In The Know: State Board of Education hires attorney after forcing special meeting | Oklahoma legislative interim studies begin in earnest this month | We’re the people we have been waiting for

In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. OK Policy encourages the support of Oklahoma's state and local media, which are vital to an informed citizenry.

THURSDAY, AUGUST 4, 2025 Subscribe // View latest headlines Policy Matters: We're the people we have been waiting for   Do your elected officials reflect your values? Are their decisions helping your community thrive, or just advancing their own political careers? Will their choices keep the next generation here or drive them away? Did their actions this year prepare Oklahoma for long-term success? If your honest answers reveal a gap between what you believe and how your leaders act, it's time to take on a more significant role. [Shiloh Kantz / The Journal Record]   697,358   The number of public school students in Oklahoma as of Oct. 1, 2024. Enrollment is down 0.25% from 2023 and 0.9% from the 2019 all-time high, before Covid-19 disruptions. [Oklahoma Watch] Declining public school enrollment   Public school enrollment has begun drifting downward more sharply — accelerated by the pandemic and long-term demographic shifts — leading to growing numbers of students outside traditional institutions. This trend varies widely by district, particularly affecting high-poverty and majority-Black areas, and risks driving school closures if capacity outpaces need. Some districts are responding with budget protections, enhanced outreach, and curriculum innovation to stabilize enrollment. Absent proactive strategies, falling student numbers could force reconfigurations that disrupt access and equity. [Brookings Institute] "Public schools are the greatest equalizer. They're where all our kids can grow together. Private schools can turn kids away for not being the right 'fit.' Public schools accept all."   - Laura Saldarriaga, a parent and advocate who has fought to protect programs in her Florida school district. At a moment when Oklahoma's public schools face growing threats, her message affirms the essential role these schools play in giving every child a fair chance. [The Oklahoman] You're invited to join a Community Listening Session near you!   This summer, the Oklahoma Policy Institute and Together Oklahoma are hosting in-person listening sessions across the state to hear directly from Oklahomans about the issues that matter most in their communities. These free, public events offer a chance to connect with neighbors, share your experiences, and speak with policy experts. Participants will receive compensation for their time. TONIGHT: Altus! Thursday, September 4 | 6:00-8:00 p.m. | Western Oklahoma State College (HLC Training Room) Register Now for the Altus Listening Session Just Announced: OK Policy's Listening Sessions will come to Enid on Thursday, September 25. Learn More and Register for the Enid Listening Session Make Your Voice Heard — In Person or Online   Can't attend in person? Take our online survey (available in English and Spanish) and share your thoughts about the laws and policies that affect you and your neighbors. Your input helps shape our priorities for the next legislative session to build stronger, healthier, and more equitable communities across Oklahoma. Oklahoma News   With Walters absent, State Board of Education hires attorney Ryan Leonard after forcing special meeting: After threatening to take legal action against Superintendent of Public Instruction Ryan Walters if he did not post the legally required Open Meeting Act notice for the Oklahoma State Board of Education to hold a special meeting, members voted today to retain Oklahoma City attorney Ryan Leonard as the board's new legal counsel — with Walters, the head of the state's education agency and chairman of the board, conspicuously absent. [NonDoc] Education Watch: Superintendent Walters Absent From Special Meeting [Oklahoma Watch] Walters declines to show up for Oklahoma State Board of Education meeting [Oklahoma Voice] Ryan Walters is a no-show for Board of Education special meeting [Tulsa World] Oklahoma Board of Education hires controversial attorney amid superintendent's absence [KOCO] Ryan Walters didn't show up to the OSBE special meeting. So members voted without him [The Oklahoman] OSBE members, lawmakers mingle before special meeting at Oklahoma Capitol without Ryan Walters (video) [The Oklahoman] Oklahoma Board of Education appoints new attorney without Ryan Walters' blessing, input [KOSU] Lawmakers say no impeachment talks surrounding Supt. Walters [KFOR] State Lawmakers respond to special OSBE meeting, say they're 'not surprised' Superintendent Walters didn't show [News 9] From OK Policy: Our children are paying for grown-up power plays State Government News   'Catastrophic cuts': Oklahoma Department of Mental Health to cancel $40M in contract items: Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services Interim Commissioner Greg Slavonic confirmed the agency is ending hundreds of items in provider contracts in an effort to guide it "back to a balanced budget." [OPMX and StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU] ODMHSAS pulling funding from select service providers to stay on budget after financial shortfall [KFOR] Oklahoma mental health service contracts cut amid budget shortfall [KOCO] Oklahoma legislative interim studies begin in earnest this month: Oklahoma lawmakers are spending the rest of their fall in and out of the state capitol, publicly studying issues relevant to their constituents. The idea is to gain insight ahead of the legislative session early next year. [KOSU] Oklahoma lawmakers study pros and cons of eliminating food dyes, additives [News 9] Oklahoma lawmaker renews call for policy reform in child custody cases [News 9] From OK Policy: What's That?: Interim Study Oklahoma Turnpike Authority to unveil revised south extension route: The Oklahoma Turnpike Authority plans to reveal its new south extension route later this month. The move comes after the agency had to revise the alignment from a 2022 proposal due to a ruling by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. [KGOU]   Federal Government News   Democratic AGs disclose FEMA failed to make grants for months to critical disaster program: Democratic attorneys general have updated their complaint against the Trump administration in a lawsuit over whether the Federal Emergency Management Agency can refuse to spend pre-disaster mitigation grants approved by Congress. [Oklahoma Voice]   Trump moves Space Command from Colorado to Alabama, capping yearslong fight: President Donald Trump announced Tuesday the U.S. Space Command will permanently relocate to Huntsville, Alabama, vacating its temporary headquarters in Colorado. The move reverts back to Trump's plans during his first administration to locate the combatant command in Alabama to oversee Space Force, the military branch he created in 2019. [Oklahoma Voice]   Trump rebuts weekend rumors on social media about his death: President Donald Trump spoke at length from the Oval Office on Tuesday, proving that he is in fact alive after rumors circulated online over the long holiday weekend that he might have died. [Oklahoma Voice]   Schumer criticizes GOP's 'big ugly bill' and warns of potential shutdown: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized Republicans for attempting to rebrand their controversial health care bill, which he described as "devastating to American communities." [Fox 25]   Tribal Nations News   State of the Nation: Cherokee pledges $30M for housing, $244M health center: Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. delivered his seventh State of the Nation address Saturday, Aug. 30, as part of the 73rd annual Cherokee National Holiday, calling for massive investments into health and wellness programs and other priorities. [The Journal Record]   The sun is setting on federal solar tax credits. Here's how one Oklahoma tribal nation used them: Federal incentives to lessen the financial burden of solar panel installations are ending earlier than originally planned after the July 4 passage of the tax and spending law. Although the center will still be plugged into the electric grid and receive a utility bill, officials with the project say the charge should be significantly lower than without solar. [StateImpact Oklahoma via KGOU]   Education News   Demand for Oklahoma scholarship program could exceed funding, official says: Oklahoma higher education leaders said Wednesday that they are concerned lawmakers might not have allocated enough funding to meet demand when children of public school teachers become eligible to participate in the expansion of a state-funded scholarship program. [Oklahoma Voice]   Opinion: I chose public school for my kids. I won't sit by and watch it be dismantled: Back-to-school season is typically a joyful time in our household–shopping for first-day outfits and essential supplies, and filled with hopeful anticipation for my two elementary-aged children. But this year feels different. [Laura Saldarriaga / The Oklahoman]   Opinion: Diversity Is Not Radical, It's the DNA of Higher Education: In 2025, it has become radical to say the word diversity. Yet there is no other word that adequately describes the human experience. Our planet holds more than 7.9 billion people, spread across nearly 200 countries and thousands of cultures, languages, and faiths. [Dr. James S. Bridgeforth / The Black Wall Street Times]   Health News   Employers, workers face increasing health care costs: Employers are bracing for a double-digit increase in health benefits costs next year on the heels of an 8% increase this year. Organizations are projecting a 10% hike in 2026, according to new data from the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP), a nonprofit organization based in Brookfield, Wis. [The Journal Record]   Criminal Justice News   Judge hears evidence in resentencing hearing for woman seeking release under Survivors Act: An expert on domestic violence testified Wednesday that April Wilkens — who is serving a life sentence for murder — suffered from abuse that was a "substantial contributing factor in the crime" for which she was convicted. [Tulsa World] Tulsa woman convicted of murder in 1999 in court for resentencing hearing under OK Survivors' Act [Fox 23] Housing & Economic Opportunity News   NSO opens Stay Housed Tenant Advocacy Center in Oklahoma City: Neighborhood Services Organization (NSO) has launched the NSO Stay Housed Tenant Advocacy Center to help tenants facing eviction through legal support, courtroom navigation and housing advocacy. [The Journal Record]   Proposed homeless shelter, feeding site alarms Farmers Market property, business owners: Business owners in the Farmers Market District are worried the area's fragile recovery will be derailed if a rezoning request to build a food pantry and emergency shelter is approved by the Oklahoma City Council. [The Oklahoman]   Economy & Business News   NVIDIA, Black Tech Street to Advance AI Ed in Tulsa: Black Tech Street has partnered with NVIDIA to bring transformative AI innovation education to Tulsa's Historic Greenwood District. Their collaboration aims to make Tulsa a national model for tech-driven economic empowerment and community advancement. [The Black Wall Street Times] Black Tech Street announces partnership with Nvidia, a giant in AI [Tulsa World] Black Tech Street announces partnership with global AI company Nvidia [The Oklahoma Eagle] Community News   Oklahoma Unprepared for Looming Guardianship Crisis: Title 63, Oklahoma's public health and safety laws, and Title 30, which governs guardianships, both specify that no court-appointed guardian can also be the owner or administrator of the nursing home in which a ward is housed unless the guardian is the spouse or close relative of the ward. But ignorance of the law is the root of the guardianship problem. [Oklahoma Watch]   Local Headlines Tulsan to oversee development of mountain bike course at 2028 Olympics [Tulsa World] Tulsa expands Route 66 façade grant to newer buildings [Public Radio Tulsa] You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail. In The Know is your daily briefing on Oklahoma policy-related news. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. Some stories included here are behind paywall or require subscription. OK Policy encourages the support of Oklahoma's state and local media, which are vital to an informed citizenry. Support Our Work with a Donation Contact Oklahoma Policy Institute 907 S. Detroit Ave #1005 Tulsa, OK 74120 United States  918-794-3944 | info@okpolicy.org okpolicy.org    Connect with us:   If you believe you received this message in error or wish to no longer receive email from us, please unsubscribe.