Okla. Stat. tit. 70, § 6-401
Student Communications - Definitions - Requirements - Investigation
Effective Jul 1, 2026Laws 2024, HB 3958, c. 297, § 1, emerg. eff. July 1, 2024.; Amended by Laws 2026, SB 1733, c. 84, § 1, emerg. eff. July 1, 2026 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2026, HB 1937, c. 241, § 1, emerg. eff. July 1, 2026; Amended by Laws 2026, HB 2959, c. 292, § 2, emerg. eff. July 1, 2026.
Multiple Amendments Enacted
A. As used in this section:
- 1. “Electronic or digital communication” includes, but is not limited to, emails, text messages, instant messages, direct messages, social media messages, messages sent through software applications, and any other electronic digital means of communication; and
- 2. “School personnel” means teachers, coaches, administrators, school bus drivers, or any other persons employed full-time or part-time by a public school or charter school.
- B. School personnel engaging in electronic or digital communication with an individual student shall include the student’s parent or legal guardian in any electronic or digital communication, unless such communication is on a school-approved platform and related to school and academic communications.
- C. Exceptions to the requirement in subsection B of this section may be made in case of an emergency, subject to subsequent notification to the parent or legal guardian. School personnel shall make reasonable efforts to use school-approved platforms, systems, or applications that allow automatic inclusion of parents or legal guardians in communications with students.
- D. Schools shall provide training, developed by the State Department of Education, for school personnel on the student communication requirements of this section.
- E. Any school personnel who is reported to be in violation of subsection B of this section shall be put on administrative leave while the school district investigates the incident and notifies the board of education. If the investigation finds that no misconduct occurred, the school personnel shall be reinstated and the incident shall be noted in the school personnel’s employee file. If the investigation finds misconduct occurred, the school personnel shall be disciplined according to the school district board of education’s policy, up to and including termination of employment, and the incident shall be reported to law enforcement pursuant to Section 1210.163 of this title.
F. A school district or charter school shall immediately notify law enforcement of any violation of subsection B of this section involving sexual activity, sexual contact, or any other inappropriate or unlawful behavior pursuant to Section 1210.163 of this title.
Version 2 (Amended by Laws 2026, HB 1937, c. 241, § 1, emerg. eff. July 1, 2026)
A. As used in this section:
- 1. "Electronic or digital communication" includes, but is not limited to, emails, text messages, instant messages, direct messages, social media messages, messages sent through software applications, and any other electronic or digital means of communication;
- 2. "School personnel" means teachers, coaches, administrators, school bus drivers, or any other persons employed full-time or part-time by a public school or charter school; and
- 3. "Student" means a person enrolled in a public school or charter school in this state receiving primary or secondary education to obtain a standard high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma. Student does not mean a person who holds a standard high school diploma or high school equivalency diploma.
- B. School personnel engaging in electronic or digital communication with an individual student shall include the student's parent or legal guardian in any electronic or digital communication, unless such communication is on a school-approved platform and related to school and academic communications.
- C. Exceptions to the requirement in subsection B of this section may be made in case of an emergency as determined by the local school board, subject to subsequent notification to the parent or legal guardian. School personnel shall make reasonable efforts to use school-approved platforms, systems, or applications that allow automatic inclusion of parents or legal guardians in communications with students.
- D. Schools shall provide training, developed by the State Department of Education, for school personnel on the student communication requirements of this section.
E. Any school personnel who is the subject of a corroborated report of being in violation of subsection B of this section shall be put on administrative leave while the school district investigates the incident and notifies the board of education. If the investigation finds that no misconduct occurred, the incident shall not be noted in the school personnel's employee file. If the school personnel was placed on administrative leave during the investigation of the incident but the investigation finds that no misconduct occurred, the school personnel shall be reinstated and the school personnel's employee file shall include a note of the finding of no misconduct. If the investigation finds misconduct occurred, the school personnel shall be disciplined according to the school district board of education's policy, up to and including termination of employment, and the incident shall be reported to law enforcement pursuant to Section 1210.163 of this title.
Version 3 (Amended by Laws 2026, HB 2959, c. 292, § 2, emerg. eff. July 1, 2026)
A. As used in this section:
- 1. "Electronic or digital communication" includes, but is not limited to, emails, text messages, instant messages, direct messages, social media messages, messages sent through software applications, and any other electronic digital means of communication; and
- 2. "School personnel" means teachers, coaches, administrators, school bus drivers, or any other persons employed full-time or part-time by a public school or charter school.
- B. School personnel engaging in electronic or digital communication with an individual student shall include the student's parent or guardian in any electronic or digital communication, unless such communication is on a school-approved platform and related to school and academic communications.
- C. Exceptions to the requirement in subsection B of this section may be made in case of an emergency, subject to subsequent notification to the parent or guardian. School personnel shall make reasonable efforts to use school-approved platforms, systems, or applications that allow automatic inclusion of parents or guardians in communications with students.
- D. Schools shall provide training, developed by the State Department of Education, for school personnel on the student communication requirements of this section.
- E. Any school personnel who is reported to be in violation of subsection B of this section shall be put on administrative leave while the school district investigates the incident and notifies the board of education. If the investigation finds that no misconduct occurred, the school personnel shall be reinstated and the incident shall be noted in the school personnel's employee file. If the investigation finds misconduct occurred, the school personnel shall be disciplined according to the school district board of education's policy, up to and including termination of employment, and the incident shall be reported to law enforcement pursuant to Section 1210.163 of Title 70 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
- F. Law enforcement shall be immediately notified of any violation of subsection B of this section involving sexual activity, sexual contact, or any other inappropriate or unlawful behavior pursuant to Section 1210.163 of this title.
Version 1 (Amended by Laws 2026, SB 1733, c. 84, § 1, emerg. eff. July 1, 2026)
Laws 2024, HB 3958, c. 297, § 1, emerg. eff. July 1, 2024.; Amended by Laws 2026, SB 1733, c. 84, § 1, emerg. eff. July 1, 2026 (superseded document available); Amended by Laws 2026, HB 1937, c. 241, § 1, emerg. eff. July 1, 2026; Amended by Laws 2026, HB 2959, c. 292, § 2, emerg. eff. July 1, 2026.