Oklahoma, like all states, has a unique early childhood policy landscape that is shaped by economics, demographics, political history, coalitions, and other factors that create a state-specific environment for policy advocacy.
State early childhood policy progress is dependent both on the state’s environment and the numerous efforts—by the organizations listed on this page, other organizations, parents, policymakers, practitioners, and more—who work both independently and collaboratively to achieve wins for young children.
Research shows that family economic security is foundational to children’s overall wellbeing. Research also shows that widespread disparities in opportunity (especially by race) drive wide disparities in outcomes. States with policies that offer strong support to young children and their families are more likely to see 1) declining numbers of children in low-income households and 2) low racial disparity among those children.
Young Children in Low-Income Households: Declining
Approximately 49% (216,000) of the state’s children 0-8 live in households below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level (2022). This number represents a decrease from 51% (233,000) in 2016.1
Racial Disparity Among Young Children Living in Low-Income Households: High
Black, Hispanic/Latino, and/or Native children aged 0-8 are significantly more likely to be living in households below 200% of the Federal Poverty Level than are Asian and non-Hispanic White children.2
State General Fund Appropriations: Growing
Oklahoma’s governor signed the fiscal 2025 budget bill into law in June of 2024. The total budget, which includes the general appropriations bill and other smaller bills, authorizes $12.48 billion in spending, a decrease of $107 million, or 0.9 percent, from fiscal 2024. Certified general fund revenue expenditures total $8.1 billion, which is a 7.1 percent increase from fiscal 2024. Total revenues for fiscal 2024 are projected at $13.56 billion, an increase of $302 million, or 2.3 percent, from fiscal 2024.3
Largest Per Capita Revenue Sources (after federal transfers):4
Charges are public payments connected with a specific government service, such as tuition paid to a state university, payments to a public hospital, or highway tolls. Oklahoma uses all major state and local taxes.
State Budget Rules:4
Oklahoma uses an annual budget. The legislature must pass a balanced budget, but it can carry a deficit over into the following year. Oklahoma further limits both spending and revenue growth with binding budget rules, thus requiring a legislative supermajority or vote of the people to override them. A three-fourths supermajority or vote of the people is also required for any bill that raises revenue. The state limits total authorized debt and debt service incurred by the state.
Political Alignment: Aligned Republican
During the 2024 session, the state’s Senate and House were both Republican controlled. The state’s Governor was also a Republican.5
Types of Common Ballot Measures Available:6 Five
Early Childhood Policy Advocacy Organizations Include:
Early Childhood Policy Advocacy Multi-State Initiatives Include:7
Highlights from the state’s early childhood policy advocacy community include:8
SB1229 extends sunset statute for the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness to 2029. In the past, the sunset occurs every three years.
HB 3544 modifies requirements for master teacher such that any person with an associate’s degree (in any field), bachelor’s degree (in any field), postgraduate degree (in any field), or 2 years’ experience in a professional childcare setting or related educational field shall be considered to have met the educational requirements.
SB 1239 Section 403. A. stipulates that the provisions of the Oklahoma Child Care Facilities Licensing Act shall not apply to a family child care home that operates for thirty (30) or fewer hours per week.
HB 2478 requires a court to hear a case within 14 days when issuing a temporary order for support of a child where there are allegations of domestic violence. It further requires the court to conduct a substantive hearing and issue a ruling on custody, visitation, child support and other ancillary matters within 30 days.
HB 1734 assures Medicaid coverage for children involved in a Family Centered Services (FCS) case through DHS Child Welfare; children in DHS custody placed at home under court supervision; children placed at home under trial reunification; Medicaid-enrolled parents whose children fall into one of these categories.
HB 1955 eliminates the state portion of the sales tax on groceries.
Our lead ally in Oklahoma, the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness, seeks to provide better opportunities to the children and families in the state by engaging businesses and the public in supporting and investing in early childhood. They work to coordinate an early childhood system focused on strengthening families and school readiness for all children.
Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness is working to advance early childhood policies in several areas that align with the Alliance’s birth-through-eight policy framework:
Preschool and Pre-K
Child Care
Child Care Workforce
Early Intervention
Home Visiting
Maternal Health
Family Economic Security
Paid Family and Medical Leave
Data Systems
Early Childhood Finance and Cost Modeling
Early Childhood Governance
Family child care providers typically must navigate an incoherent and often conflicting set of regulations, as well as frequent opposition from landlords, homeowners associations, and condo associations. The good news is that states across the political spectrum are beginning to take action to address these difficulties.
NOTES:
1 Kids Count Data Center, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Children Ages 0 to 8 Below 200 Percent Poverty, January, 2024.
2 National Center for Children in Poverty, Children Ages 0 to 8 Below 200 Percent Poverty, March 2023, NCCP analysis of ACS 1-Year Estimates – Public Use Microdata Sample 2021.
3 National Association of State Budget Officers, Proposed and Enacted Budgets, FY 2025.
4 Urban Institute, State Fiscal Briefs, June 2024.
5 National Conference of State Legislatures, 2024 State & Legislative Partisan Composition, April 29, 2024.
6 Ballotpedia, Ballot Measures by State, Kids Count Data Center, retrieved July, 2024.
7 Alliance for Early Success, Multi-State Initiatives for Early Childhood Policy Advocacy, July, 2024.
8 Alliance for Early Success, State-Wide Advocacy Highlights Survey, April-October, 2024; and 2024 Prenatal-to-3 Legislative Highlights, Prenatal-to-3 Policy Impact Center, July, 2024.
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© 2024 Alliance for Early Success
The Alliance for Early Success does not endorse or advocate for specific legislation or candidates.
