1| STATE OF OKLAHOMA | | | 2| 2nd Session of the 60th Legislature (2026) | | | 3|HOUSE BILL 4288 By: Fugate | | | 4| | | | 5| | | | 6| AS INTRODUCED | | | 7| An Act relating to schools; authorizing the | | Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse | 8| Services to create an alternative education pilot | | program for certain suspended students; stating | 9| applicability; providing program requirements; | | allowing students to continue the program after | 10| suspension; allowing school district to create a plan | | for student reintegration; directing allocation of | 11| available funds; and providing an effective date. | | | 12| | | | 13| | | | 14|BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: | | | 15| SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified | | | 16|in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1210.568a of Title 70, unless | | | 17|there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: | | | 18| A. The Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services | | | 19|is hereby authorized to establish a pilot program to provide | | | 20|alternative education to students who are suspended out-of-school | | | 21|for more than fourteen (14) days. The Department shall design the | | | 22|program in accordance with alternative education program | | | 23|requirements listed in Section 1210.568 of this title. | | | 24| | | | Req. No. 15782 Page 1 ___________________________________________________________________________
1| B. The program created in subsection A of this section shall | | | 2|incorporate therapy and other restorative practices into the | | | 3|student's daily instruction. | | | 4| C. Students participating in the program shall have the option | | | 5|to continue the program after their out-of-school suspension | | | 6|conditions have been met, or their suspension time has expired. In | | | 7|addition to the education plan for reintegration to core units | | | 8|required under subsection D of Section 24-101.3 of this title, | | | 9|school districts may adopt a plan to help students reintegrate into | | | 10|elective classes, extracurricular activities, and other school | | | 11|programs when they have completed their out-of-school suspension. | | | 12| D. Of the funding available for alternative education programs | | | 13|each fiscal year, the State Department of Education shall designate | | | 14|up to ten percent (10%) for the program established in subsection A | | | 15|of this section based on student participation. | | | 16| SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2026. | | | 17| | | | 18| 60-2-15782 SW 01/07/26 | | | 19| | | | 20| | | | 21| | | | 22| | | | 23| | | | 24| | | | Req. No. 15782 Page 2