SAFEGUARDING CHILD NUTRITION The Chamber recognizes that nutrition programs play a key role in keeping children in the Oklahoma City region fed. The Chamber supports utilizing and funding programs that best feed the children of the Oklahoma City region. OKLAHOMA STATE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION The Chamber requires aligning the OSDE with the goals and priorities herein to best serve the educational needs of the state, as well as any available funding that supports child well- being. The Oklahoma State Department of Education is the state education agency charged with determining the policies and directing the administration and supervision of the public school system of Oklahoma. The State Board of Education is responsible for overseeing that these duties are completed. The restructuring of this board for increased accountability is supported. Adding two appointees from the House and two appointees from the Senate to the current appointee membership by the Governor will increase accountability and oversight for these functions taking place. ARTS AND ARTS EDUCATION The Chamber supports public funding for arts and arts education in schools as a means to spotlight our history and culture, attract tourism, bolster our local economy and elevate our brand throughout the region. The Chamber supports visual and performing arts in our schools as a means to nurture well-rounded individuals and help create a more engaging and dynamic learning environment. Research shows that such programs enhance critical thinking and problem-solving, boost academic performance and prepare students for a diverse range of careers.
with a release date by October 1 each year increasing accessibility to financial support for student applicants; therefore, providing students and institutions time to effectively plan for financial aid, and in turn aligning associated data reporting. Delays in FAFSA processing and inadequate communication can hinder college access, which in turn negatively impacts workforce development. Ensuring timely financial aid decisions is critical to supporting students in pursuing postsecondary education and filling workforce needs in high-demand sectors. • Pell Grants and TRIO: The Chamber supports continued availability of Pell grants to help students pay for higher education and short-term Pell grants for students seeking credentials or other nondegree education/training. We also support federally funded TRIO grants that help disadvantaged individuals prepare for and succeed in higher education. • Farm and Small Business Exemptions – The Chamber supports efforts to help students who are from families who
are farmers or small business owners maximize their eligibility for federal financial support to pay for higher education.
SAFEGUARDING CHILD NUTRITION The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber recognizes that federal nutrition programs play a key role in keeping children in the Oklahoma City metro region fed. The Child Nutrition Reauthorization Act has not been updated in more than a decade. The Chamber supports the reauthorization of this act to better serve the children of the Oklahoma City community. The Chamber supports using all available federal funding to support the health, mental health and wellbeing of our future workforce, using all available tools to ensure the academic success of our students. This includes ensuring the state administers the summer EBT programs to ensure students are fed.
FEDERAL ISSUES
HELPING STUDENTS PAY FOR HIGHER EDUCATION The Chamber recognizes that students need financial resources to complete post-secondary education. We support broad outreach and awareness of financial resources available to potential Oklahoma college students and young adults such as FAFSA, concurrent enrollment, Reach Higher, Oklahoma’s Promise and others: • FAFSA Completion: The Chamber supports efforts to increase the number of students who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) because it helps students learn about how to pay for higher education. The Chamber supports efforts to ensure a timely, reliable and accessible application process for students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA),
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