House Bill No. 1159, introduced by Tedford, amends existing laws regarding student transfers within school districts in Oklahoma. The bill allows for intra-district transfers to be approved at any time during the school year, provided that the receiving school site has not reached capacity. It introduces new provisions that enable students who have been granted an intra-district transfer to continue attending their transferred school as they transition to the next school level within the attendance zone. Additionally, the bill permits intra-district transfers for specialized programs under certain conditions and modifies the limit on the number of transfers a student can make in a school year from two times to one time.

The bill also mandates that each school district board of education adopt a policy to determine the capacity for accepting intra-district transfer students at each grade level and school site, which must be publicly posted on the district's website. The policy must prioritize enrollment for students residing within the school site boundary, those who attended the previous year, siblings of enrolled students, children of district employees, and students changing residence within the district. The bill is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and includes an emergency clause for immediate implementation upon passage and approval.