Oklahoma schools focus on literacy amid new state reading laws

Oklahoma students have returned to school amid a heightened focus on literacy and academic performance driven by new state laws. Recent data from the state Department of Education shows that approximately 44% of Oklahoma third graders, or over 21,100 students, scored below a basic level on statewide reading tests this past spring.

These literacy regulations aim to improve reading proficiency, with the potential for students to be held back a year if they fail to meet grade-level expectations starting in the 2027-28 school year. While state leaders hope to emulate academic improvements seen in Mississippi, some educators have expressed concerns that the laws may be punitive given the current assessment standards.

In Tulsa Public Schools (TPS), Superintendent Ebony Johnson reported that the district is seeing three consecutive years of academic progress, including an 8% increase in fifth-grade science scores. The district is also prioritizing the reduction of chronic absenteeism, which saw a 5% to 6% decrease last year, and is preparing curriculum and resources to meet the upcoming third-grade reading requirements.