Read the full stored bill text
ENGR. H. B. NO. 3026 Page 1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
ENGROSSED HOUSE
BILL NO. 3026 By: Lowe and Miller of the
House
and
Hines of the Senate
An Act relating to schools; amending 70 O.S. 2021,
Section 18-108, which relates to free public
kindergarten; requiring school districts to adopt a
policy setting different age requirements for certain
international military dependents; providing policy
parameters; providing an effective date; and
declaring an emergency.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 70 O.S. 2021, Section 18-108, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 18-108. A. It is the intent of the Legislature to
provide a free public kindergarten for every five-year-old child in
this state.
B. Each day during which a child attends a kindergarten for two
and one-half (2 1/2) hours or more shall be counted as one hundred
percent (100%) of one (1) day of average daily attendance. Each day
a kindergarten student is on the membership roll in a school
ENGR. H. B. NO. 3026 Page 2
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
district shall be counted as one hundred percent (100%) of one (1)
day of average daily membership.
C. It shall be the duty of every school district in this state
to provide and offer kindergarten free of tuition for every child
residing in the district who attains the age of five (5) years on or
before the first day of September during the school year such
kindergarten is offered. The duty to provide and offer kindergarten
may be satisfied by transferring kindergarten children to other
school districts which accept them and provide kindergarten for such
children, or by contracting for classroom space with a licensed
public or licensed private child care provider based upon selection
criteria established by the district.
D. A kindergarten program may be offered jointly by school
districts that have formed interlocal cooperative agreements
pursuant to Section 5-117b of this title.
E. 1. Beginning with the 2013-2014 school year, it shall be
the duty of every school district in this state to provide and offer
a full six-hour day of kindergarten free of tuition for every child
residing in the district who attains the age of five (5) years on or
before the first day of September during the school year
kindergarten is offered. The duty to provide and offer kindergarten
may be satisfied by intra-district transfer to a school offering
full-day kindergarten, by transferring kindergarten children to
other school districts which will accept them and can provide
ENGR. H. B. NO. 3026 Page 3
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
kindergarten for such children, or by contracting for classroom
space with a licensed public or licensed private child care provider
based upon selection criteria established by the district. A school
district shall be exempt from the provisions of this subsection if
the school district has voted indebtedness through the issuance of
bonds or approval by voters of issuance of new bonds for more than
eighty-five percent (85%) of the maximum allowable, pursuant to the
provisions of Section 26 of Article X of the Oklahoma Constitution,
at any time within the previous five (5) years.
2. Notwithstanding the age requirement in paragraph 1 of this
subsection, school district boards of education shall adopt a policy
to allow United States allied nations' military members, who have
been extended an Invitational Travel Order to be stationed at a
military installation in Oklahoma, such as Fort Sill, Tinker AFB,
Altus AFB, Vance AFB, or McAlester Army Ammunition Plant, to
establish their dependent child's age for purposes of determining
kindergarten eligibility under paragraph 1 of this subsection by
demonstrating that the child will turn the required age during the
school year for which the child is seeking admission.
F. The requirement to attend kindergarten provided in Section
10-105 of this title may be satisfied by attendance in either a
half-day or full-day program. Membership in a kindergarten for
either two and one-half (2 1/2) hours or six (6) hours per school
day shall be counted as one (1) day for average daily membership
ENGR. H. B. NO. 3026 Page 4
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
purposes. For purposes of State Aid, the pupil grade level weight
for a two-and-one-half-hour day of kindergarten shall be 1.3, and
for a six-hour full day of kindergarten shall be 1.5.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026.
SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
Passed the House of Representatives the 9th day of March, 2026.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
Passed the Senate the ___ day of __________, 2026.
Presiding Officer of the Senate