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 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 in the attendance zone pattern. 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, which must be publicly posted on the district's website. This policy will 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 includes provisions for denying transfer requests based on specific criteria, including a history of absences. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and declares an emergency for its immediate implementation upon passage.