Oklahoma News After mediation, GOP leaders roughly $50 million apart from education deal: After nearly three months of acrimonious negotiations between the House and the Senate over a massive education funding and reform package, leaders of the Oklahoma Legislature have made significant progress toward a deal that would pump upwards of $600 million into public education and create new refundable tax credits for private school and homeschool families. [NonDoc] - Oklahoma Gov. Stitt says education funding agreement is close, but Senate leader says not so fast [Public Radio Tulsa]
- Education funding deal between lawmakers, governor falls apart [Tulsa World]
- Gov. Stitt, Legislators Discuss Tax Cuts & Education Bills [News 9]
Federal grants are stalled at Oklahoma education department, former staff say: While telling lawmakers they wouldn't consider federal grants that don't align with "Oklahoma values," leadership within the state Department of Education said internally they would avoid any grants with elements of diversity and inclusion, LGBTQ initiatives, social-emotional learning or trauma-informed practices, the agency's former grant writer said. [The Oklahoman] - Longtime grant writer says Ryan Walters lied to lawmakers, federal grant money for Oklahoma in jeopardy [Tulsa World]
State Government News Oklahoma Private School Tax Credit Oversight Mostly Unknown: As Republicans in the Oklahoma Legislature fight over details on additional school funding and teacher pay raises, one piece that seems all but assured of passage is the state's first refundable tax credit for private school expenses. [Oklahoma Watch] Podcast: Richard Glossip, education funding stalemate, Nathan Dahm and more: This Week in Oklahoma Politics discuss the U.S. Supreme Court staying the execution of death row inmate Richard Glossip, the stalemate over education funding with two weeks left in the regular legislative session and the stack of Gov. Kevin Stitt's vetoes still waiting for a vote in the House and Senate. [This Week in Oklahoma Politics / KOSU] Tribal Nations News Oklahoma court affirms Ottawa, Peoria reservations still exist: The Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals affirmed the existence of the Ottawa and Peoria tribal reservations on Thursday in a decision that should ease jurisdictional confusion in a section of Ottawa County. [The Oklahoman] Health News The COVID public health emergency is over in the US. Here's what that means for you.: Thursday marks the end of the public health emergency in the United States, more than three years after it was first declared to combat the novel coronavirus by unlocking powerful tools to detect and contain the emerging threat. While it closes a chapter in history, health experts point out the COVID-19 pandemic is not yet over as the virus continues to claim about 1,000 lives each week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To date, more than 1.1 million people in the country have died. [The Oklahoman] Criminal Justice News Column: Oklahoma's political leaders need to adopt a moratorium on executions: Is the time ripe for a moratorium on executions in Oklahoma? We think so and urge Oklahoma political leaders to implement one immediately. Just last year, Oklahoma scheduled 25 executions to occur within 29 months. Several executions have since occurred. Yet, serious doubts about the state's capital punishment system continually confront Oklahoma. [Brad Henry and Andy Lester Guest Column / The Oklahoman] Education News Opinion: Ryan Walters, stop the negative rhetoric, unkind remarks. You've an example to set: In a world where uncivil discourse is rampant, shouldn't our state leaders, at the very least, teach our young people how to engage in a civil conversation without name calling and utter disrespect? Ryan Walters is in a position of leadership and power and our students are impressionable. Through his speech, he reinforced to our Oklahoma FFA students that disrespect is OK and making fun of people is honored. [Sherry Martin / The Oklahoman] | 
