House Media

OKLAHOMA CITY – State Representative Chad Caldwell today voiced strong support for Gov. Stitt's recent executive order  that requires a thorough analysis of how funds are allocated and expended across school districts and school sites throughout Oklahoma. The new directive aims to increase transparency and accountability in Oklahoma’s public education system. The Executive Order requires the development of a comprehensive Oklahoma Public Schools Revenue Report to evaluate how nearly $4 billion in annual education funding is allocated and spent across the state. Caldwell said since 2018, the Legislature has increased total education funding by more than 50 percent, including teacher salaries. "Taxpayers deserve a clear, honest accounting of how their dollars are being used in our classrooms," he said. "This Executive Order is an important step toward ensuring that education funding is transparent, efficient, and ultimately focused on improving outcomes for Oklahoma students." The report will analyze key financial metrics, including revenue sources, per-pupil spending, instructional expenditures, and administrative costs. It also will examine spending efficiency across school districts and assess how resources correlate with instructional time delivered to students.  Caldwell noted that recent data presented from the Oklahoma State Department of Education underscores the importance of this effort. Despite record increases in education funding in recent years, schools are allocating a smaller share of those dollars to direct classroom instruction than they did just five years ago. On Tuesday, Caldwell passed House Bill 3711 , which would require public schools to post the percentage of funding they spend on instruction on their websites and in any bond proposals.   “One of the concerns we continue to hear is that even with historic investments in education, too little of that money is making its way into the classroom,” Caldwell said. “Transparency is the first step toward fixing that problem.”  The Executive Order directs the Secretary of Education, in coordination with the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability, to complete the report by Aug. 31, 2026. State agencies are required to provide all necessary data to support a thorough and accurate analysis. 

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. David Smith, R-Arpelar, on Tuesday secured House passage of a bill that would increase the services dental assistants and hygienists are allowed to perform for patients. House Bill 3934 also would expand the list of recognized accrediting agencies.  "We're attempting to fill some gaps throughout all of Oklahoma where people lack access to dentists and hygienists," Smith said. "If this bill is signed into law, it would mean people could get necessary dental care where they are instead of traveling long distances or suffering without treatment." Smith explained the bill was put together with the help of the Oklahoma Board of Dentistry, the Oklahoma Dental Hygiene Association and the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry. Among other changes, the measure would remove language that would permit a dental assistant to assist the dentist only under the direct supervision or direct visual supervision and control of the dentist. A dental assistant instead would be allowed to work under general supervision of a dentist to assist a dental hygienist with a procedures that the hygienist is allowed to perform under general supervision. The measure also seeks to update the definition of treatment facility to include a church with a non-profit clinic. In addition, the measure would allow a patient of record to be established by teledentistry for emergency or hygiene treatment if the patient is physically located at the office or facility and the dentist is not readily available. The bill passed the House on a vote of 94-1 and now advances to the State Senate where it is authored by Sen. Roland Pederson, R-Burlington.

OKLAHOMA CITY – Rep. Mike Dobrinski, R-Okeene, today passed a measure in the House that would create a two-year pilot program to expand vision screening for early childcare students. The program created by House Bill 3016 would provide additional convergence screening for students in Kindergarten through third grade in the first 30 days of the school year. The measure also would create a binocular screening revolving fund. "As we focus and emphasize our need for improved literacy across our state," Dobrinski said, "we know that many factors affect a child's ability to learn, and vision is a critical one." Dobrinski said this bill is rooted in personal experience from his own family going back about 25 years. Dobrinski explained that one of his sons was identified by his first-grade teachers as struggling. The teacher encouraged further vision testing. "Having that additional test identified a diagnosis of convergence insufficiency," Dobrinski said. "Once he received treatment, the improvement in his learning was immediate and significant. Witnessing this firsthand, showed me how standard vision screening in our public schools does not always detect issues that can lead to learning challenges. It's my hope this legislation will help more children like my son." The pilot program created by the measure would be administered by the State Department of Education and the State Department of Health. Screenings would be performed by trained professionals. The measure passed the House and now moves to the Senate where it is authored by Sen. Carri Hicks, D-Oklahoma City, a former public school teacher.