Shows / StateImpact Oklahoma
StateImpact Oklahoma
StateImpact Oklahoma reports on education, health, environment, and the intersection of government and everyday Oklahomans. StateImpact Oklahoma is a collaboration of KGOU, KOSU, KWGS and KCCU.
Episodes
- StateImpact Oklahoma
How policies from the 2025 legislative session will impact Oklahoma students’ school days
As schools across the state are starting classes, students and parents may notice some changes this year, thanks to the legislature. StateImpact’s Logan Layden…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Threatt Filling Station takes its place among iconic Oklahoma Route 66 landmarks
The Threatt Filling Station along Route 66 near Luther was an oasis for people of color traveling through Oklahoma during the Jim Crow era. A monument…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Oklahoma emergency management head talks disaster preparedness, hazard mitigation
This summer saw immense river flooding that resulted in more than 130 deaths in Texas and heavy rainfall that blocked roadways in Oklahoma. Disaster…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
A new proposal could allow Medicaid to fund more services for eligible kids in Oklahoma schools
Pending federal approval, Oklahoma schools could recoup more Medicaid dollars from providing school-based services to eligible students, like occupational and…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Oklahoma fertility rate trends downward amid economic pressures, low child well-being ranking
Every state saw a decline in its fertility rate in 2023, according to a new report from the Pew Charitable Trusts. Oklahoma saw a nearly 12% drop from just a…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
‘We knew it was coming’: Oklahoma deploys tiny wasps to control invasive forest pest
Foresters are using parasitoids to reduce the spread of the emerald ash borer beetle, following the lead of many states to the east. Mentioned in this episode…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
This program was getting more counselors into rural Oklahoma schools. Then Trump pulled funding.
A program promising much-needed mental health professionals for rural Oklahoma schools is on the chopping block of funding cuts from the Trump Administration…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Meet the new group in charge of millions in state money to help pregnant women after Oklahoma banned abortion
A program reimbursing nonprofits with state money to support abortion alternatives has expanded, despite past challenges with dollars reaching the women it…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
A recap of Oklahoma's 2025 legislative session
The 2025 legislative session is over. Our StateImpact Oklahoma reporters were following several bills and issues related to education, healthcare and energy…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
While Oklahoma foster care payments stay stagnant, foster parents rely on community support
Lawmakers attempted to secure more financial support for Oklahoma foster parents this legislative session. While they weren't successful, other resources are…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
The grief and relief of rural school annexation in Oklahoma
In south central Oklahoma, a rural school is having to consider what more than a hundred Oklahoma districts have before it when enrollment drops below…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
More than a fifth of Indigenous Oklahomans are uninsured. The price they pay can be steep.
More than a fifth of Indigenous Oklahomans are counted by the U.S. Census Bureau as uninsured – including those who solely use the Indian Health Service as…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Why some Oklahoma lawmakers want more control over judicial selection
Legislative efforts to reform the judicial selection process in Oklahoma have gone on for the better part of the last decade. And this year, just like in years…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Amid Oklahoma tornado season, scientists warn NOAA cuts could impact forecasting, public safety
Norman is a nexus of national weather and climate science. But swift layoffs and deep budget cuts could disband it and other organizations nationwide…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s St. Isidore case will be heard by SCOTUS next week. Here’s what’s at stake.
The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the Oklahoma Statewide Charter School Board v. Drummond case next week. The case will decide whether the St…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Oklahoma youth commemorate Oklahoma City Bombing 30th anniversary through music
As the 30th anniversary of the Oklahoma City Bombing approaches, a group of young musicians is connecting with the tragedy through performing themes of…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
That April Morning: The Oklahoma City Bombing
April 19, 2025 marks 30 years since a bomb destroyed the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City. 168 people were killed — including 19…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
How one group is educating Oklahomans on reproductive health care amid state abortion ban
Since Oklahoma’s near-total abortion ban went into effect, providers and thousands of people who have left the state to receive care have experienced its…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Off-campus religious education courses expand to growing number of Oklahoma schools
Thanks to a new law, schools across the state are now required to allow off-campus religious instruction during elective courses. Those courses are currently…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Oklahoma birders report seeing fewer migrating species as extreme weather, development expands
A report released this month states at least a third of the nation’s birds are in peril. Local community scientists are contributing information critical to…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away:’ Historic Kiowa church to be rebuilt after Oklahoma wildfire
Last week, wildfires raged across Oklahoma, claiming thousands of acres of land and hundreds of buildings. KOSU’s Sarah Liese reports for StateImpact that the…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
New rules, rising costs putting some Oklahoma child care providers in peril
New Oklahoma Human Services rules approved this year require non-accredited five-star child care programs to provide proof of an accreditation application…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
New book details ‘untold story’ of lethal injection, chronicling its Oklahoma roots
A book coming out next month argues the way states perform executions is inhumane. KOSU's Sierra Pfeifer talks to University of Richmond Professor Corinna…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
An Oklahoma wildlife refuge has widespread abandoned oil, gas wells. This group is cleaning them up
Over the next four years, the Well Done Foundation and U.S. Fish and Wildlife will plug more than 100 orphan wells on public land. Mentioned in this episode…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Trump’s agenda complicates Oklahoma’s plan to clean up abandoned oil and gas wells
The state expected millions of dollars to plug wells abandoned by their owners. But the funds are in limbo under a new federal administration. Mentioned in…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Rural administrators flock to East Central University’s new rural education doctoral program
ECU debuted its first-ever doctoral program this January, which focuses on administrative issues in rural education. Mentioned in this episode: Social Media…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
OU preps tomorrow’s medical providers to care for body and mind in rural Oklahoma
None of Oklahoma’s rural counties have enough primary and mental health care providers. A federal grant is training University of Oklahoma physician assistant…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Oklahomans push back on transmission projects, even as the state's energy needs continue to grow
Oklahomans are using more and more electricity. But as energy companies meet with landowners to build the needed infrastructure, opposition is growing…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s largest universities buck national trends for post-COVID enrollment with record highs
Nationally, college enrollment has declined over the last 15 years. But Oklahoma’s land-grant institutions managed to avoid the post-COVID fallout and are now…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
StateImpact Oklahoma previews what's to come in 2025
Change and uncertainty abound as 2025 begins. But you have the StateImpact Oklahoma team to guide you through and keep you informed about the seismic shifts…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Students with disabilities are spending more time in general education. Are teachers being prepared?
More students with disabilities than ever before are spending at least 80 percent of their school day in general education classrooms. Federal data show that…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Boost in federal dollars could strengthen prenatal, early childhood Oklahoma home visiting services
The federal government is increasing funding for a program that offers families free, voluntary home visits by health professionals from pregnancy to…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
StateImpact Oklahoma welcomes environment and science reporter Chloe Bennett-Steele
StateImpact managing editor Logan Layden introduces us to new science and environment reporter Chloe Bennett-Steele. Mentioned in this episode: Social Media…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Offering AP courses is now required in Oklahoma, but most schools still aren’t teaching them
Four years ago, lawmakers passed a bill requiring all Oklahoma public schools to offer at least four Advanced Placement courses. It went into effect this fall…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
LeadingAge Oklahoma CEO breaks down lawsuit challenging federal nursing home staffing rules
Oklahoma nursing homes are working to meet federal staffing rules, which require them to have a registered nurse on site 24/7 and employees to spend a minimum…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
‘You can't gripe if you don't vote’: Early voting kicks off in Oklahoma
Oklahomans took to the polls Wednesday for the first day of early voting. Oklahoma has four early voting days this year — that's two more than in the 2020…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Oklahoma higher ed workers navigate gaps in paid parental leave: lawmakers say it’s time to fix that
A growing list of Oklahoma colleges and universities are offering their workers paid parental leave. But it’s still a minority. The momentum comes after…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
A growing number of Oklahoma schools are adopting digital hall passes for safety, student accountability
Oklahoma schools use technology apps to manage everything from attendance to grades to parent communications. And now, a growing number of districts are…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Convicted of murder as a teenager, Wayne Thompson hopes for a second chance at freedom
He was 15 when he killed his sister’s abuser. Even after years of good conduct, the Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board has rejected recommending him for release…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Surgery during ‘rocket attacks’: Ukrainian doctors train at OU Health to provide reconstructive care
As the war between Russia and Ukraine rages on, Ukrainian physicians are tending to a historic volume of patients with complex head and neck injuries from…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
'We’re ready for the fight': Southeast Oklahomans push back on proposed hydropower project
Many Southeast Oklahomans are gearing up to fight a proposed hydropower project that could displace hundreds of people. For this week's StateImpact Oklahoma…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
New investments in CareerTech aim to provide relief for booming waitlist, agency hopes for more
Oklahoma CareerTech oversees 29 technology centers across 60 campuses statewide. It takes about 500,000 yearly enrollments and offers courses to students in…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Help wanted: Oklahoma works to lower barriers to long-term care careers
Recruiting long-term care CNAs can be challenging, and fighting consistent turnover is costly. But groups in Oklahoma are finding ways to invest in these…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Painting brighter futures: OKC schools partner with community for mediation, mentorship
Oklahoma students face many barriers to high school graduation, even more so since the pandemic. But educators at two Oklahoma City area high schools have…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
How one rural hospital hopes to be an oasis in Oklahoma’s maternity care desert
The farther a woman has to travel to receive maternity care, the greater risk they have of maternal morbidity and adverse infant outcomes. Mentioned in this…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
From caves to caterpillars: How Oklahoma schools are working to beat the ‘summer slide’
“Summer slide” is the phenomenon of students losing ground academically during the summer break. It usually refers to learning loss in reading and math, though…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
'This is going to kill us': Oklahoma nursing homes brace for new federal staffing mandate
Oklahoma nursing homes are preparing for staffing rules finalized in April by the Biden administration, meant to improve safety and quality of care in…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
What to expect in the coming months as La Niña impacts Oklahoma's weather
Far out in the Pacific Ocean, the latest El Niño cycle is at an end, and La Niña is expected in the coming months. But what does that mean for Oklahoma’s…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Lawton officials attempt to mitigate East Cache Creek issues amid growing concerns
After a TikTok video went viral about water pollution in East Cache Creek, City of Lawton officials have explained their plan to restore water levels…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
StateImpact Oklahoma wraps up the 2024 legislative session
StateImpact education reporter Beth Wallis and health reporter Jillian Taylor talk with managing editor Logan Layden about some of this year's legislative…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Oklahoma’s transition to managed Medicaid brings new benefits, challenges
More than 600,000 Oklahomans on Medicaid are now seeing their care coordinated by private insurance companies. Proponents say the change incentivizes…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Edmond ‘bike bus’ puts a healthy spin on kids’ school commute
Keeping kids active and healthy can be an uphill battle, especially in the age of smartphones, video games and other distractions. A new volunteer initiative…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Oklahoma schools need bus drivers and are straining to fill the gaps
Statewide, Oklahoma public schools are experiencing a shortage of bus drivers — and they’re struggling to adapt. StateImpact analyzed every public school…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
How Oklahoma’s transition to managed Medicaid happened and what’s next
Most of Oklahoma’s Medicaid population is transitioning to managed care. This means that instead of the Oklahoma Health Care Authority paying providers…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Oklahoma immigrant communities rally in face of state policy to arrest people in country illegally
As a crisis continues on the U.S. Southern Border, Oklahoma lawmakers are among counterparts from about a dozen states taking things into their own hands. For…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
The end of pandemic-era federal dollars may mean the end for the school programs it funded
In Tulsa, there are about 450 after-school programs at risk of shrinking to just 75 once ESSER funds are gone. One of those programs is an after-school…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
First over-the-counter birth control pill offers family planning amid Oklahoma’s abortion ban
Opill, which was approved by the FDA last July, is the nation’s first over-the-counter birth control pill, and it’s hitting pharmacy shelves now. Mentioned in…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Eclipse brings tourism and challenges as Oklahoma goes under the shadow of the Moon
Any point on the globe can expect to see a total solar eclipse about once every 400 years. This Monday, it’s far southeast Oklahoma’s turn. Mentioned in this…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
What education measures are still alive at the 2024 legislative session’s halfway point?
Lawmakers are at the halfway point in this year’s legislative session, and just a fraction of the education bills filed at the top of the session have survived…
- StateImpact Oklahoma
Oklahoma social workers face barriers in getting licensed, a bill could help them get to work faster
This legislative session, lawmakers are working with faculty from OU’s School of Social Work and Oklahoma Healthy Minds Policy Initiative, advocating for…