OKLAHOMA CITY (OBV) — Gov. Kevin Stitt signed Executive Order 2026‑12 requiring a comprehensive analysis of how Oklahoma’s public education dollars are allocated and spent. The governor said transparency is essential to “reward what’s working” and “fix what’s broken,” adding that Oklahomans deserve visibility into classroom benefits from the state’s largest annual investment.
The governor’s office said total public‑education funding from local, state, and federal sources is roughly $9.6 billion a year and that state appropriations have risen more in the past seven years than in the prior 25 combined.
“Making the American Dream achievable starts with a strong education. Oklahoma is committed to investing in education to prepare our young people for success,” said Governor Stitt. “Every Oklahoman deserves to know how their tax dollars are being spent, and transparency in public education funding is critical to understanding how students are benefiting in the classroom. This executive order will ensure we look closely at real data, so we can reward what’s working, fix what’s broken, and ultimately improve student outcomes.”
The order tasks the Secretary of Education, in coordination with the Office of Educational Quality and Accountability, to produce an Oklahoma Public Schools Revenue Report that (1) catalogs revenue sources; (2) breaks out expenditures by major category—instructional spending, administrative costs, and support/other services; (3) examines per‑pupil spending from all sources; and (4) calculates spending per in‑person instructional day by district. The report must also evaluate variation in spending efficiency across districts and may recommend steps to improve transparency and expenditure coding.
The Oklahoma State Department of Education and other agencies are directed to provide the data needed. The report is due to the governor no later than Aug. 31, 2026.
Secretary Dan Hamlin called transparency in education spending “a core responsibility,” saying the executive order establishes a routine effort to drive efficiency and effectiveness in school resource use.
