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A statewide survey of Oklahoma business leaders released May 27, 2026, finds executives are pushing policymakers to prioritize school funding, workforce supports and infrastructure spending rather than additional tax cuts. The results arrive as firms plan hires and warn that gaps in childcare, literacy and technology adoption could slow the state’s recent economic momentum.
Survey snapshot: optimism tempered by clear priorities
The State Chamber’s 2026 Oklahoma Business Leaders Poll, compiled with the Oklahoma Business Roundtable and the State Chamber Research Foundation, canvassed 401 owners and executives across the state. A strong majority — 64% — said Oklahoma is headed in the right direction compared with the national economy, and 81% expect to add staff over the next 12 months.
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- Education: 43.6% “definitely” want increased investment in schools; 19% favor further tax relief.
- Hiring plans: 81% of respondents intend to recruit in the year ahead.
- Infrastructure: 59% view Oklahoma’s physical infrastructure as worse than competitor states.
- Childcare: 77% identified access to childcare as a primary barrier to workforce participation.
- AI and innovation: Only 27% report active use of artificial intelligence.
Why education is front and center
For the fourth year running, workforce and education top the list of concerns among business leaders. Nearly nine in ten respondents said the state should focus funding on measurable education outcomes, especially reading and math in the elementary grades.
State Chamber CEO Chad Warmington pointed to the organization’s recent “Let’s Compete” push as a driver of policy change this legislative session, including passage of Senate Bill 1778 to strengthen existing literacy measures. Warmington said the state is looking to other places that achieved large gains — but cautioned improvement takes sustained effort over many years, not a single legislative fix.
Infrastructure: the price of complacency
Leaders warned that infrastructure cannot be neglected if Oklahoma wants to remain competitive. While opinion on immediate spending varied, about a third said they would “definitely” support increased investment, and another third said it was worth considering.
Amanda Hall, policy director at the State Chamber Research Foundation, framed the findings as a narrow window for action: “Companies are hiring and investing, but gaps in roads, bridges and broadband could erode that competitiveness.”
Childcare shortfalls are hitting labor supply
Childcare access emerged as the most-cited obstacle to workforce participation. The poll describes it as a fundamental barrier: four out of five business leaders listed it among their top workforce challenges.
Only about three in ten respondents said the current labor pool meets their needs well, underscoring a mismatch between employer demand and available, trained workers. That gap helps explain why firms favor spending on education and supportive services over tax reductions.
Innovation lag: Oklahoma behind on AI adoption
Executives also flagged the state’s slow uptake of emerging technologies. With just 27% reporting active use of AI tools, many businesses appear to be on the sidelines during a period when digital capabilities increasingly drive competitiveness.
Mark Funke, president of the Oklahoma Business Roundtable, called for a bigger push to incubate startups and accelerate adoption of technologies across sectors from bioscience to manufacturing. “We need more places for innovation to scale here,” Funke said, arguing that policy and private investment should encourage experimentation and commercialization.
That shortfall in tech and new ventures, poll respondents warned, could limit long-term growth even if near-term hiring remains robust.
What this means for lawmakers and communities
The poll gives state leaders a clear set of priorities endorsed by the business community: invest in early literacy and math, expand support systems that enable parents to work, shore up physical infrastructure, and create incentives for innovation and tech adoption.
Policy responses already in motion — including the recent literacy bill — reflect some alignment with those priorities. But multiple participants emphasized that meaningful progress will require sustained funding and a long-term view.
For residents and workers, the stakes are concrete: improved schooling and childcare access can expand the labor pool and raise wages; better roads and broadband protect competitiveness; and faster technology adoption can attract investment and higher-skilled jobs.
As Oklahoma moves into the next budget and legislative cycles, the survey suggests business leaders will be watching whether elected officials match rhetoric with multi-year commitments that address those interlocking challenges.
