I know there is a thread for OKC Public Schools Perception, but I didn't see any thread for OKC Public Schools in general, so there should be a thread for updates and such.

'Traveling teachers' are commonplace at southside OKC schools | News OK (http://newsok.com/traveling-teachers-are-commonplace-at-southside-okc-schools/article/3946608)

Greater Oklahoma City Chamber, school district leaders unveil online survey to gauge state of Oklahoma City Public Schools | News OK (http://newsok.com/greater-oklahoma-city-chamber-school-district-leaders-unveil-online-survey-to-gauge-state-of-oklahoma-city-public-schools/article/3946951)


The Greater Oklahoma City Chamber wants to know what you think about Oklahoma City Public Schools and has enlisted the help of some influential partners to make that happen.

Chamber and school district officials along with representatives from Oklahoma City and several community organizations gathered Tuesday inside Horace Mann Elementary to publicize the launch of a comprehensive online survey that will be used to shape education reform.

There seems to be a lot of spinning and half-truths floating around about how we are funding public education in this state. Falin is claiming she has increased education funding, while others claim the opposite. Is there anywhere to look for fact checking on this?

There is this
http://www.ok.gov/sde/sites/ok.gov.sde/files/documents/files/FY%202013%20FINAL%20TAD_0.pdf
Not sure how accurate but I think it would be the "official" document.

Also not sure how helpful this is but you can try
School Finance | Oklahoma State Department of Education (http://www.ok.gov/sde/dollars-cents)

Oklahoma City Public Schools will spend $1 million to put carbon monoxide detectors in every building, classroom

Oklahoma City Public Schools will spend $1 million to equip every building and classroom in the district with carbon monoxide detectors, officials said Friday.

In November, a gas leak sent three Lee Elementary students and three staff members to local hospitals after people began complaining of dizziness, nausea and stinging eyes. All were treated and released.

Oklahoma Natural Gas and Oklahoma City Fire Department officials confirmed the presence of carbon monoxide.

The school in southwest Oklahoma City was evacuated and closed for a day so workers could replace a newly installed rooftop heating unit responsible for the leak.

In the days after the leak, officials outlined plans to put detectors in each of the district’s 2,500 classrooms.

- Oklahoma City Public Schools will spend $1 million to put carbon monoxide detectors in every building, classroom | News OK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-public-schools-will-spend-1-million-to-put-carbon-monoxide-detectors-in-every-building-classroom/article/4083394)

A shame it takes injury or even casualty to get things done... got to love politics!

New survey

Oklahoma Public Schools Survey (http://www.speakupokc.com)

Good news for the OKCPS along with the Capitol Hill Library.

Tax district funds to aid Oklahoma City schools and library | News OK (http://newsok.com/tax-district-funds-to-aid-oklahoma-city-schools-and-library/article/4412362)


The downtown tax increment finance district, which has typically been used to assist private developments, is set to help the Oklahoma City Public Schools district create a new administrative headquarters and a clinic at Emerson High School, and provide a long-needed modernization of the Capitol Hill Library.

New superintendent


OKLAHOMA CITY - The state's largest school district recently named Robert Neu as superintendent.
Thursday, Neu toured the district and had the opportunity to speak with students, faculty and staff. Already, the new superintendent is ready to take on some major challenges facing Oklahoma City Public Schools.

The super seniors at U.S. Grant High School served as the first official welcome for Neu and his wife, Kelly. The students cheered and wished him well.

Neu applauded the group's achievements and said he would work to raise student achievement and make student ready for success in a more global world. He said the focus would have to start with the lowest achievers and boosting their performance with the hope for a trickle-up effect.

"We really have to focus on the most struggling learners and we've got to lift them up. We have to," said Neu. "We've got to know our kids. Our kids have to be attached to an adult in the system."

Neu inherits a district with glaring obstacles. Last year the Oklahoma Department of Education gave Oklahoma City an "F" for the annual grade. Neu said grading systems like the one in Oklahoma come with positives and negatives. He said he was encouraged by the use of student performance improvement as a factor, but added the letter grades do not represent the bigger picture.

- New OKCPS Superintendent Addresses New Challenges, Plans - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports | (http://www.news9.com/story/25334700/new-okcps-superintendent-addresses-new-challenges-plans)

Waiting to hear what Janet Baressi has to say about Mr. Neu, if anything.

Four OKCPS High Schools made the top 10 Oklahoma High Schools. Including spots 1 & 2.

Top Oklahoma High Schools | Best High Schools | US News - US News (http://www.usnews.com/education/best-high-schools/oklahoma)


Tell me more about how, "Living in town is great for all the 20-somethings, but once you have kids they'll all move to Edmond because OKC schools are THE WORST."

Interesting P.S: Note the lack of Tulsa High Schools on the list.

Interesting P.S: Note the lack of Tulsa High Schools on the list.

Booker T. Washington is on the list.

Booker T. Washington is on the list.



D'oh!

Northwest Classen and Southeast HS's both received Bronze awards and while Tulsa public schools didn't have any in that category.

Somehow, I just assumed that Jenks would be on that list.

I'd say the 39% Math Proficiency and 38 College Preparedness Index dropped them out of contention. Size isn't everything.

I'd say the 39% Math Proficiency and 38 College Preparedness Index dropped them out of contention. Size isn't everything.

Yeah, but I figured that the way Tulsa juggled the books for them to be a sports powerhouse, they'd also try to make sure they were an academic powerhouse, too.

Good news for teachers at the new John Rex Elementary.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/4745073?embargo=1


They have yet to be hired, but first-year teachers who go to work for Oklahoma City’s new downtown charter school will make considerably more than their counterparts statewide.
John Rex Charter Elementary School board members voted recently to pay newly minted teachers with a bachelor’s degree $40,000 in salary annually — 20 percent more than teachers in surrounding districts earn, and nearly 27 percent more than the state minimum salary for teachers with no prior experience.

Oklahoma City school district, city reach deal for police officer patrols at elementary schools | News OK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-school-district-city-reach-deal-for-police-officer-patrols-at-elementary-schools/article/4858208)

Governor signs measure that authorizes suicide prevention training in local schools » Local News » The Edmond Sun (http://www.edmondsun.com/local/x611388099/Governor-signs-measure-that-authorizes-suicide-prevention-training-in-local-schools)

Adding some wonderful portable trailers


Oklahoma City Public Schools is going to spend more than $900,000 on portable classrooms to help ease overcrowding at six elementary schools, including five on the district’s south side.

The school board Monday approved a contract with Palomar Modular Buildings and Structures of DeSoto, Texas, to buy six portables — one each for Westwood, Southern Hills, Prairie Queen, Linwood, Adams and Lee elementary schools.

The $924,000 price tag will include delivery and installation of the buildings, which are expected to be in place by Aug. 4 for the start of a new school year.

- OKC School Board approves portable classrooms for overcrowded elementary schools | News OK (http://newsok.com/okc-school-board-approves-portable-classrooms-for-overcrowded-elementary-schools/article/4875364)

I hate portables. Always looks like they have a trailer park behind the school.

It's a poor EducatorTeacher who blames his or her tools.
(well . . . ain't it?) =)

It's a rich EducatorTeacher who blames:
1) the parents
2) sub-par Ritalin
3) the administration
4) the paperwork
5) all of the above
6) all of the above plus:
Essay Question: .........................................
(for extra credit)

It's a poor EducatorTeacher who blames his or her tools.
(well . . . ain't it?) =)

It's a rich EducatorTeacher who blames:
1) the parents
2) sub-par Ritalin
3) the administration
4) the paperwork
5) all of the above
6) all of the above plus:
Essay Question: .........................................
(for extra credit)everything tends to blame to everything else, doesn't it? ;)

Oklahoma City school district adds portable classrooms at several schools | News OK (http://newsok.com/article/5340124)

Oklahoma City school district adds portable classrooms at several schools | News OK (http://newsok.com/article/5340124)

Love this quote:

“Portables are a short-term fix to a long-term solution Oklahoma City Public Schools has in place to address the overcrowding challenges we are currently facing,” said Rod McKinley, the district’s chief of operations.

I was in portable classrooms at Northeast in 1981-2, and now, 33 years later, yeah, nice short-term fix, lol.....

Love this quote:

“Portables are a short-term fix to a long-term solution Oklahoma City Public Schools has in place to address the overcrowding challenges we are currently facing,” said Rod McKinley, the district’s chief of operations.

I was in portable classrooms at Northeast in 1981-2, and now, 33 years later, yeah, nice short-term fix, lol.....

Yeah portables are almost never short term. We had them at Mustang when I went to school and only recently did they go away, only to be moved to some of the elementary schools. The silver lining though is they do look like a lot nicer portables than I had, and are probably nicer than some of the OKCPS current classrooms.

I am extremely unhappy about the Linwood portables (which are nothing more than two double-wide trailers...I watched them going in). The Maps for Kids project had provided this school with an addition which was very well done, tasteful and blended in with the historic elements of the original building. You had to really look at it to tell that it was an addition. It's only been a couple of years since that project was completed.

The portables are situated directly in front of the school, obscuring nearly half of the beautiful historic facade. It's a complete abomination. Additionally, the double-wides only have two small windows each, which face out on each other rather than the schoolyard or the street frontage. So the teachers and kids get to spend their class time with a view of another double-wide. Nice.

There is a large, flat, unused (i.e. no playground equipment and no students ever back there) yard BEHIND the new addition that looks like it would've been plenty big enough to house the portables. The only people who could see the portables from that area would've been people on the Grand/I-44 access road that runs along the yard. If they just had to put in portables, at least they could've tucked them into that area. Oh yeah, and the damned things are painted a bright off-white color, which makes for a god-awful contrast to the dark brickwork of the school buildings.

This whole thing is just a cluster-#$%& and it's an embarrassment to the neighborhood. And the sad part is that they'll never move them now.

Part of where they put them is contingent on if they can get power to it at a low cost and can they even back the truck up to the location without hazard. I wish things were temporary as well, but it seems every district ends up treating them as permanent structures once they're stuck in there.

^^^

Yeah, I figured there might be a good logistical reason they weren't placed in back, but it's still so awful. Sigh...

Oklahoma City school district looks to raise $131,000 to buy winter coats for 6,500 elementary school students | News OK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-school-district-looks-to-raise-131000-to-buy-winter-coats-for-6500-elementary-school-students/article/5341524)

Part of where they put them is contingent on if they can get power to it at a low cost and can they even back the truck up to the location without hazard. I wish things were temporary as well, but it seems every district ends up treating them as permanent structures once they're stuck in there.

This. While there may often be a more ideal location appearance wise, the expense of making it work for install (and the removal later) can take such a site off the list very quickly.

why are they using portables. Don't we have enough buildings that aren't in-use to open new schools?

Portables is a nice problem to have, but OKC has school buildings that could be opened instead - don't they? I recall the last many years hearing about school closings/consolidations. But now, OKC is by far the largest school district in the state so isn't it time for new or re-opened/refurbished buildings vs. LONG TERM portables?

Just asking. ...

Ugly, but I'm much more interested in substance over form. I feel the same wAy about church buildings and wish our expensive universities would have skipped the pretty buildings so as to make education actually affordable.

State A-F report cards released; OKC district continues struggles | News OK (http://newsok.com/state-a-f-report-cards-released-okc-district-continues-struggles/article/5342956)

Oklahoma City Public Schools A-F scores | News OK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-public-schools-a-f-scores/article/5342957)

http://www.koco.com/news/department-of-education-releases-af-school-grade-cards/28111282

Hot Rod, it's because we're talking about 1 or 2 rooms at a site, not a school. The administrative/maintenance overhead doesn't justify re-opening a closed school. Quite often, they're already purchased by someone too. Mid-Del did that recently and offloaded 2 schools, one to Rose State and another to a bank for development. But at the same time, they built a new school and re-shuffled some lines to accommodate the changes in those students location.

gotcha, thanks for the explanation :)

State A-F report cards released; OKC district continues struggles | News OK (http://newsok.com/state-a-f-report-cards-released-okc-district-continues-struggles/article/5342956)

Oklahoma City Public Schools A-F scores | News OK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-public-schools-a-f-scores/article/5342957)

Department of Education releases A-F school grade cards | Oklahoma City - OKC - KOCO.com (http://www.koco.com/news/department-of-education-releases-af-school-grade-cards/28111282)

I'm by no means stereotyping, but I just find it odd that low income districts continue to struggle. Even certain schools within the suburban districts that are in lower income neighborhoods are now doing worse.

Why do you find that odd? That's exactly what everyone suspects to happen...

There's a long standing debate about the correlation between performance and the socio-economics of a neighborhood. Everything from parental involvement, the importance the parent puts on school, the ability of the parent to supervise activities because of other responsibilities (ie they have to work 3 jobs so they aren't home to know what's happening), reduced funding to pay salaries to the staff causing a talent drain or lack of interest on the part of the staff, etc. And that reduced funding comes from lower property values, connected to property taxes, which fund the schools. And then the questions of which causes which to fail first, the school or the property value?

So on one hand, you can try to tackle it by trying to push more money into the district, but that only goes so far. You HAVE to have the parents be wholly invested to make anything work. Unfortunately, that's not generally the case. That's not to say that just because you have money, that you're an involved parent, or vice versa. But statistically, lower income households are not involved as much in their children's school. A lot of that has to do with the work requirement though...and if they're handling more children. It's a lot easier to handle one kid when you're an older parent with disposable income. It's a lot more difficult if you're a parent of 4 and you and your spouse have multiple jobs just to be able to afford the bills.

And all of those points are completely free of any racial classification because they exist in all races.

Debate? There's no debate. Schools in poor neighborhoods almost always perform worse than their counterparts in wealthier neighborhoods. As you said, it is largely due to parental involvement, however, I think you missed an important factor: the community as a whole. These kids grow up in a very different type of community than their middle-upper class peers and are much more likely to be involved in gangs, not speak English, witness violence, etc. Many do not even have basic needs such as adequate food, clothing and sanitation met.

With so many hurdles to overcome it should come as no surprise that children raised in poorer neighborhoods tend to perform poorly in school.

As the previous couple of posts have illustrated, this dilemma our urban public schools are in is this big cesspool of unfortunate factors, all feeding off one another to make the problem worse. It's absolutely true that no single thing being suddenly made right will magically turn the situation around. It's too complex.

My personal experience: Our neighborhood has gentrified and is thriving. We have many families with young children, and more are coming in every year. These are the active and involved types of parents who help to make a school great. Our neighborhood elementary school, however, is composed of mostly children from the "feeder" neighborhoods surrounding us. Those people fit the category referenced above—high poverty, minimal parental involvement, language barriers, etc.

Several years ago, as our children began to approach school age, quite a few of us tossed around the idea of sending our children to the neighborhood school. We truly wanted to turn it around and went back and forth on whether or not we could do that. But the numbers were staggering. Even if every single one of the families in our neighborhood with young children sent the kids to the neighborhood school, we'd still be greatly outnumbered. Our presence at the school would literally be only a drop in the bucket. Then you had the question of, well, even if we miraculously turned this one elementary school around, the middle school and high school are even worse—and much, much larger. What would we do then?

After much tooth-gnashing and soul searching and debate, it turned out that not one single family in our neighborhood (who was part of this initial discussion—I'm sure there are a few families in the neighborhood that I don't know, who send their kids there) placed their kids there. The risk was simply too great, especially for those of us that only have one child (such as myself) and one shot at doing it right. My personal fear was that my child, being inquisitive and high-energy and therefore needing a lot of attention and structure, would get "left behind" because the teachers would probably first have to deal with children having a language barrier, high poverty and perhaps lacking in basic skills, in order to get them ready to learn. The more fortunate children would probably be relied upon to be self-sufficient, as they were likely to be more ready for the school environment, having come from homes where learning started at birth. They might not be as challenged, curriculum-wise, as they could otherwise be. They probably wouldn't receive as much individualized attention because they aren't as needy. It's a tough deal, but it is what it is.

So went sent our kids elsewhere. Many went to private schools. The ones who stayed public went primarily to Nichols Hills Elementary or Cleveland Elementary. Some are beginning to enroll in Rex now that it's open. It makes me feel kind of guilty, but that's what we felt like we had to do in the best interests of the child. And now, several years in, I don't regret it, as I am certain that the education my kid is receiving elsewhere is top-notch. But it makes me sad. I'm sad that my kid and I can't hold hands and walk the five blocks to school each day, that we instead have to get in the car at the height of rush hour and drive nearly 10 miles to get to our destination. I'm sad that the neighborhood kids are scattered throughout the metro and can never experience what it's like to live right by each other and go to school with each other, that they will never know what it's like to gang up and walk home together, to go over to somebody's house nearby to play as soon as the bell rings for the day.

It is what it is.

There seems to be a lot of spinning and half-truths floating around about how we are funding public education in this state. Falin is claiming she has increased education funding, while others claim the opposite. Is there anywhere to look for fact checking on this?

Oklahoma school funding cuts among worst in U.S. (http://okpolicy.org/oklahoma-school-funding-cuts-among-worst-in-u-s)

When we were already 49th in the country, we cut funding to common education 20% between 2008 and 2012. There was a $50 million increase in 2013, but that corresponded with a $49 million cut to higher ed amid a looming student loan crisis.

Now, because of Fallin and the legislature, we are looking at a huge loss of federal money due to the rejection of common core.

Oklahoma school funding cuts among worst in U.S. (http://okpolicy.org/oklahoma-school-funding-cuts-among-worst-in-u-s)

When we were already 49th in the country, we cut funding to common education 20% between 2008 and 2012. There was a $50 million increase in 2013, but that corresponded with a $49 million cut to higher ed amid a looming student loan crisis.

Now, because of Fallin and the legislature, we are looking at a huge loss of federal money due to the rejection of common core.

Hopefully this will spur action to reassess the tax credits that are handed out , no questions asked.

turnpup that's a solid post up there, and a predicament that you wonder can ever be fixed

Oklahoma City School District considering drug-testing policy for teachers, others | News OK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-school-district-considering-drug-testing-policy-for-teachers-others/article/5344588)

Oklahoma City School District considering drug-testing policy for teachers, others | News OK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-school-district-considering-drug-testing-policy-for-teachers-others/article/5344588)

Would/Could the teacher's union fight this and win?

Would/Could the teacher's union fight this and win?

Yes they sure would fight it, in my opinion. They might eventually agree to it if they get something they want in return.

Having said that, when the union and board of education are at impasse, the issue at hand goes before a fact-finding panel. The panel hears from both sides, deliberates, and then issues a recommended resolution. In the end, the board of education has the final say. They don't have to adopt the recommendation that has been made. This is statutory.

OKC School Officials Consider Drug-Testing Policy - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports | (http://www.news9.com/story/26610953/okc-school-officials-consider-drug-testing-policy)

Oklahoma City Public Schools to recruit 150 community members to draft improvement plan | News OK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-public-schools-to-recruit-150-community-members-to-draft-improvement-plan/article/5353119)

While I wish them the best, they have been drafting improvement plans since I attended OKC public schools in the 70s & 80s without much success.

Oklahoma City School District will spend more than $50,000 on apitude tests for thousands of high school sophomores and juniors | News OK (http://newsok.com/oklahoma-city-school-district-will-spend-more-than-50000-on-apitude-tests-for-thousands-of-high-school-sophomores-and-juniors/article/5358503)

Superintendent finds ?critical issues? facing OKC schools | Oklahoma City - OKC - KOCO.com (http://www.koco.com/news/superintendent-finds-critical-issues-facing-okc-schools/30127358)

Changes in store for OKC School Board meetings | News OK (http://newsok.com/changes-in-store-for-okc-school-board-meetings/article/5375161)

Rob McKinley Resigns As COO Of OKCPS - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports | (http://www.news9.com/story/27925074/rob-mckinley-resigns-as-coo-of-okcps)

If anyone thinks the OKCPS district has problems just be glad were aren't in these kind of problems.

State board votes to take over Little Rock School District | NewsOK.com (http://m.newsok.com/state-board-votes-to-take-over-little-rock-school-district/article/feed/789528)


The Arkansas Board of Education voted Wednesday to take control of Little Rock schools less than six months after a federal judge granted more independence to the historically embattled district and ended a quarter-century of payments to boost integration.
The education board voted to immediately remove the seven-member Little Rock School District board. The superintendent, Dexter Suggs, will remain on an interim basis and report to the state Department of Education commissioner. State education officials also voted to create an advisory committee of parents, students, business leaders and other community members.

Another plus coming.

http://www.oklahoman.com/article/5389317&headline=Expansion%20plan%20would%20add%201%2C000% 20students%20to%20Oklahoma%20City%27s%20Santa%20Fe %20South%20Charter%20Schools


Oklahoma City Public Schools leadership has agreed to double the size of a successful southside charter school program in an attempt to reduce overcrowding at other schools.

Santa Fe South Schools would absorb more than 1,000 students from surrounding schools under the proposal, which Oklahoma City Superintendent Rob Neu said he has asked the school board to approve.
Santa Fe South Superintendent Chris Brewster said the plan would “significantly increase” enrollment at the charter school, which has six locations and serves roughly 1,200 students in prekindergarten through 12th grade.
Santa Fe South High School received a B-plus on the state’s latest report card, missing an A by one point. Nearly 90 percent of students who attend the school are Hispanic. Santa Fe South Middle School received a C-minus on its latest grade card, according to statistics provided by the Oklahoma City district.

OKCPS Concerned Over Change In Funding - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports | (http://www.news9.com/story/28088868/okcps-concerned-over-change-in-funding)

What I don't understand is after all the money spent to improve the appearance of the schools, they have chosen to ring the schools with telephone poles with lights on them. Jefferson Middle School looks like a prison yard. They have created an eyesore in the neighborhood.

What I don't understand is after all the money spent to improve the appearance of the schools, they have chosen to ring the schools with telephone poles with lights on them. Jefferson Middle School looks like a prison yard. They have created an eyesore in the neighborhood.

They've been doing that for a while... even prior to renovations at some schools like Southeast. Which I can personally attest to. I would imagine it is to keep the campuses well lit and to deter vandalism to school property and the investments made. Sure they aren't the prettiest, but they do their job.

Also, Jefferson does not look like a prison yard to me. Then again I'm one of the people who doesn't mind telephone/electricity poles everywhere. I don't really consider them out of the context of their built environment. Who knows, I'm a Southsider too so I'll just have to swing by Blackwelder and see for myself.