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StateImpact Oklahoma
Thursdays

StateImpact Oklahoma reports on the intersection of government and everyday Oklahomans with a focus on education, health, energy and environment, and criminal justice. StateImpact Oklahoma is a collaboration of NPR Member stations KGOU, KOSU, KWGS and KCCU.

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  • The cost of childcare is too high for many Oklahoma families. How are lawmakers responding?
    Childcare costs are soaring. Infant care at childcare centers rose 27% from 2023 to 2025, according to the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness. As daycare prices skyrocket to all-time highs, state lawmakers are deploying a patchwork of measures to change the industry. But some Oklahomans say the state should do more to prioritize affordability for families.Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
  • What a small forest animal can tell us about Oklahoma’s environment
    Scientists use long-term monitoring of natural areas to help them understand environmental changes. Oklahoma surveyors are keeping track of local species, including a rare salamander that could offer clues into the well-being of its environment.Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
  • StateImpact Oklahoma reporters sum up the 2026 legislative session
    The 2026 legislative session has come to end. Logan Layden talked with StateImpact Oklahoma reporters about their takeaways on legislation impacting education, health, science and the environment.Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
  • Federal rural hospital program offers a lifeline in Oklahoma, but hurdles remain
    Three years ago, a new federal designation for rural hospitals went into effect, allowing facilities to receive enhanced support for outpatient and emergency services if they gave up their more expensive inpatient care.The rural emergency hospital provider type is meant to support small rural facilities amid challenges like lower volume, aging populations and rising costs. As the designation gains traction in Oklahoma, some providers said it has become a lifeline for their facilities, which would otherwise close. But critics argue there is a need for other solutions.Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
  • Another battle is brewing over public funds for religious schools. Oklahoma Jewish leaders are uneasy
    Oklahoma is again ground zero for a battle over publicly funded religious education as a proposed Jewish charter school looks to the courts for vindication. That’s despite members of the state’s Jewish community saying they weren’t consulted and are “deeply concerned” about the threat to the separation of church and state.Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
  • ‘We are dismayed:’ Oklahoma doctors, patients respond to potential changes to Medicaid expansion
    Oklahoma Republicans want to send Medicaid expansion back to voters so lawmakers can have more control in addressing spending. But medical and policy experts worry the effort is shortsighted.Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
  • Some Oklahoma prisons are becoming biodiversity hubs for pollinators
    Incarcerated people at four correctional facilities are planting native gardens with the help of a nonprofit conservation organization.Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
  • Divorcing from usual process, Oklahoma Board of Education rewrites dozens of social studies standards
    Some educators are raising concerns about content in the newly approved, proposed 2026 academic standards for social studies — and the process by which the standards were revised.Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
  • What a super El Niño could mean for Oklahoma's weather
    Following a much dryer and warmer than normal winter in Oklahoma, the possibility of a so-called super El Niño is in the forecast for later this year. StateImpact’s Logan Layden talks with State Climatologist Gary McManus about what that could mean for the state.Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
  • ‘Like a gym membership:’ An Oklahoma provider explains a growing primary care model
    An increasing number of providers and patients are participating in direct primary care. It’s not insurance, but rather a business model where patients can purchase a membership, allowing them unlimited access to certain primary care services. Dr. Kyle Rickner is the co-founder of Primary Health Partners, which is Oklahoma’s largest direct primary care provider. StateImpact’s Jillian Taylor spoke with him about the growing model, which also benefited from President Donald Trump’s 2025 megabill.Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
  • An Oklahoma family says oil is polluting their home. The state says its hands are tied
    A fluid leak has created a months-long dispute between a family and regulators over what the state can do to remediate what the family says is oil seeping into their home. Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags
  • Minutes matter in stroke cases. In rural Oklahoma, a telemedicine program is saving critical time
    Nearly 2,000 Oklahomans die from stroke-related complications annually. That burden is felt more in rural communities, where access to specialized care is limited. Oklahoma officials are working to change that by investing in telemedicine for stroke care. Mentioned in this episode:Social Media tags