HB1131 amends Oklahoma’s school accountability statute governing annual school report cards and grading. It keeps the existing A-F school grading framework, but updates the list of accountability indicators and directs the State Board of Education to revise the state’s ESSA plan. The bill requires the Board to submit a federal plan amendment by January 1, 2026, and, if approved, to replace chronic absenteeism with a school climate survey beginning in the 2026-2027 school year.
Under the bill, school grades would continue to be based on a multimeasures system that includes statewide assessments, graduation rates, academic measures for elementary and middle schools, English language proficiency, and one additional measure of school quality or student success. The bill specifies that at least 70% of the overall grade must come from core academic indicators and no more than 30% from the additional quality indicator. It also clarifies that elementary, middle, and high school grades should include certain measures such as growth, ELPA progress, graduation rate, and postsecondary opportunities, and it defines postsecondary opportunities to include AP, IB, dual/concurrent enrollment, internships, mentorships, apprenticeships, and industry certifications.
The bill also requires annual school site report cards for parents and guardians, published by the Department of Education and distributed by school districts. It preserves existing rules on minimum sample sizes for school grades and separate reporting for full-time online students, and it allows alternate accountability systems for statewide virtual charter schools, alternative education programs, and schools serving only pre-K through grade 2. The Legislature is also expressly allowed to factor school performance into performance-based funding policies.
The bill’s impact on state law is to revise Oklahoma’s school accountability and reporting requirements while tying a key change to federal ESSA approval. If implemented, the most notable policy shift would be replacing chronic absenteeism with a school climate survey as an accountability indicator, which would affect how schools are evaluated and how parents, educators, and policymakers interpret school performance. It would also require rulemaking by the State Board of Education and continued coordination with the U.S. Department of Education.
There is no recorded committee transcript or vote history in the provided materials, so sentiment cannot be measured from debate or roll calls. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears aimed at refining accountability metrics rather than overhauling the system, with an emphasis on broader school quality measures and postsecondary readiness. The main likely point of contention is the replacement of chronic absenteeism with a school climate survey, since that change could be viewed as either a more holistic measure of school quality or a less direct indicator of student attendance and engagement.
HB1131 would amend Oklahoma’s school accountability statute, 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.545, by changing the required contents of school grades and report cards and directing the State Board of Education to seek a federal ESSA plan amendment. The bill would shift one accountability indicator from chronic absenteeism to a school climate survey, if approved by the U.S. Department of Education, and would require the Board to submit the amendment by January 1, 2026. It also reinforces reporting rules for school sites, online students, and alternative accountability systems, and it may influence future performance-based funding policies.
No committee discussion or vote record was provided, so there is no documented legislative sentiment to summarize from debate or roll calls. The bill’s structure suggests a generally reform-oriented but incremental approach to school accountability, with an emphasis on adding school climate and postsecondary readiness measures rather than eliminating the A-F system. The absence of recorded opposition or support in the provided materials means any assessment of sentiment is limited to the bill text itself.
The most notable potential point of contention is the proposed replacement of chronic absenteeism with a school climate survey in the accountability formula. Supporters may view this as a more comprehensive measure of school quality that captures student, parent, teacher, and staff perspectives, while critics may argue that absenteeism is a clearer, more objective indicator of student engagement and school performance. Another possible issue is the federal approval requirement, since the change cannot take effect unless the U.S. Department of Education approves the ESSA plan amendment. There may also be debate over how much weight should be given to nonacademic indicators, though the bill limits that portion to no more than 30% of the overall grade.