Oklahoma City Public Schools Partnership

Oklahoma City Public Schools (OKCPS) enrolls approximately 33,000 students and employs over 4,600 staff members, including administrators, teachers, and support personnel. As a diverse, multicultural school district, about half of the students are bilingual in English and Spanish, with 12,500 students being classified as English language learners.

Through a long-standing partnership with OKCPS, the second-largest school district in the state, OU Health is committed to supporting student success by providing multi-tiered services, including:

• Stay Well in School Program: The program expands access to primary care and chronic disease management, improving health outcomes and literacy, and reducing student absenteeism and emergency room visits. Parents benefit from lower healthcare costs and fewer work absences due to child illness. Telehealth services are available to all students, regardless of their insurance status.
• Volunteer and In-Kind Contributions: Through the OU Health Community Volunteer Program, staff engage with community partners to provide hands-on volunteer support and resources that support well-being in the community.
• Vaccine Initiatives: OU Health hosts immunization clinics and conducts outreach to ensure students, families, and staff are protected from preventable diseases.
• Sponsorships: The OU Health Community Partnership Allocation provides sponsorships to nonprofit organizations that lead programs and initiatives addressing key social determinants of health, such as access to nutritious food, safe housing, mental health support, education, and transportation. These efforts also strengthen community engagement by promoting collaboration, equity, and long-term well-being.
• Workforce Development Opportunities: OU Health creates pathways for students to explore careers in healthcare through mentorship, job shadowing, internships, and hands-on exposure to medical professions. These opportunities help students build professional skills, gain insight into clinical and non-clinical roles, and inspire future careers in health sciences.

As Oklahoma’s leading academic health system, we’re driven by a mission to deliver healthcare that is accessible, timely, high-quality, and affordable, ensuring that students and families receive the care and resources they need to thrive both in and out of the classroom.

"When students have untreated health issues, it can lead to missing school and experiencing academic struggles," said Kathleen E. Combs, M.D., OU Health pediatrician and medical director of OU Health's School-Based Telehealth program.

"Additionally, many parents in under-resources areas are not easily able to leave work to take their child to the doctor during the day. The opportunity to ensure these young patients are able to receive healthcare services in a timely manner is really exciting to us."

Medicaid Information

More than 91% of students in Oklahoma City Public Schools are economically disadvantaged and may also be enrolled in Soonercare, the state’s Medicaid agency. With critical and time sensitive changes coming out regularly about Medicaid, make sure your Soonercare information is up-to-date and learn more about your coverage here.