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 percent (216,000) of the state’s children 0-8 live in households below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (2022). This number represents a decrease from 51 percent (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 percent of the Federal Poverty Level than are Asian and non-Hispanic White children.2
State General Fund Appropriations: Declining
In May of 2025, the Oklahoma House and Senate approved the general appropriations budget bill for fiscal 2026 and sent it to the governor for approval. On May 29, the bill became law without the governor’s signature. The total budget, which includes the general appropriations bill and other smaller bills, authorizes $12.67 billion in spending, an increase of $187 million, or 1.5 percent, from fiscal 2025. Certified general fund revenue expenditures total $7.75 billion, which is a 3.7 percent decrease from fiscal 2025. Total revenues for fiscal 2025 are projected at $12.74 billion, an increase of $258 million, or 2.1, percent from fiscal 2025.3
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 legislative session, the state’s Senate and House were both Republican controlled. The state’s Governor was also a Republican.6
Types of Common Ballot Measures Available:7 Five
Early Childhood Policy Advocacy Organizations Include:
Early Childhood Policy Advocacy Multi-State Initiatives Include:8
Highlights from the state’s early childhood policy advocacy community include:9
House Bill 2778, which became law on May 29, 2025 following a veto override, established the Teacher Recruitment and Retention Program, aiming to alleviate child care costs for employees of licensed child care facilities. Eligible workers, based on household income thresholds, can receive subsidies to reduce or eliminate co-payments. This program, administered by the Oklahoma Partnership for School Readiness under the direction of Oklahoma Human Services, is projected to cost $11.5 million annually and is set to sunset on November 1, 2028.
House Bill 1847, which became law on May 13, 2025, without the governor’s signature, mandates that family and large child care homes adhere to the fire protection requirements outlined in the International Residential Code (IRC). The bill prohibits any state agency, municipality, county, or political subdivision from imposing stricter fire safety regulations than those specified in the IRC. The Department of Human Services (DHS) and the State Fire Marshal are directed to collaborate in developing guidelines to facilitate compliance with these standards. This measure aims to standardize fire safety requirements across the state, potentially reducing operational barriers for home-based child care providers.
HB1575, which became law without the governor’s signature, directs the Oklahoma Department of Human Services and the Oklahoma Health Care Authority to conduct a feasibility study on the potential establishment of a unified and streamlined eligibility and enrollment system for public assistance programs administered by the state that would promote efficiency, accessibility, and coordination of services across programs including, but not limited to: 1. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP); 2. The Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program; 3. Child care subsidies; 4. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP); 5. The state Medicaid program; and 6. The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.
SB 364, which became law on May 8, 2025 without the governor’s signature, states that school district personnel shall be prohibited from using corporal punishment on any student identified with a disability in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This measure has been working through the legislature for multiple years, and finally became law., thanks in large part to a coalition of child advocates led by the Oklahoma Institute for Child Advocacy. Their tireless efforts in advancing this legislation help ensure that school discipline practices reflect modern standards of care and safety.
HB 1086, signed into law on May 23, 2025, was introduced to provide startup funds for school districts initiating early childhood programs. This bill aims to enhance early childhood education funding across the state, supporting the establishment and expansion of such programs.
The state budget for the Oklahoma State Department of Education saw a 3.15% increase, totaling $3.98 billion. This boost in funding supports various educational initiatives, including early childhood education programs. To address teacher shortages, particularly in early childhood education, the state expanded its teacher signing bonus program. Bonuses of up to $50,000 were offered to attract and retain qualified educators in pre-K through third-grade classrooms, especially in rural or high-poverty districts.
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 through 8 Below 200 Percent Poverty, October 2024, NCCP analysis of ACS 5-Year Estimates – Public Use Microdata Sample 2018-2022.
3 National Association of State Budget Officers, Proposed and Enacted Budgets, FY 2026.
4 Urban Institute, State Fiscal Briefs, April 2025.
5 Alliance for Early Success, State Examples of Dedicated Funding Streams, 2025
6 National Conference of State Legislatures, 2025 State & Legislative Partisan Composition, January 31, 2025.
7 Ballotpedia, Ballot Measures by State, Kids Count Data Center, 2025.
8 Alliance for Early Success, Multi-State Initiatives for Early Childhood Policy Advocacy, July, 2024.
9 Alliance for Early Success, State-Wide Advocacy Highlights Survey, April-October, 2025.
