AM NewsBrief: April 30, 2025

Oklahoma City’s Key to Home Partnership shared recent data on the city’s homeless population on Tuesday. While there was an increase from 2024, experts are optimistic.

1,882 people were counted in this year’s Point in Time Count, which is an annual survey of homelessness required by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development. That’s a 2.4% increase from 2024.

But Jamie Caves, Key to Home’s Homeless Strategy Implementation Manager, says it’s still a step in the right direction.

"While we never want to see an increase, a 2.4 increase is actually a pretty dramatic move in the right director. Last year we saw a 28% increase, so we've really been able to slow the growth this year and we see that as a win," said Caves.

Caves says the loss of COVID-era funding led to a sharp increase in homelessness between 2023 and 2024. Since then, she attributes the slowdown to the stabilization of funding sources which led to 300 people being put into permanent housing over the last 12 months.

After weeks of confusion, the Trump Administration has reversed course on terminating international students’ statuses in the U.S. Oklahoma universities say their students’ statuses are restored.

Earlier this month, international students around Oklahoma saw their Student and Exchange Visitor Information System, or SEVIS, status terminated. Following SEVIS termination, a student’s visa is usually revoked.

But Oklahoma State University says all 13 students whose SEVIS status was previously terminated have seen their statuses changed back to active. That means they are legally allowed to remain in the U.S.

The University of Central Oklahoma also confirmed that all its impacted international students have had their statuses reversed. The University of Oklahoma said it was unable to provide any information, citing student privacy.

A bill that rural school districts say targets four-day school weeks is now on Gov. Kevin Stitt’s desk.

Senate Bill 758 limits brick-and-mortar schools to only two days or 12 hours of virtual instruction per school year, and only under extenuating circumstances.

The use of virtual days to close out the school week has become a mainstay in rural districts as many can’t meet staffing needs for a five-day week or the state’s stringent requirements to operate on a four-day schedule.

Clinton Republican Anthony Moore says he wants to close that loophole.

"What this does very clearly is it does not allow for a five-day school week (school) to take every Friday off and miss 37 days of school without doing any instruction time like some are doing," said Moore.

He says the bill would help improve the state’s poor academic rankings.

Opponents say it will harm rural districts who use four-day in-person weeks coupled with virtual days to attract teachers. The bill narrowly passed, so its fate resides with the governor.

Jim Hess was formally inaugurated Tuesday as Oklahoma State University’s 20th president just days after the Oklahoma A&M Board of Regents voted to appoint him.

In a ceremony at the OSU student alumni center, Hess outlined priorities for his administration including student affordability, mental health access and funding for a new veterinary medicine hospital.

He says the university has a tough road ahead.

"We will face financial headwinds, and I want to be forthright with you about that. As you all know, with great opportunities come great challenges. And we will have the opportunity to face a few headwinds along the way, and we’ll do so together, collaboratively. And in a manner that respects our mission and our dignity of the people who work here," said Hess.

Hess was unanimously appointed by the regents last week. He’s signed an initial three-year contract.

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