Students; creating the Fund Students, Not Systems Act; providing for calculation of education savings account amount. Effective date. Emergency.
SB247 creates the “Fund Students, Not Systems Act” and establishes a statewide education savings account (ESA) program administered by the Oklahoma State Department of Education. The program would allow eligible Oklahoma students ages 5 through 17, and certain students with disabilities up to age 22, to receive an ESA funded with state education dollars. Parents or legal guardians would apply annually, and approved funds could be used for a broad range of qualified expenses, including private school tuition and fees, curriculum and supplies, tutoring, therapy services, standardized testing, transportation, technology center programs, extracurricular activities, and certain educational field trips.
The bill sets the ESA amount by tying it to the state aid factors and the student’s grade and disability weights, with funds transferred quarterly and allowed to roll over from year to year if unused. It also requires the Department to calculate the total ESA cost and reserve that amount from state aid appropriations, and it directs annual reporting to state leaders so the Legislature can adjust public school funding in future years. The bill expressly states that it does not limit the autonomy of private schools or homeschool families and does not impose accreditation, certification, curriculum, or auditing requirements on them beyond what is stated in the act.
SB247 would amend Title 70 by adding new sections establishing a statewide ESA program and related reporting and rulemaking requirements. It would affect the State Department of Education, the State Board of Education, public school funding calculations, and families choosing private school, homeschool, virtual charter, or other educational settings. The bill also creates a mechanism for diverting or reserving state aid funds for ESAs and could influence future appropriations for public schools based on annual program costs.
The bill text reflects strong support for parental choice, educational flexibility, and competition among schools, while also emphasizing continued support for public education. Because there are no committee transcripts or recorded votes provided, there is no direct evidence of legislative debate or chamber sentiment in the available materials. The overall tone of the bill itself is favorable toward school choice and student-centered funding.
The main point of contention inherent in the bill is the use of state education funding for ESAs, which may be viewed as redirecting resources away from traditional public schools. The bill attempts to address that concern by stating that public schools will continue to receive robust funding and by requiring annual cost reporting for possible future funding adjustments. Another likely area of dispute is the bill’s limited oversight of private schools and homeschool families, since it explicitly bars the State Board from imposing additional standards, accreditation, certification, or auditing requirements beyond those in the act.