Schools; creating the Education Regulatory Sandbox Program; providing purpose; providing for application process. Effective date. Emergency.

SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB555 SFLR Page 1
(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24

SENATE FLOOR VERSION
March 4, 2025

SENATE BILL NO. 555 By: Pugh

An Act relating to schools; creating the Education
Regulatory Sandbox Program; providing purpose;
prohibiting granting of certain exemption; requiring
school districts granted certain exemption to
implement certain innovation; providing term of
exemption; providing for application process;
requiring meeting of certain representatives to
discuss proposed innovation; directing the State
Department of Education to make certain
recommendations; providing for approval and
disapproval of applications; directing certain school
districts to electronically submit annual progress
reports; allowing for application of exemption
renewal; prohibiting approval of renewal application
if certain reports do not show certain evidence;
directing the Department to collect certain
information; requiring submission of certain report;
providing for contents of report; providing for
promulgation of rules; providing for codification;
providing an effective date; and declaring an
emergency.

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 3-170 of Title 70, unless there
is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. There is hereby created the Education Regulatory Sandbox
Program to exempt a school district from a specific education-

SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB555 SFLR Page 2
(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24

related statutory requirement within Title 70 of the Oklahoma
Statutes or an administrative rule promulgated by the State Board of
Education. An exemption from federal education requirements shall
not be granted. A school district granted an exemption pursuant to
this subsection shall implement an innovation that is intended to
improve the educational outcomes for students enrolled in the
district. An exemption shall be granted for a three-year period and
may be renewed by the State Board of Education.
B. 1. A school district seeking to participate in the
Education Regulatory Sandbox Program shall apply to the State
Department of Education in the manner and on a form prescribed by
the Department.
2. The application shall include:
a. the specific education-related statutory requirement
within Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes or
administrative rule promulgated by the State Board of
Education from which the district seeks an exemption,
b. the innovation the school district seeks to implement,
and
c. the improved educational outcome sought and the
metrics to be used to measure the improvement.
C. After an initial review of the application submitted
pursuant to subsection B of this section, representatives of the
State Department of Education shall meet with representatives of the

SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB555 SFLR Page 3
(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24

applying school district to discuss the application. Department
representatives shall make recommendations to the State Board of
Education for approval or disapproval of the applications submitted
pursuant to subsection B of this section. The Board shall approve
or disapprove the applications.
D. School districts granted exemptions pursuant to this section
shall electronically submit annual progress reports to the State
Department of Education.
E. A school district granted a three-year exemption pursuant to
this section may submit an application for a three-year renewal of
the exemption. The State Board of Education shall not approve a
renewal application if a school district’s annual progress reports
submitted pursuant to subsection D of this section do not show
evidence of the educational outcome improvement sought in the
district’s initial application.
F. Three years after implementation of the Education Regulatory
Sandbox Program, the State Department of Education shall collect
information from school districts that receive exemptions pursuant
to this section. The Department shall electronically submit a
report to the Governor, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate, and
the Speaker of the House of Representatives that includes the school
district exemption recipients, the innovation that each successful
applicant implemented, and the impact the innovation had on the
school district recipient, its students, and its staff.

SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB555 SFLR Page 4
(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments)
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24

G. The State Board of Education may promulgate rules to
implement the provisions of this section.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.
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.
COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION
March 4, 2025 - DO PASS