Senate Bill No. 711 amends existing laws regarding the Oklahoma School Testing Program and high school graduation rates. The bill mandates the State Board of Education to adopt a four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate and an extended-year adjusted cohort graduation rate, which will be reported at various levels and disaggregated by subgroups as required by federal law. The definition of the four-year adjusted cohort graduation rate is clarified to exclude students who transfer in and out, emigrate, or are deceased, while also detailing the process for confirming a student's transfer. Additionally, the bill introduces a new measure of instructional time to replace chronic absenteeism in school grading, which will be implemented starting in the 2025-2026 school year, pending approval from the U.S. Department of Education.

The bill also outlines the grading system for schools based on multiple indicators, including statewide assessments and graduation rates, while ensuring that at least 70% of the overall grade is derived from key performance indicators. The State Board of Education is tasked with amending the State ESSA Plan to incorporate the new measure of instructional time, which will account for ten points out of a total of ninety on school report cards. The act is set to take effect on July 1, 2025, and includes an emergency clause for immediate implementation upon passage and approval.