Schools; requiring the State Board of Education to develop certain programs. Effective date. Emergency.
SB790 would require the Oklahoma State Board of Education to develop and implement a statewide program of positive character traits and personal skills education for grades prekindergarten through 12. The bill specifies a broad set of traits the program may emphasize, including courage, trustworthiness, integrity, respect, responsibility, fairness, caring, good citizenship, school pride, and gratitude. It also directs the State Department of Education to post supporting resources on its website, including technical assistance, approved research-based curricula and materials, an honor roll recognizing districts and charter schools that successfully implement the program, and a reading list of books that support character development.
The bill also revises the existing character education statute by shifting the focus from local district discretion to a state-developed program and by requiring districts and charter schools to consult with a committee of parents, teachers, and community members before implementation. It removes prior language authorizing grants for pilot projects, but the introduced text still includes a provision allowing the Board, subject to funding, to award grants to up to ten districts for innovative pilot projects that align character education with core academic subjects and career readiness. The act is set to take effect July 1, 2025, and includes an emergency clause for immediate effectiveness upon passage and approval.
SB790 would amend 70 O.S. 2021, Section 1210.229-6, affecting Oklahoma’s character education law for public school districts and charter schools. It would create a statewide framework for positive character traits and personal skills education, require state-level resources and recognition tools, and add a consultation requirement involving parents, teachers, and community members before local implementation. The bill would also influence how districts design character education programs and could affect curriculum selection, teacher training, and school recognition efforts, while leaving any grant-funded pilot projects dependent on available funding.
The available record shows no committee transcript or recorded votes, so there is no documented debate or formal vote-based sentiment to assess. Based on the bill text, the measure appears to be framed positively around student character development, school culture, and career readiness, suggesting a generally supportive policy intent. However, the absence of discussion records means there is no evidence here of either support or opposition from legislators, educators, or the public.
The main potential point of contention is the shift from local control to a more prescriptive state-directed character education framework, which may raise concerns among school districts about flexibility and implementation burden. Another possible issue is the consultation requirement, which could be viewed as adding an extra procedural step before districts and charter schools can adopt the program. The bill’s treatment of grants is also somewhat unclear in the introduced text because it both removes prior pilot-project language and later includes a new grant provision, which could create questions about legislative intent and funding availability.