The University of Oklahoma initiative will recruit 200 researchers by 2032, with Oklahoma business leaders calling it a major investment in the state’s competitiveness.
The national unemployment rate held steady at 4.3%, while job gains were concentrated in health care, transportation and warehousing, and retail.
The Oklahoma City senator was recognized for her advocacy on public education, literacy and teacher support.
State lawmakers, education leaders and State Chamber staff visited Coolidge Elementary to see how Amira Learning is supporting early literacy instruction.
The 2026 Oklahoma Education Poll found broad dissatisfaction with the state’s schools, but strong support for policies tied to literacy, testing, cellphone limits, teacher pay and accountability.
Dustin Hilliary was confirmed Tuesday after lawmakers previously used his nomination hearing to discuss higher education, research and Oklahoma’s tech-transfer strategy.
Ten finalists were honored during a State Capitol event, with each educator receiving a check from the Masonic Charity Foundation; the 2026 Teacher of the Year will be named in June.
The bill creates new charter-school facilities financing tools, including a revolving loan fund and a bond credit enhancement program with a State Aid intercept mechanism.
House Bill 2398 authorizes the State Regents for Higher Education and CareerTech to designate qualifying degrees and certificates as “credentials of value,” backed by annual reporting on completion, employment outcomes, earnings and program costs.
The measure expands early screening and interventions and sets a new proficiency pathway aimed at lifting third-grade reading outcomes statewide.
Hilliary’s nomination moved out of Senate Rules as Sen. Kristen Thompson tied OU’s AAU ambitions to economic growth and the state’s broader push to convert research into jobs.
The Strong Readers Act rewrite standardizes early screening, expands interventions and reporting, and sets a 2027–28 retention trigger tied to third-grade reading proficiency
