Education; authorizing the State Regents for Higher Education and the Department of Career and Technology Education to designate a credential of value.

An Act
ENROLLED HOUSE
BILL NO. 2398 By: Hill of the House

and

Reinhardt of the Senate

An Act relating to education; defining terms;
authorizing the State Regents for Higher Education
and the Department of Career and Technology Education
to designate a credential of value; listing criteria
for a credential of value; permitting the designation
of a credential of value if the credential is
determined to be essential to meeting documented
state workforce needs; authorizing the State Regents
and the Department to adopt a definition of self-
sufficient wage; authorizing the State Regents and
the Department to promulgate rules and determine
procedures to implement the section; requiring annual
report from institutions, agencies, and schools on
data required to evaluate credentials under this
section; requiring the State Regents and the
Department to annually publish a statewide credential
of value list; authorizing the State Regents and the
Department to enter into data-sharing agreements; and
providing for codification.

SUBJECT: Education

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:

SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 9201 of Title 70, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:

A. As used in this section:

ENR. H. B. NO. 2398 Page 2
1. "Coordinating entity" means the Oklahoma State Regents for
Higher Education or the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology
Education;

2. "Credential of value" means a certificate, degree, license,
industry-recognized credential, apprenticeship credential, or other
postsecondary or career-technical award issued by an educational
provider that meets the criteria established under this section;

3. "Educational provider" means any institution, agency, or
school coordinated by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher
Education or governed by the Oklahoma Department of Career and
Technology Education; and

4. "Net cost of attendance" means the cost of attendance minus
all grants, scholarships, fee waivers, or other aid received by the
individual.

B. A coordinating entity may designate a credential as a
credential of value if the credential satisfies the following
criteria:

1. The credential provides a positive return on investment for
individuals who complete the credential, demonstrated by:

a. cumulative earnings within a time period specified by
the coordinating entity that coordinates or governs
the educational provider that are equal to or exceed
the statewide median earnings for Oklahoma high school
graduates, and

b. earnings that allow the credential holder to recoup
the net cost of attendance within a time period
specified by the coordinating entity that coordinates
or governs the educational provider; and

2. The credential is aligned with state and regional labor
market demand, as determined by the coordinating entity that
coordinates or governs the educational provider, using data from the
Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, the Oklahoma Workforce
Commission, or other labor market sources recognized by the
coordinating entity.

C. A coordinating entity may designate a credential as a
credential of value even if it does not meet one or more criteria
ENR. H. B. NO. 2398 Page 3
under subsection B of this section if the credential is determined
by the coordinating entity to be essential to meeting documented
state workforce needs.

D. A coordinating entity may adopt a definition of a self-
sufficient wage for purposes of this section that aligns with:

1. Statewide self-sufficiency wage benchmarks; or

2. Regional economic and labor market data that reflect the
cost of living and labor market conditions in Oklahoma.

E. A coordinating entity may promulgate rules and determine
procedures to implement the provisions of this section, including:

1. Standard methodologies for calculating return on investment
and net cost of attendance;

2. Criteria and data sources for assessing alignment with
workforce demand;

3. A unified statewide process for designating and periodically
reviewing credentials of value; and

4. A shared reporting structure and timeline for all education
providers under the coordination or governance of the coordinating
entity.

F. 1. Each educational provider shall annually report the data
required to evaluate credentials under this section to the
coordinating entity that coordinates or governs the educational
provider. Such data shall include, but is not limited to, the
following:

a. enrollment, completion, and credential attainment,

b. graduate employment rate and earnings outcomes, and

c. program cost information.

2. A coordinating entity shall annually publish a statewide
credential of value list, accessible to the public, identifying all
credentials designated under this section.

ENR. H. B. NO. 2398 Page 4
G. A coordinating entity may enter into data-sharing agreements
with the Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, the Oklahoma
Workforce Commission, and other state agencies to support the
evaluation and designation of credentials of value.

ENR. H. B. NO. 2398 Page 5
Passed the House of Representatives the 10th day of March, 2026.

Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives

Passed the Senate the 15th day of April, 2026.

Presiding Officer of the Senate

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Received by the Office of the Governor this ____________________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________
Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma this _________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.

_________________________________
Governor of the State of Oklahoma

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________
day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________