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Families can register their grade 7-9 children for free online math tutoring

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Students, families can sign up for OSDE’s Math Tutoring Corps through Sept. 1

OKLAHOMA CITY (Aug. 15, 2022) – The Math Tutoring Corps initiative offered by the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) is encouraging interested Oklahoma families to register their students for free, high-dosage tutoring in mathematics. Beginning in September, trained tutors will work with groups of no more than four students in grades 7, 8 and 9 to reinforce the math processes they are studying in class and prepare them for higher-level coursework.

The tutoring will be done virtually and is designed for students who seek targeted support for growth in grade-level mathematics. Students will attend three 50-minute online tutoring sessions per week.

“Research has shown that students who participate in intensive, high-dosage tutoring improve their grades in math,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister. “The Math Tutoring Corps will help kids have greater confidence in their math skills and be more college and career ready.”

The OSDE launched a successful pilot program for Math Tutoring Corps in spring 2022, with nearly 400 participants. A post-pilot survey revealed:

  • 90% of participants increased their understanding of mathematics.
  • 84% of families said participating students were more confident about math.
  • 84% of students indicated they would be more likely to persevere after making a mistake.

Students are eligible to participate in one or both of the OSDE’s Math Tutoring Corps sessions during the 2022-23 school year. Each session can accommodate up to 1,500 students. The first runs Sept. 18 through Nov. 19, the second in spring 2023. Families and students can enroll for the upcoming session through this link by Sept. 1. The OSDE will provide any needed technology or internet access, and tutoring schedules will occur during students’ free time outside of the school day.

Additional information is available on the OSDE’s Math Tutoring Corps webpage.

The OSDE is investing $5 million in pandemic relief funding in the Oklahoma Math Tutoring Corps through summer 2024. Math Tutoring Corps is a component of Ready Together Oklahoma: An Action Plan for Supporting Students Through the Pandemic and Beyond. More information is available in this FAQ document.

To see a video of a student from the Math Tutoring Corps pilot, click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtkrnyJI0gQ

Adults Eligible For SoonerCare Through Medicaid Expansion Can Apply June 1

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News Release
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Oklahoma City, OK – Starting Tuesday, June 1, those adults eligible under the expanded Medicaid guidelines can apply for SoonerCare. Benefits for those who qualify will begin on July 1.

On June 30, 2020, Oklahomans voted to expand SoonerCare eligibility to adults ages 19-64 whose income is 138% of the federal poverty level or lower through Medicaid expansion. This change equates to an estimated annual income of $17,796 for an individual or $36,588 for a family of four. More than 200,000 people who previously were ineligible for SoonerCare will now qualify.

“It’s been nearly one year since Oklahomans voted to expand SoonerCare, giving access to affordable quality health care to more Oklahomans than ever before,” said Kevin Corbett, CEO of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority. “We look forward to welcoming and serving these new members on SoonerCare, and helping Oklahoma become a top 10 state for positive health outcomes.”

90% of costs for expansion enrollees will be paid by the federal government. The Oklahoma legislature recently approved a budget of $164 million in funding for Medicaid expansion. 

Maximizing federal funding allows the state the ability to:

·        Promote integrated care and improve health outcomes, including reinstating an adult dental benefit in SoonerCare, with a focus on primary and preventive dental services.

·        Implement substance use disorder and serious mental illness waivers to expand access to prevention and treatment services.

·        Coordinate with jails and prisons to help former inmates apply for SoonerCare coverage upon release, helping them get access to important behavioral health services immediately, thus reducing the risk of recidivism.

·        Helps jails and prisons capture additional SoonerCare funding for hospitalizations and surgeries as allowed under federal Medicaid law.

How can people apply?

·        Online at www.MySoonerCare.org

·        Apply by phone by calling the SoonerCare Helpline 800-987-7767

·        Fill out an English or Spanish application and mail it to the address on the application

·        Apply through one of our agency partner facilities

Training opportunities are available for community partners. Those who are interested are encouraged to reach out to OHCA by emailing AgencyPartners@okhca.org. A toolkit is available for community partners at https://oklahoma.gov/ohca/individuals/mysoonercare/community-partners.html.

The adult population will be under the current SoonerCare Traditional Plan until October 1. Those adults approved for SoonerCare benefits through expansion will then transition to a managed care service delivery model called SoonerSelect.

SoonerSelect will be implemented in partnership with four medical plan organizations and three dental plan organizations. Members will select whichever plan they prefer for their coverage. Medical and dental providers must contract with at least one of the plans to continue serving SoonerCare members.

The following SoonerCare populations, including those eligible through Medicaid expansion, will be asked to choose from one of the health plans: children, low-income parents, and pregnant women. American Indian/Alaska Native members are considered voluntary and will have the option to opt-in to a managed care plan.

The SoonerSelect medical plans are BCBSOK, Humana Healthy Horizons in Oklahoma, Oklahoma Complete Health and UnitedHealthcare. The three dental plans are DentaQuest, LIBERTY Dental and MCNA Dental.

“Oklahoma is one of only ten states that has not moved to managed care for their Medicaid population. Under Oklahoma’s current fee-for-service system, Oklahoma ranks among the worst in the nation in health outcomes and we’re not getting any better,” said Corbett. “Moving to managed care in Oklahoma is important, so we can improve health outcomes and reduce costs.”

For the latest information on these changes, visit https://oklahoma.gov/ohca.

From the Desk of Rep Marcus McEntire

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Curtis Plant
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A House special investigative committee held its first meeting this past week to look into a contract between the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department (OTRD) and Swadley’s Foggy Bottom Kitchen. It looks as if this cost the state $12.4 million in improperly disbursed taxpayer funds.

Swadley’s was contracted to operate restaurants at six state parks. But a report by the Legislative Office of Fiscal Transparency (LOFT) shows requests for reimbursements may have been greatly inflated and the contract itself did not go through the normal request for proposal process.

LOFT’s report suggests Swadley’s may have charged the state numerous times for the same travel expenses. Records also show the business charged varying management and consulting fees in addition to what was allowed in the state contract. That’s on top of what looks like some outrageous prices for restaurant equipment and furnishings.

LOFT’s director Mike Jackson said had the Tourism Department recognized best practices and had better financial controls in place, taxpayer dollars might have been better protected.

The OTRD and Swadley’s are now under criminal investigation as well. The contract has since been voided, and the executive director of tourism, Jerry Winchester, has resigned.

The 15-member bipartisan House committee will not impede the criminal investigation, but it is our job as lawmakers to ensure money appropriated to state agencies is a valid use of taxpayer dollars. Tourism is a great driver of the economy in our state, and our state parks are gems we want to promote and protect. But paying more than $11,600 for a cheese melter , for instance, or travel expenses for 93,000 miles in one month – an amount equivalent to circumnavigating the globe four times – is just exorbitant.

The House committee subpoenaed LOFT’s director to testify at Thursday’s meeting. Also subpoenaed was Office of Management and Enterprise Service’s director Steven Harpe. Harpe did not appear, however, as he was on a honeymoon trip out of state. Several committee members questioned the timing of the trip by one of the governor’s top budget negotiators during a week when the Legislature and the governor are typically in the very last stages of negotiating the state budget for the next fiscal year. The committee will have to hear from Harpe at a different time.

In his place, Harpe sent Brandy Manek, director of budget, policy and gaming compliance at OMES. Her testimony was disappointing as she revealed the department only looks to make sure agencies don’t exceed the budget appropriated to them but they don’t actually examine how money is spent. Makes me glad we formed LOFT to serve as a watchdog over agency spending, but makes me want to reevaluate OMES’ role in state government.

Please feel free to contact me at marcus.mcentire@okhouse.gov or (405) 557-7327.

Sen. Sharp files legislation allowing DAs to decide charges for hate crimes

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News Release
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OKLAHOMA CITY – In an effort to deter future hate crimes and ensure criminals are held accountable, Sen. Ron Sharp has filed legislation strengthening Oklahoma’s hate crime law.  Senate Bill 1083 would allow districts attorney to choose whether to charge hate crime offenders with a misdemeanor or felony. 

            “When working to improve public safety, it’s important that criminals be held accountable for their crimes and that their punishment reflect the severity of their crimes,” said Sharp, R-Shawnee.  “Currently, Oklahoma’s hate crime statutes are not strong enough and I want to thank D.A. Allan Grubb for bringing this to my attention.  This bill will enable district attorneys to look at the evidence of a hate crime and decide what punishment best suits the circumstances to ensure justice is fully served.”

            Under current law, a first time hate crime offense is a misdemeanor while subsequent offenses are felonies.  SB 1083 will give DAs discretion when deciding what charges to file.

The bill was requested by Pottawatomie District Attorney Allan Grubb. Grubb filed hate crime charges including aggravated assault and battery, and conspiracy and malicious intimidation, in July against Devan Johnson and Brandon Killian for the brutal beating of Jarric Deshawn Carolina on June 22.  The two white men were caught on tape repeatedly punching, kicking and shouting racial slurs at Carolina, who is black, outside the Brick House Saloon in Shawnee.  Carolina’s life-threatening injuries put him in ICU where he spent two days on a ventilator.  He has since returned home where he is still recovering and has been unable to return to work.  Carolina developed an eye socket injury and has trouble walking and remembering things.

“Hate crimes are becoming more prevalent, and as District Attorneys, it’s important we have the ability to file charges that fit the crime.  Mr. Carolina had a brutal crime committed against him yet under current law, these two men can only be charged with a misdemeanor.  That isn’t adequate justice. They nearly killed Mr. Carolina and deserve a much harsher sentence,” Grubb said.  “I want to thank Senator Sharp for filing this important public safety legislation and hope it makes it through the legislative process quickly to ensure future hate crime victims receive fair justice and offenders are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

            The two men were charged with aggravated assault and battery and conspiracy and malicious intimidation, all of which fall under Oklahoma’s hate crime statute. Killian has also been charged with preparing false evidence for punching himself in the face repeatedly to make it appear Carolina had hurt him. After getting out on bail, Killian was arrested again in July in Oklahoma County after missing a court date for prior drug and stolen vehicle charges.

            SB 1083 will be assigned to committee when session begins in February.

Oklahoma Senate approves FY’19 budget giving education, mental health, criminal justice reform significant increases

By
Curtis Plant
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OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma Senate on Wednesday approved a $7.6 billion general appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2019 that gives significant funding increases for common education, mental health services, child welfare programs, and criminal justice reform.

“For the first time in years, we have a budget in which no agency receives a cut. The budget contains a 19 percent increase for common education, more than $24 million for the Department of Human Services to fully fund the Pinnacle Plan, and $11 million for multiple criminal justice reform measures,” said President Pro Tempore Mike Schulz, R-Altus. “This budget puts additional resources toward core services like education, mental health, child welfare services, and public safety. And early approval of this budget increases the likelihood the Legislature can adjourn early, saving the additional costs of a few more weeks of session.”

“In this budget, Oklahoma Senate Republicans undeniably have demonstrated our commitment to education. This budget contains $365 million for a $6,100 on average teacher pay raise, $52 million for support staff raises, $33 million for textbooks, and $17 million in new funding for the school funding formula. We also secured $7.5 million in funding for concurrent enrollment. Education is important to the success of our state which is why Senate Republicans worked so hard to secure significant increases for our students, teachers, and schools in this budget,” Schulz said.

Senate Appropriations Chair Kim David, R-Porter, said, “After years of economic recession in Oklahoma that led to massive cuts to the state budget, our state has finally turned the corner and this year’s budget reflects that. The fiscal year 2019 budget has $260 million in growth revenue due to policy changes and growth in the economy. That growth means our budget is on more stable financial footing because it has greatly reduced our reliance on so-called ‘one-time money.’ It’s a great feeling to have no agency budget cuts, and instead have a budget that puts significantly more money toward education, mental health services, and public safety.”

Highlights of the FY’19 budget:

– $7.6 billion budget

  • Approximately $745 million increase over FY’18$365 million for teacher pay raises
  • $54 million for state employee raises
  • $260 million in growth revenue
  • No cuts for any agency

– $2.9 billion for common education, a 19 percent increase

  • $6,100 teacher pay raise, on average
  • $52 million for support staff raises
  • $33 million for textbooks
  • $17 million in new state-aid funding formula
  • $7.5 million increase for concurrent enrollment

– $24.6 million funding increase for Department of Human Services, fully funding Pinnacle Plan

  • 7 percent increase for Medicaid Advantage waiver, Developmental Disability and Group Home rate increases
  • 5 percent increase on foster care and adoption rates
  • $2 million increase for the Developmental Disabilities Services Division (DDSD) wait list

– $11 million in criminal justice reform initiatives

  • $5 million to Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services
  • $1.1 million to Oklahoma Indigent Defense System (OIDS)
  • $1 million to District Attorney’s Council

– $2 million for agency performance audits conducted by Agency Performance and Accountability Commission

– $4.8 million to Department of Corrections to implement electronic offender management system

– $4 million to Office of Emergency Management for disaster relief

– $400,000 to Department of Agriculture for rural fire fighters

Get Ready for Electric Scooters: Who is Responsible?

By
Glen Mulready
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Fall is finally here in Oklahoma. Between the golden leaves and cool crisp air, you will begin to see electric scooters flooding the city streets. These rental scooters can be found along the curb in hundreds of U.S. cities including Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Norman, and Stillwater. Before you download the app and hop on, there are a few things you should know to protect yourself.

According to Consumer Reporters, eight people in the U.S. have died while using a rent-by-the-minute dockless electric scooter since the fall of 2017. One of those deaths was a 5-year-old boy who was riding with his mother in Tulsa in April.

Along with numerous injuries, these deaths highlight the potential dangers of the scooters. Understanding the insurance implications related to electric scooters will help you make responsible decisions.

Your health insurance could help defray the cost of medical bills in case of an accident. But what if you are riding a scooter and you hit a pedestrian, damage someone’s property or cause a car accident? You might think your auto insurance would kick in; however, most car insurance doesn’t generally cover vehicles with less than four wheels. Homeowner’s or renter’s insurance may cover an accident that occurs on a traditional bicycle, but it does not cover motorized bike or scooter trips. 

The two largest scooter companies in the United States generally place the responsibility for accidents on riders by listing in their rental agreements that riders relieve the companies of liability. You must agree to those terms before you can ride. And despite the scooter companies’ liability insurance, responsibility for damages is likely to fall on your shoulders because of the terms and conditions agreed upon when you downloaded the app.

What can you do to protect yourself? Call your insurance agent. You may be able to add an umbrella policy to your homeowner’s or renter’s insurance policy. An umbrella policy can cover more scenarios and include higher limits for coverage than a typical policy.

There are a few other ways to protect yourself on an e-scooter.

  • Wear a helmet: While it is not required by law in Oklahoma to wear a helmet while riding a scooter or a bicycle, it is highly recommended. 
  • Operate the scooter in right-hand lanes and bike lanes where possible: Your agreement with your scooter rental company will tell you to use streets and bike lanes. Riding motorized scooters on sidewalks is illegal in most cities, and you can be cited for doing so. Know where you can ride before you hop on.
  • Keep your eyes on the road: You may be tempted to share photos or videos of your new adventure on social media while operating. Always pay attention to the road. 
  • Inspect the scooter before you ride: Check to make sure the brakes are working properly before taking off.

I’m encouraging everyone who plans to ride an electric scooter, to get ready. Know your coverage. Anticipate what could happen, and know what your insurance will and won’t cover. And most importantly, be careful. 

You can also watch my recent ride on an e-scooter on the Oklahoma Insurance Department’s YouTube channel.

If you have questions about other insurance issues, contact the Oklahoma Insurance Department at 1-800-522-0071 or visit our website at www.oid.ok.gov.

Gov State Announces Cutting-Edge Rapid Point-of-Care COVID-19 Tests Being Distributed to Oklahoma

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News Release
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OKLAHOMA CITY (Oct. 1, 2020) – Governor Kevin Stitt today announced Oklahoma has received an initial allocation of roughly 77,000 Abbott Laboratories BinaxNOW rapid point-of-care COVID-19 tests. 

The Oklahoma State Department of Health will prioritize the distribution of these tests and equipment to K-12 schools, high-risk health care workers and other vulnerable populations. More specific details will be available in the coming days. 

“Distributing rapid point-of-care tests across our state will be incredibly valuable to keep our schools open for in-person instruction while protecting Oklahomans from this virus,” said Gov. Stitt. “These tests will also help us keep our frontline healthcare workers and their families safe as they continue their important mission of caring for the sick and our most vulnerable.” 

The BinaxNOW COVID-19 test uses nasal swabs that are simple to administer, inexpensive and can be easily employed by medical personnel or trained operators in certain non-clinical environments operating through a CLIA certificate. OSDH will provide training to locations receiving testing equipment, and those sites will be permitted to conduct tests through OSDH’s CLIA certificate. 

Results are provided on-site in 15 minutes or less. 

“Oklahoma has been on the cutting edge of testing our population for COVID-19 and we are excited to add this test to our arsenal as we combat this disease and keep Oklahomans safe,” said Dr. Lance Frye, Interim Commissioner of Health. “We want the public to know we have plenty of testing capacity, so if you have any fear of exposure, get tested.” 

This allocation is part of 100 million rapid tests scheduled to be distributed by the end of the year to the nation’s governors free of charge from the federal government. 

States will continue to receive allocations from the federal government as more BinaxNOW tests are manufactured. According to Abbott Diagnostics, it plans to make up to 48 million tests available monthly in the U.S. in the coming weeks. 

Free COVID-19 testing continues to be available at more than 80 sites across the Oklahoma. 

While many other states continue to only test patients with symptoms, Oklahoma has made a concerted effort to expand its testing capability to ensure any Oklahoman who wants a test can get one, and in most cases, can now receive a result in as few as 48 hours from test administration. 

Oklahomans can visit coronavirus.health.ok.gov to find testing locations in their area or call 211 for more information. 

Sen. Nathan Dahm calls on legislature to correct years of veto decisions

By
Curtis Plant
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‘Over the last eight years we have seen decisions from the governor that are out of step with the will of the people, with the Republican party platform, and with the Constitution.’—Sen. Nathan Dahm

Broken Arrow, OK – Sen. Nathan Dahm has started the process for legislators to call themselves back into session to pass legislation vetoed by Gov. Mary Fallin.

“Over the last eight years we have seen decisions from the governor that are out of step with the will of the people, with the Republican Party platform, and with the Constitution,” said Dahm, R-Broken Arrow. “We have seen Governor Fallin use her veto pen to kill bills that would have brought transparency and accountability to government, reined in out of control agency rules, get parents more involved in education, restore our Second Amendment rights, return local control back to communities, secure parental rights in healthcare decisions, streamline and modernize state government, restore private property rights, change the budgeting system for long term planning, and more. This would afford us the opportunity to correct those mistakes without having to wait another year to do so.”

In order to enter a special session, two-thirds of both the House and the Senate must agree to return.

“The Oklahoma Constitution allows for the Legislature to call itself back into session with two-thirds of both the House and the Senate. It appears likely we will return back to the Capitol for at least one more special session this summer or fall. If we will be returning for another session, it would seem an opportune time to simultaneously deal with these measures the Governor has vetoed,” Dahm said.

So far, the following members have already signed on to the resolution: Reps. Sean Roberts; Greg Babinec; Bobby Cleveland; Jeff Coody; Jon Echols; George Faught; Tom Gann; Lewis Moore; Zack Taylor; Kevin West; Rick West; Mark Lawson; and Sens. Nathan Dahm; Josh Brecheen; James Leewright; and Anthony Sykes.

Dahm has the first ever veto override of a Republican governor by a Republican legislature in state history. In 2014 Fallin vetoed HB2461, a pro-Second Amendment bill supported by the NRA, OK2A, and other gun rights groups when she included the bill in a group of vetoes in an attempt to force the legislature to focus on her preferred agenda items. The Legislature overrode the veto in a historic move and by doing so furthered Second Amendment protections that would have otherwise been stalled by Fallin.

Dahm represents Oklahoma’s 33rd district. He was first elected in 2012.

For more information, contact Sen. Nathan Dahm, 405-521-5551 or dahm@oksenate.gov.

Senate votes Greg Treat as president pro tempore

By
Aaron Cooper
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OKLAHOMA CITY – Members of the Oklahoma Senate on Tuesday voted Senator Greg Treat as president pro tempore, the chamber’s top leadership post.

Treat previously served as the majority floor leader, the Senate’s second-highest leadership office, and was selected by Senate Republicans last year as their choice to lead the Senate. On Tuesday during organizational day, the entire Senate made it official and voted to name Treat as the Senate leader.

“I am humbled and honored to serve as the leader of the Oklahoma Senate. I very much appreciate my colleagues for their trust in my leadership and look forward to the challenge ahead. I also want to thank my wife and children. Without their love and support, I would not be able to serve in the Senate,” said Treat, R-Oklahoma City.

“As leader of the Senate I promise our chamber will work hard, we’ll work together across political parties, and we’ll work toward policies that are good for all Oklahomans. There are certainly challenges facing our state, but there is nothing standing in our way that we can’t overcome together. I am optimistic about the future of our state and feel very blessed to be in a position to help lead Oklahoma to an even better and brighter future.”

Treat lives in Oklahoma City with his wife Maressa and their three children: Mason, Cooper, and Olivia. The Treat family attends Frontline Church. He was elected in a 2011 special election to represent District 47, which encompasses northwest Oklahoma City and portions of Edmond, Deer Creek, and Bethany. Treat serves on the executive committees of both the National Conference of State Legislatures and the Southern Legislative Conference.

The Oklahoma Constitution calls upon the Legislature to meet before the start of each two-year session to formally elect its leaders and certify the previous year’s election results. On Tuesday, the Senate certified the 2018 election results and officially elected Treat and other senators to Senate leadership positions. The Senate GOP leadership includes:

  • Senator Greg Treat, R-Oklahoma City, President Pro Tempore
  • Senator Kim David, R-Porter, Majority Floor Leader
  • Senator Roger Thompson, R-Okemah, Appropriations chair
  • Senator Jason Smalley, R-Stroud, Majority Caucus chair
  • Senator Rob Standridge, R-Norman, Majority Whip
  • Senator Stephanie Bice, R-Oklahoma City, Assistant Floor Leader
  • Senator Frank Simpson, R-Springer, Assistant Floor Leader
  • Senator Dave Rader, R-Tulsa, Majority Caucus vice chair
  • Senator Julie Daniels, R-Bartlesville, Assistant Majority Whip
  • Senator Casey Murdock, R-Felt, Assistant Majority Whip
  • Senator Marty Quinn, R-Claremore, Assistant Majority Whip
  • Senator Darcy Jech, R-Kingfisher, Rural Caucus chair

From the Desk of Senator Chris Kidd

By
Chris Kidd
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We’re gearing up for session with interim studies and meetings with state agencies, organizations, the business community and constituents.  I’ve been busy this month between events around the district and meetings at the Capitol. 

 At the beginning of the month, I had the pleasure of being on a panel to help select new FFA chapter officers at Central High School.  We got to hear some fantastic speeches.  As a former FFA member myself, I always enjoy hearing about the great things our local FFA students are doing to help their communities and the agricultural industry. I want to thank Mr. Curry for including me in this special event.

The Senate Agriculture and Wildlife Committee and the Appropriations Committee have heard three studies so far.

We looked at the rules and regulations of beef processing plants.   Presentations were made by Dr. Rodney Holcomb, OSU Agricultural Economics Professor and Charles B. Browning Endowed Professorship in Food Science; Jake Nelson, Facilities Manager/Meat Processing Specialist at the OSU Robert M. Kerr Food & Agricultural Products Center; Shellie Chard, the Water Quality Division Director at the state Department of Environmental Quality; and Scott Yates, the Food Safety Division Director at the state Department of Agriculture.

In Appropriations, we looked at education funding and specifically bilingual funding, testing, qualifications, school procedures, transparency and accountability.  Speakers included Matt Richmond, the Chief Operating Officer for EdBuild; Dan Ruhl, OSDE’s Executive Director of English Proficiency and Chris Berry, Oklahoma City Public School’s Director of Language and Cultural Services.

We also studied transportation funding in a changing virtual environment, funding for schools utilizing city transit systems and the 1.5-mile rule for transportation.  Presenters included Monty Guthrie, Deputy Superintendent of Finance and Federal Programs; Ron Flanagan with Muldrow Public Schools; Jason Simeroth of Yukon Public Schools; NCSL Senior Fellow of Education, Daniel Thatcher, JD; and EdBuild COO Matt Richmond.

 Two weeks ago, I joined Ag Secretary Arthur in presenting a meat processing grant check to 5th Avenue Cattle Processing in Sterling. In total, 40 locations statewide split $10 million in federal funds from the CARES Act to expand processing capacity. It’s important that we do all we can to support our local plants to get local products to stores as efficiently and quickly as possible.

  We also had our monthly Caucus meeting to discuss interim studies and the upcoming session.  We are currently working on our agenda and what issues we’re going to focus on in the 2021 session.

 I also want to thank Chuck Wagner for asking me to speak at Duncan High School.  We had a Q&A session with the students about how the legislative process works.  

  Last week, I joined Office of Juvenile Affairs Director Rachel Holt at the OJA facility in Manitou to work on future plans ensuring the continued success for that facility. 

  I also celebrated with Frederick Elementary School as they were designated by the U.S. Department of Education as a 2020 National Blue Ribbon School.  This is a prestigious honor only awarded to the very best schools in the country. This year, a total of 367 schools were named including six Oklahoma schools.     

  Frederick Elementary was recognized as an Exemplary Achievement Gap Closing School meaning they are among the state’s highest performing schools in closing achievement gaps between their student groups and all students. Student assessment scores, subgroup scores and graduation rates were used to determine this year’s winners.

  Congratulations to the teachers, administrators, faculty, parents and students of this wonderful community and school system.  This award not only reflects on the tremendous education system but the parents who are engaged in their children’s schooling and success. 

 Thank you again for the privilege of serving our district and the State of Oklahoma in the Senate. If I can be of any assistance, you can reach me at (405) 521-5563 or Chris.Kidd@oksenate.gov.

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