The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education voted Thursday to request an additional investment in public higher education to address workforce demands in our state’s critical occupations. For FY27, the State Regents request an increase of $57 million in strategic operational funding, or 5.5%, over the FY26 appropriation.
“Our FY27 budget request reflects continued investment to meet growing workforce needs in STEM, education and healthcare,” said State Regents’ chair Courtney Warmington. “Increasing college degree completion in high-demand fields remains public higher education’s top priority.”
Public higher education’s budget request includes strategic investments that align with Oklahoma’s projected workforce demand in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) and healthcare and focus on increasing adult degree completion. The State Regents request $13.5 million for critical workforce development initiatives, including funds to increase enrollment and graduation in STEM and other critical workforce disciplines and provide additional scholarships for adult students nearing completion of a college degree or pursuing an industry-recognized micro-credential or certificate.
The State Regents seek $43.5 million in FY27 to fund performance-based institutional allocations; strengthen college access and academic success services and FAFSA completion; expand student scholarships; fund innovations and efficiency initiatives; and enhance campus physical and cyber security.
“Producing more college graduates to address the business community’s evolving demands is key to economic growth in our state,” said Chancellor Sean Burrage. “This thoughtful budget request leverages successful workforce development initiatives and fosters continued innovation at our state system colleges and universities.”
To fund legislative initiatives and programming, the State Regents also request $21.5 million for FY27 for implementation of the Strong Readers Act provisions, for the National Guard Educational Assistance Program and Oklahoma Rising Scholars Scholarship, and to expand concurrent enrollment. In addition, the State Regents will advocate for institution-specific allocations of $348 million to meet campus needs, including system and infrastructure maintenance projects, and fund strategic collaborations.
Supporting campus research capacity and partnerships is also a priority for the State Regents in the upcoming legislative session. Research conducted by colleges and universities plays a vital role in driving a state’s innovation, economic growth, and public well-being. The State Regents support legislation that creates additional opportunities and provides resources to our public institutions to serve as hubs of discovery, generating new knowledge and technologies that can lead to breakthroughs in healthcare, agriculture, energy, and more.
Another legislative priority for public higher education is refining the Oklahoma’s Promise scholarship program to expand access to more Oklahoma families. Strategies include increasing the annual family income limit to $100,000, clarifying eligibility requirements for students in DHS and foster care and for children of certified public classroom teachers, and refining high school course requirements for students pursuing various post-secondary opportunities through the scholarship.
Recognized by many as one of the top promise scholarship programs in the country, Oklahoma’s Promise is considered a national model that emphasizes both academic preparation and financial support for college. More than 115,000 students have earned college tuition scholarships through Oklahoma’s Promise since the program’s inception. For more information about Oklahoma’s Promise or to apply online, visit https://okpromise.org/.