When Oklahoma state legislators approved a new K-12 open enrollment law in 2021, school choice advocates celebrated the reform for providing students with more options within the public school system. Implemented at the onset of the 2022-23 school year, Oklahoma’s mandatory cross-district open enrollment policy allows nonresident students to enroll in neighboring school districts regardless of their educational needs, academic performance, or athletic ability. The law also allows transfers at any point during the school year and allows applications to be denied only if a school district lacks open seats in the appropriate grade level.
But despite having a strong open enrollment law, Oklahoma is still
