Lawmakers are looking to improve Oklahoma’s educational results with several bills focused on student literacy. Both House and Senate leaders said literacy is going to be the Legislature’s focus in this year’s session, which begins Feb. 2.
The proposals would each make changes to the Strong Readers Act (formerly the Reading Sufficiency Act). Each brings back policies to require struggling students to repeat third grade, which was removed from state law in 2024-25.
House Bill 3023, by Rep. DickLowe,R-Amber,reintroduces retention as an option for first and second grade and mandatory in third, with exceptions. The proposal adds a requirement that schools provide struggling students a summer reading tutoring program after first and second grades.
It also speeds up the timeline for schools to notify parents of a reading deficiency (15 days instead of the current 30), limits when required interventions take place to avoid students missing math or other core subjects, and moves the state to two testing vendors to create more cohesive data.
Lowe’sproposalalsolimits the use of tech in reading intervention. Lowe chairs the House Common Education Committee.
Retention also returns under Sen. Adam Pugh’s SB 1778, but so do transitional grades as alternatives to retention. Transition was common practice decades ago, typically between kindergarten and first grade.
Pugh’s bill requires first through third grade students who aren’t reading at grade level to attend summer school. Pugh, R-Edmond, chairs the Senate Education Committeeandisrunningfor state superintendent.
House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow, has his own proposal, too. House Bill 4420 reinstates mandatory retention in third grade, with limited exceptions. It would also require schools to use science-based reading instruction for intervention and communicate quickly and frequently with parents about their child’s progress. The proposal also requires districts to submit students’ reading intervention plans to the state.
Oklahoma Watch, at oklahomawatch. org, is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that covers public-policy issues facing the state.