Touted as one of the state’s most significant education reforms of the 2021 legislative session, Senate Bill 783 makes transferring between districts easier.
The measure requires schools to publish how many students they can accept at a site and be willing to accept any students into their schools if possible. School choice advocates have touted the new law as an opportunity to allow parents to make more choices.
The bill — paired with House Bill 2078, which tweaks the state's funding formula — were praised by Gov. Kevin Stitt when he signed them into law in March.
“Education is not one-size-fits-all, and these bills allow parents and students to have the freedom to attend the best public school for them regardless of their ZIP code,” Gov. Kevin Stitt said in a March statement about the bills' passage. “Additionally, modernizing the funding formula ensures funding follows the student, not the school. These reforms are vital to getting Oklahoma to be a Top Ten state in education, and I am proud of this Republican legislature for its dedication to putting students first.”
Families can fill out an application through Oklahoma’s State Department of Education.
But, it’s unclear how many transfers will actually happen as a result.
Edmond Public Schools has already cautioned potential transfers that because of capacity issues and growth in the OKC suburb, chances of actually transferring to that district are “low.”
Additionally, Jenks Public Schools has said it would have slots for only nine additional students in 2022.
