1| SENATE FLOOR VERSION | | February 24, 2026 | 2| | | | 3|COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE | |FOR | 4|SENATE BILL NO. 1790 By: Deevers, Grellner, and | | Prieto of the Senate | 5| | | and | 6| | | Hasenbeck of the House | 7| | | | 8| | | | 9| An Act relating to schools; creating the Protected | | Learning Environment Act; providing short title; | 10| stating legislative findings; defining terms; | | directing the State Department of Education to | 11| develop and publish certain discipline matrix | | guidance; requiring the matrix guidance to comply | 12| with certain acts; providing for contents of matrix | | guidance; requiring school district boards of | 13| education to adopt certain matrix based on certain | | guidance prior to certain school year; requiring | 14| submission of matrix to the Department; requiring | | annual review of matrix; requiring school district | 15| boards of education to take certain actions; | | directing placement of certain student in certain | 16| alternative setting; directing school district boards | | of education to create certain removal procedures; | 17| providing for a student who has committed certain | | number of infractions in a semester; requiring | 18| documentation of certain incidents; providing for | | contents of documentation; providing circumstances | 19| under which a teacher may remove a student from | | class; directing the Department to provide certain | 20| support; requiring certain parents and legal | | guardians to attend certain conferences; providing | 21| responsibilities of students; providing for | | codification; providing an effective date; and | 22| declaring an emergency. | | | 23| | | | 24| | | | arsid9647922 SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB1790 SFLR Page 1 ___________________________________________________________________________
1|BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA: | | | 2| SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified | | | 3|in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 6-113.2 of Title 70, unless | | | 4|there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows: | | | 5| A. This act shall be known and may be cited as the "Protected | | | 6|Learning Environment Act". | | | 7| B. The Legislature finds that: | | | 8| 1. Every student in this state has the right to learn in a | | | 9|safe, orderly, distraction-free environment; | | | 10| 2. Teachers and school staff have the right to work in secure, | | | 11|predictable, and well-managed classrooms; | | | 12| 3. Disruptive, aggressive, or unsafe behaviors significantly | | | 13|impair academic progress, teacher retention, and school climate; | | | 14| 4. Statewide standardized discipline matrix guidance developed | | | 15|by the State Department of Education shall: | | | 16| a. ensure fairness and consistency across all districts, | | | 17| | | | 18| b. reduce subjective or unequal discipline practices, | | | 19| c. support students with clear expectations and | | | 20| appropriate interventions, | | | 21| d. protect instructional time, and | | | 22| e. strengthen school safety; and | | | 23| | | | 24| | | | arsid9647922 SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB1790 SFLR Page 2 ___________________________________________________________________________
1| 5. It is necessary to establish standardized behavioral | | | 2|expectations, clear consequences, and required safety protocols for | | | 3|all public schools in this state. | | | 4| C. For the purposes of this section: | | | 5| 1. "Discipline matrix" means an evidence-based, tiered system | | | 6|that outlines behaviors, consequences, and interventions for | | | 7|students in grades prekindergarten through twelve; | | | 8| 2. "Protected learning environment" (PLE) means a structured | | | 9|classroom setting where students can learn without disruption, | | | 10|threat, or interference; | | | 11| 3. "Major infraction" includes, but is not limited to, | | | 12|violence, threats, weapons, sexual misconduct, repeated aggression, | | | 13|vandalism, harassment, and any action that jeopardizes the safety of | | | 14|students or staff; | | | 15| 4. "Minor infraction" includes behaviors such as off-task | | | 16|conduct, disrespect, dress code violations, classroom disruptions, | | | 17|and noncompliance with instructions; | | | 18| 5. "Immediate removal" means the temporary removal of a student | | | 19|from the learning environment to ensure safety and instructional | | | 20|continuity; and | | | 21| 6. "Restorative supports" means interventions such as | | | 22|counseling, skill-building, mediation, and behavior contracts. | | | 23| D. The State Department of Education shall develop and publish | | | 24|on its website standardized discipline matrix guidance. The matrix | | | arsid9647922 SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB1790 SFLR Page 3 ___________________________________________________________________________
1|guidance shall comply with provisions of the Individuals with | | | 2|Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Family Educational Rights | | | 3|and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA). The matrix guidance shall provide | | | 4|for trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate interventions, an | | | 5|accountability framework, and a zero-tolerance standard for violence | | | 6|or threats. The matrix guidance shall consist of the following | | | 7|tiers: | | | 8| 1. Tier 1: Classroom-managed behaviors that can be managed by | | | 9|a teacher including, but not limited to: | | | 10| a. specific examples of minor infractions such as | | | 11| off-task behavior, minor disrespect, tardiness, or | | | 12| failure to follow directions, | | | 13| b. clear teacher-implemented strategies and | | | 14| interventions, | | | 15| c. documentation requirements, | | | 16| d. progressive consequences for repeated infractions, | | | 17| and | | | 18| e. a maximum threshold before referral to a school | | | 19| administrator; | | | 20| 2. Tier 2: Administrator-managed behaviors including, but not | | | 21|limited to: | | | 22| a. specific examples of moderate or repeated behaviors | | | 23| such as repeated minor infractions, verbal conflicts, | | | 24| or minor vandalism, | | | arsid9647922 SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB1790 SFLR Page 4 ___________________________________________________________________________
1| b. in-school interventions with progressive | | | 2| consequences, | | | 3| c. mandatory notification of a student's parent or legal | | | 4| guardian, and | | | 5| d. behavioral skill-building plans; and | | | 6| 3. Tier 3: Serious or dangerous behaviors to be managed by a | | | 7|school administrator including, but not limited to: | | | 8| a. specific examples of serious or dangerous major | | | 9| infractions such as fighting, threats, bullying, or | | | 10| possession of prohibited items including possession of | | | 11| items for which a student would be subject to | | | 12| out-of-school suspension as provided for in subsection | | | 13| C of Section 24-101.3 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma | | | 14| Statutes, | | | 15| b. mandatory immediate removal from an instructional | | | 16| setting with progressive consequences including | | | 17| potential out-of-school suspension, in-school | | | 18| suspension, alternative placement, or any other | | | 19| disciplinary measure authorized by law, | | | 20| c. required investigation and safety assessment, and | | | 21| d. multi-agency collaboration when necessary. | | | 22| E. Prior to the beginning of the 2027-2028 school year, each | | | 23|school district board of education in this state shall: | | | 24| | | | arsid9647922 SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB1790 SFLR Page 5 ___________________________________________________________________________
1| 1. Adopt a discipline matrix based on the guidance developed | | | 2|and published by the State Department of Education pursuant to | | | 3|subsection D of this section. The matrix shall be submitted to the | | | 4|State Department of Education. Each school district board of | | | 5|education shall annually review its discipline matrix and submit any | | | 6|revisions to the Department; | | | 7| 2. Train all school district staff on implementation of the | | | 8|adopted discipline matrix. Training shall be completed during a | | | 9|school district employee's first year of employment and at a | | | 10|subsequent frequency determined by the superintendent of the school | | | 11|district; | | | 12| 3. Provide parents and legal guardians of students enrolled in | | | 13|the school district access to the matrix by publishing the matrix in | | | 14|the school district's student handbook or on the school district's | | | 15|website; | | | 16| 4. Apply consequences provided for in the discipline matrix | | | 17|consistently and without discrimination; and | | | 18| 5. Ensure teachers have the authority to remove a student when | | | 19|safety or learning is compromised. | | | 20| F. A student who is removed from class due to Tier 2 or Tier 3 | | | 21|behaviors shall be placed in a protected learning environment (PLE) | | | 22|alternative setting to ensure continued instruction. Each school | | | 23|district board of education shall create classroom removal | | | 24|procedures that: | | | arsid9647922 SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB1790 SFLR Page 6 ___________________________________________________________________________
1| 1. Guarantee minimal disruption to instructional time; | | | 2| 2. Ensure timely administrative response to requests for | | | 3|immediate removal; and | | | 4| 3. Support teachers in maintaining classroom authority. | | | 5| G. A student who commits three or more Tier 3 infractions | | | 6|within a semester may be subject to: | | | 7| 1. A mandatory behavior conference; | | | 8| 2. A functional behavior assessment, if applicable; and | | | 9| 3. Possible placement in a structured alternative education | | | 10|program. | | | 11| H. All incidents requiring Tier 2 or Tier 3 intervention shall | | | 12|be documented by the school district. The documentation shall not | | | 13|include personally identifiable student information but shall | | | 14|include, but not be limited to: | | | 15| 1. The number and types of infractions and related response | | | 16|actions reported in the previous school year; | | | 17| 2. Information on trends in school safety and climate within | | | 18|the school district; and | | | 19| 3. Information on compliance with the discipline matrix by | | | 20|school district staff. | | | 21| I. 1. Pursuant to the discipline matrix adopted by a school | | | 22|district board of education pursuant to subsection E of this | | | 23|section, a teacher may remove a student from class who: | | | 24| a. poses a safety threat, | | | arsid9647922 SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB1790 SFLR Page 7 ___________________________________________________________________________
1| b. repeatedly disrupts learning despite Tier 1 | | | 2| interventions, or | | | 3| c. demonstrates aggressive or defiant behavior toward | | | 4| school staff or students. | | | 5| 2. A teacher who removes a student from class pursuant to | | | 6|paragraph 1 of this subsection shall not face disciplinary action | | | 7|from the district for enforcing the discipline matrix. | | | 8| J. The State Department of Education shall provide support to | | | 9|school districts in implementing the provisions of this act | | | 10|including staff training on behavior interventions, restorative | | | 11|supports, and school safety enhancements. The Department shall | | | 12|provide the support using existing resources such as federal grants, | | | 13|assistance from the Oklahoma School Security Institute, and any | | | 14|other currently available state and federal programs for school | | | 15|safety and student support. Districts shall be encouraged to apply | | | 16|for and use existing grants and programs to meet the requirements of | | | 17|this act. | | | 18| K. The parent or legal guardian of a student who exhibits | | | 19|repeated or serious behaviors shall be required to attend | | | 20|conferences with school district staff. | | | 21| L. Students enrolled in a public school in this state shall be | | | 22|responsible for: | | | 23| 1. Following school rules; | | | 24| 2. Respecting the authority of school staff; and | | | arsid9647922 SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB1790 SFLR Page 8 ___________________________________________________________________________
1| 3. Engaging in assigned interventions or supports. Failure to | | | 2|participate in required interventions or supports may result in | | | 3|escalated responses outlined in the discipline matrix adopted by | | | 4|each school district board of education pursuant to subsection E of | | | 5|this section. | | | 6| SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2026. | | | 7| SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation | | | 8|of the public peace, health, or safety, an emergency is hereby | | | 9|declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and | | | 10|be in full force from and after its passage and approval. | | | 11|COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION | |February 24, 2026 - DO PASS AS AMENDED BY CS | 12| | | | 13| | | | 14| | | | 15| | | | 16| | | | 17| | | | 18| | | | 19| | | | 20| | | | 21| | | | 22| | | | 23| | | | 24| | | | arsid9647922 SENATE FLOOR VERSION - SB1790 SFLR Page 9