School choice issues
A new report says Oklahoma’s new School Choice Program has barriers to student access, and Oklahoma requires little academic oversight compared to other states.
A think tank out of Georgetown University compares school choice programs across eight states. It found those who cannot afford private school without a tax credit are at a disadvantage.
In an interview with the Tulsa World newspaper, FutureEd identifies unique features about Oklahoma’s new tax credit program that contributed to disparities and lax surveillance. For instance, students must already be enrolled in a school to apply for the tax credit, every state but Oklahoma and Arizona require academic assessments of participating students, and there's very limited information on school choice programs.
Oklahoma is set to spend 600 million dollars in the first three years of the new program to cover tuition and fees.
Bible bids deadline
The deadline for bids to supply Bibles to Oklahoma classrooms passed on Monday. The Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services will now review the bids and hand them over to the State Department of Education, where a three-person panel will choose the winning publisher.
State Superintendent Ryan Walters said he is not involved in the selection process. The winning publisher will have one year to deliver the King James Version of the Bible along with the required historical U.S. documents. This comes as Walters faces a lawsuit from 32 Oklahomans seeking to block the Bible mandate.
Drought-related burn bans
As drought worsens across Oklahoma, 30 of the state’s 77 counties are under a burn ban to reduce the risk of wildfires.
As dry weather continues across the state, concerns about wildfires increase. The Oklahoma Forestry Services is encouraging all Oklahoma residents to avoid parking in tall grass or setting fires outside. However, burn ban rules vary from county to county.
Burn bans generally prohibit fireworks, bonfires and campfires. They often require extra precautions or approvals for controlled burns and other necessary fire hazards, like welding. Most counties in southern and northeastern Oklahoma are currently under burn bans.
To check whether your county has a burn ban and learn what’s prohibited if it does, check the Oklahoma Forestry Service’s website.
Thunder arena architects
The Oklahoma City Council has hired architects for the OKC Thunder’s new arena.
Tuesday, the Council approved a contract with MANICA Architecture and TVS. Both are big players in the industry that have designed arenas and stadiums nationwide.
Construction on the new facility is set to begin in 2026, once Prairie Surf Studios, formerly the Cox Convention Center, is demolished next year. The new arena is funded through MAPS 4 money, the Oklahoma City Thunder ownership group, and a one-cent sales tax.
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