The bill establishes an Academic Performance Index (API) by the State Board of Education to assess school performance using various indicators such as attendance, dropout rates, and college remediation rates, with at least 60% of the API's value derived from the Oklahoma School Testing Program results. It sets a minimum annual growth target of 5% for schools and mandates separate reporting for the academic performance of full-time online students enrolled outside their district. Additionally, the bill amends existing laws to update testing achievement goals, replacing references to the ACT with "nationally norm-referenced college entrance exams" and including the Classical Learning Test (CLT) as an option for remediation courses.

Moreover, the bill modifies eligibility criteria for the Oklahoma State Regents' Academic Scholars Program, broadening the assessment scope by replacing specific test references with "nationally norm-referenced college entrance exam." It introduces alternative assessment options for students with disabilities and clarifies criteria for the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program, particularly for children of military personnel killed in action. The bill also revises the Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Act to prioritize ninth-grade students from the 1992-93 school year for benefits and tasks the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education with studying award eligibility based on high school coursework completion. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, with an emergency clause for immediate enactment upon passage.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 70-2603