Committee advances bill removing ACT requirement for homeschool students seeking Oklahoma’s Promise
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Summary
The House Education Oversight Committee advanced HB 2950, which removes a separate ACT requirement for homeschooled students applying for Oklahoma’s Promise and prohibits institutions from imposing extra admission hurdles solely because an applicant was homeschooled. Supporters said it equalizes standards; opponents worried it reduces oversight and could affect taxpayer‑funded scholarships.
Representative Wooley introduced House Bill 2950, saying it would remove a specific ACT requirement for homeschooled students seeking Oklahoma’s Promise and prevent higher‑education institutions from adding extra admission hurdles for applicants who were homeschooled. "It removes the ACT requirement for homeschoolers to receive Oklahoma's Promise," Wooley said, and stressed that universities could still require placement tests or ACT scores to assess readiness.
Supporters argued the bill treats homeschool students the same as other applicants and responds to concerns raised by homeschool parents. Wooley said the measure was shaped by parents and endorsed by homeschool groups and attorneys; he added that parents can supply transcripts or a GPA and students may take placement tests such as at Tulsa Community College or Rose State College.
Opponents, including Representative Waldron, pressed that removing the ACT requirement could reduce oversight compared with accredited public and private schools. "Aren't we eliminating some form of oversight for homeschool kids that students in other systems ... do have?" Waldron asked, noting universities often rely on accreditation data. Waldron urged caution about lowering standards for a taxpayer‑funded program.
Questions from Rep. Lowe and others focused on whether the bill affects eligibility rules for Oklahoma’s Promise (often referenced as OLAP in committee materials) and on fiscal impacts; Wooley said the bill does not change institutional authority to admit students but removes an extra requirement applied only to homeschool applicants and that an estimate of fiscal impact could be provided later.
After debate, a motion to advance HB 2950 passed in committee and the bill was reported as 'do pass' to the next stage. The committee did not provide a cost estimate during the hearing and did not specify how many students would be affected; Wooley said a colleague he consulted did not anticipate a significantly large number.
The committee will send HB 2950 forward for further consideration by the Legislature.