade literacy-based retention — a policy Oklahoma used to practice but watered down its enforcement until ultimately eliminating it.
Other bills include the READS Act, House Bill 2944 by Rep. Rob Hall (R-Tulsa) and mirror legislation Senate Bill 1271 by Sen. Michael Bergstrom (R-Adair), House Bill 4149 by Rep. Toni Hasenback (R-Elgin), House Bill 4420 by House Speaker Kyle Hilbert (R-Bristow), and House Bill 3023 by Rep. Dick Lowe (R-Amber).
But earlier in his speech, Stitt cautioned against new programs and spending more money - something effective overhauls in other states required. Mississippi, whose early literacy turnaround from 49th to the top 10 in the country is often dubbed the “Mississippi Miracle,” spends $15 million annually on its literacy initiatives.
Second, Stitt called for the elimination of the Oklahoma Secondary School Activity Association (OSSAA), which governs extracurricular activities for Oklahoma students.
Stitt appeared to reference an incident in which Glencoe Public Schools sued OSSAA over its decision to disallow some students from playing basketball due to an alleged rule violation related to transferring schools.
“Their parents had to hire a lawyer and go to court just to get to play at their new school. That is unacceptable,” Stitt said. “Your ability to play sports shouldn’t be contingent on your parent’s ability to afford an attorney. It’s time to eliminate the OSSAA.”
A spokesperson for the OSSAA did not return a request for comment before publication.
Third, Stitt called for policy reform to establish new charter schools.
Oklahoma state law requires charter schools to submit an application first to the school district in which the charter proposes to be located. The district board can either approve or deny the application. If denied, the charter can submit an application to a proposed sponsor.
“You shouldn’t have to get permission from McDonald’s to open a Burger King across the street,” Stitt said. “If we want top-tier charters to come to Oklahoma, they should be able to go straight to the statewide board [for] authorization instead of having to play ‘Mother, May I?’ with local school districts.”
House Bill 3069 by Hall would allow charters to elect to submit applications directly to a proposed sponsor instead of first having to submit to a local school district. House Bill 366 from Sen. Kelly Hines (R-Oklahoma City), a holdover bill from last year, entirely removes the requirement to submit to a school district.
Fourth, Stitt renewed his call for eliminating the cap on the Parental Choice Tax Credit, which grants credits to families whose children attend private schools.
In 2024, the program maxed out the $150 million allotted for credits. The credits were capped at $200 million for 2025 and are capped at $250 million for 2026.
At least one bill, Senate Bill 229 by Sen. Julie Daniels (R-Bartlesville) would remove the cap beginning in FY 2027.
Last year, the Oklahoma Tax Commission reported 21% of tax credits awarded for the spring 2025 semester went to families who make more than $250,000 annually — totaling $19.3 million of taxpayer money to the credits. For families with an income of $75,000 or less, the state paid out $27.1 million.
Lastly, Stitt touted his appointment of Lindel Fields as State Superintendent in the wake of former State Superintendent Ryan Walters’ departure last year. He said Fields has brought a “much-needed culture change to our state.” Walters was elected after serving as Stitt’s Secretary of Education, an appointed position.
Stitt called for a change to require the Oklahoma governor to appoint the superintendent position instead of it being an elected position.
Senate Joint Resolution 33 by Sen. Shane Jett (R-Shawnee) would create a ballot initiative to do just that. The appointment term would be four years, concurrent with the governor. It would also remove the Superintendent of Public Instruction from a list of offices subject to an eight-year limit.
“Thirty-eight states appoint their superintendent rather than electing them,” Stitt said. “It keeps the focus on outcomes instead of politics. Leadership alignment matters.”
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