An Act
ENROLLED SENATE
BILL NO. 639 By: Pugh, Stephens, Bullard,
Bergstrom and Jech of the
Senate
and
Baker and Dollens of the
House
An Act relating to the Oklahoma Higher Learning
Access Program; amending Section 1, Chapter 297,
O.S.L. 2018 (70 O.S. Supp. 2020, Section 2606) , which
relates to return of awarded funds for cert ain
reason; directing the Oklahoma State Re gents for
Higher Education to administer certain survey to
certain students; directing the State Regents to
submit certain repor t by certain date; providing
contents of report; providing for codification ; and
providing an effective date .
SUBJECT: Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY Section 1, Chapter 297, O.S. L.
2018 (70 O.S. Supp. 2020, Section 2606), is amended to read as
follows:
Section 2606. A. If a student withdraws from a class in which
he or she has received an award from the Oklahoma Higher Learning
Access Program, the awarded funds shall be returne d to the Oklahoma
Higher Learning Access Program. The provisions of this subsection
shall only apply to awarded funds when a student withdraws prior to
ENR. S. B. NO. 639 Page 2
the end of the add/drop period for the session in which the student
is enrolled.
B. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education shall
administer a survey to students who receive an Oklahoma Higher
Learning Access Program award and who withdraw from an institution
within The Oklahoma State System of Highe r Education, a private
institution of higher learning located within this state and
accredited pursuant to Section 4103 of this title or a technology
center school before comp leting a degree or certificate program .
The survey shall gather information on the reasons for withdrawal,
the barriers to compl etion of a degree or certificate program and
the future plans of the students.
C. The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Educat ion shall
promulgate rules to implement the provisions of this section.
SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new sectio n of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 2607 of Title 70, unless there
is created a duplication in numb ering, reads as follows:
Beginning December 31, 2022, and each December 31 thereafter,
the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Educati on shall submit to the
President Pro Tempore of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of
Representatives an annual report on the impact of the Oklahoma
Higher Learning Access Program, al so known as Oklahoma's Promise,
created pursuant to Sections 2 601 et seq. of Title 70 of the
Oklahoma Statutes. The r eport shall include:
A. 1. Year-to-year cohort retention and five-year graduation
rates of all students enrolled in institutions within The Oklahoma
State System of Higher Education compared to the year-to-year cohort
retention and five-year graduation rates of students who receive
Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program awards who are enrolled in
institutions within The Oklahoma State System of Higher Educa tion.
The data shall include the degree program s in which the stude nts are
enrolled.
2. Year-to-year cohort retention and five-year graduation rates
of students who receive Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program
awards who are enrolled in private institutions of higher learning
located within this state and accredited pursuant Section 4103 of
ENR. S. B. NO. 639 Page 3
Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes. The data shall include the
degree programs in which the students are enrolled.
3. Certificate attainment rates of all student s enrolled in
technology center school s compared to the certificate attainment
rates of students who receive Oklahoma Higher Learning Access
Program awards who are enrolled in techn ology center schools. The
data shall include the career area s in which the students are
enrolled.
B. The financial impact and enrollment impact of the Oklahoma
Higher Learning Access Program on two -year and four-year
institutions within The Oklahoma Stat e System of Higher Education,
private institutions of higher learning loca ted within this state
and accredited pursuant Section 4103 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma
Statutes and technology center schoo ls.
C. Data on Oklahoma Higher Learning Access Program participants
who graduate from an institution of higher education within The
Oklahoma State System of Higher Educati on or a private institution
of higher learning located within this state and accredited pursuant
Section 4103 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statu tes or who attain a
certificate from a technology center school , including:
1. The number of participants who are residents of the state
one year after graduation or certificat e attainment; and
2. The industry or career area in which the participant is
employed.
D. Data from surveys completed pursuant to the provisions of
subsection B of Section 2606 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
SECTION 3. This act shall become effective No vember 1, 2021.
ENR. S. B. NO. 639 Page 4
Passed the Senate the 24th day of May, 2021.
Presiding Officer of the Senate
Passed the House of Repr esentatives the 25th day of May, 2021.
Presiding Officer of the House
of Representatives
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
Received by the Office of the Governor this _______ _____________
day of _________________ __, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _________________________________
Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma this _____ ____
day of _________________ __, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
_________________________________
Governor of the State of Oklahoma
OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE
Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this _______ ___
day of __________________, 20 _______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.
By: _______________________________ __