OEA

Deadline week at the Capitol brought late night sessions, surprise amendments, and a flood of education bills moving fast. We break down what passed, what changed at the last minute, and what it means for Oklahoma classrooms. #oklaed

What was supposed to be a quiet week at the Capitol turned into a scramble. Tyler and Ivy break down a major rewrite to a bill adding seven instructional days, plus updates on library reporting, summer food for kids, teacher scholarships, and voucher expansion. #oklaed

Deadline week at the Capitol means dozens of education bills had to clear committee or die for the session. In this episode of Fried Okra, we break down what moved forward, what didn’t, and how member advocacy helped stop a bad bill earlier in the week. We also discuss state testing, career teachers, screen time in schools, teacher pay raises, the NBCT stipend, and more. #oklaed

We break down the Senate education plan, examine where the funding comes from, and explore what it could mean for current educators and those already retired. Strong public education should support every generation of educators, not create tension between them. We also recap a refreshingly uneventful OSBE meeting and check in on key bills ahead of deadline week.

Rep. Ronny Johns (R-Ada), a former educator, joins Fried Okra to discuss his bill providing $5,000 to Nationally Board Certified Teachers and why investing in educators is essential to recruiting, retaining, and improving outcomes for Oklahoma students. #oklaed

We break down dozens of education bills moving through the Oklahoma Legislature — from expanding a voucher program where 40% of recipients earn over $150K/yr to a host of other policy proposals that will shape our classrooms. We unpack what’s well-meaning, what’s concerning, and what it means for Oklahoma students. #oklaed

This week on Fried Okra, we break down Governor Stitt’s final State of the State, examine his public education legacy, and look ahead as education bills begin moving through the Legislature. Oklahoma’s future depends on long-term investment in #oklaed, not short-term fixes.

Bills, bills, bills. This week on Fried Okra, we sort through the stack at the Capitol and break down what’s moving on the budget, literacy, property taxes, emergency certified teachers, and more. We talk about the real opportunity in front of Oklahoma to invest in long-term strategies, bring some consistency to education policy, and decide who we want to be as a state.

This week on Fried Okra, we break down education news shaping the week, including Senate education leadership priorities on literacy, retention, leave, and classroom policy. We also discuss the State Board of Education rolling back policies and actions tied to the previous state superintendent.

#oklaed

Part two of our conversation with Forrest Bennett is here. We dig deeper into his time at the Capitol, what he learned as a legislator, and why he believes organized labor is critical to Oklahoma’s future. A thoughtful, honest discussion about education, work, and where we go next.