New Oklahoma social studies standards draft removes election and COVID-19 language after Supreme Court ruling

What changed in the latest draft

Oklahoma education officials have released a new draft of K-12 social studies standards for public comment that removes language tied to prior controversies involving the 2020 presidential election and the origins of COVID-19. The draft was published Jan. 29, 2026, with public feedback due by Feb. 18, 2026.

The updated draft follows an Oklahoma Supreme Court decision in December 2025 that permanently overturned the prior version of the social studies standards approved by the State Board of Education on Feb. 27, 2025. The court’s ruling left the state’s earlier social studies standards, adopted in 2019, in place while new standards are developed.

Why the previous standards were struck down

The Supreme Court’s decision focused on the process used to adopt the 2025 standards, finding violations of the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act. In the court’s description of events, the version approved in February 2025 contained last-minute additions that were not adequately disclosed to the public or clearly identified to board members before the vote.

Those late changes included content directing instruction on claimed “discrepancies” in the 2020 election and an assertion about COVID-19 originating from a Chinese lab. After the board vote, multiple board members said they did not know the version presented for approval differed from the last publicly posted draft. The court concluded the notice and transparency requirements tied to agenda posting and public awareness were not met.

Separately, legal challenges and public debate also centered on the standards’ emphasis on Bible-related content in early grades. The Supreme Court did not resolve constitutional questions about religion in public education in the decision overturning the standards, instead deciding the case on open-meetings and procedural grounds.

Public comment timeline and next steps

The Oklahoma State Department of Education has reopened the standards review process and is soliciting input on the new draft. The agency has indicated that feedback will be reviewed for possible revisions before the standards move forward through the state’s approval steps.

• Draft released for comment: Jan. 29, 2026
• Public comment deadline: Feb. 18, 2026
• Current standards in effect: 2019 social studies standards remain in place during the rewrite

Implications for schools and materials

The legal halt and subsequent reversal of the 2025 standards disrupted longer-term planning for districts, including alignment of curriculum materials and statewide textbook adoption schedules. With the 2019 standards continuing to govern instruction for now, schools are expected to maintain existing course frameworks while state officials work toward a replacement that can withstand procedural scrutiny and public review.

Key takeaway: The newest draft represents a reset of Oklahoma’s social studies standards process, removing disputed election- and COVID-related language after the court invalidated the prior adoption process.