I didn't see anything about the massive rally being held today at the capital. Educators from across the state are tired of being undervalued and paid and their students being over and poorly tested. Here's more information on the rally: OKED Rally (http://www.okedcoalition.org/oked-rally.html) This really shouldn't be a partisan issue and educators of all political persuasions showed up today to be heard.

7244

I think we Oklahomans have a problem with state funding. Our legislators can't fix the state capitol building, they can't finish our state owned Native American museum, they can't bring teachers' salaries to the regional average, they fund OU and OSU at only 15% of their expenses when in my time at OU the state paid over 50% of OU's & OSU's expenses, most state employees haven't received a salary increase in years -- all because the legislature keeps giving the richest 5% and state businesses more and more tax breaks. The state totally underfunds & undercuts the middle class & our poor. Our poor depend on Medicaid & often don't receive it because of a lack of funding. No wonder Oklahoma has fallen to 48th place in public education funding (http://www.nea.org/home/rankings-and-estimates-2013-2014.html) and 49th in average teachers' salaries (http://www.teacherportal.com/teacher-salaries-by-state/)!

Kind of funny, but I work in the immediate area of the rally and I noticed that my cell phone couldn't get service while the rally was on....As soon as the bus loads left, it started working again. lol

I think we Oklahomans have a problem with state funding. Our legislators can't fix the state capitol building, they can't finish our state owned Native American museum, they can't bring teachers' salaries to the regional average, they fund OU and OSU at only 15% of their expenses when in my time at OU the state paid over 50% of OU's & OSU's expenses, most state employees haven't received a salary increase in years -- all because the legislature keeps giving the richest 5% and state businesses more and more tax breaks. The state totally underfunds & undercuts the middle class & our poor. Our poor depend on Medicaid & often don't receive it because of a lack of funding. No wonder Oklahoma has fallen to 48th place in public education funding (http://www.nea.org/home/rankings-and-estimates-2013-2014.html) and 49th in average teachers' salaries (http://www.teacherportal.com/teacher-salaries-by-state/)!

Political much and largly untrue

How about consolidating as a start? This state doesn't need almost 500 school districts, each one with a superintendent making more money than he should for what he does.

It's not popular, but it'd be an instant jolt.

If we double our p/child spending in Oklahoma and raise the teachers pay to equal the median income across the US, would we see our test scores bring our students in the Top 10 ? Top 25 ? ...most likely not.

If we equal the p/child spending for Texas, we would have to increase it by $300. Would we then see our test scores equal Texas? ... No.

Political much and largly untrue

Can you correct him then and lead him to the truth? I don't know much about nor keep up with state funding (yes, I'm a part of whatever problem is to be had in that regard) and it makes me even more "confused" when someone like you disagrees but doesn't elaborate; you just say "largely untrue" which I have no idea what you mean by that. Which parts are untrue? Is John a liar? Did he make his theory up? Help a brotha out!

We lose a lot of good teachers to Texas in particular. Study after stuff have shown that highly effective teachers make a large difference. Getting to average would help to retain teachers. Also, teachers and students shouldn't have to go through the testing mess they've been putting up with. After years of preparation and tons if money spent by the state, you can't just abandon what you're doing because of political whims. Everyone is extremely frustrated with the lack of leadership or consistency from the state superintendent's office among other things. Those timings should be addressed.

Is our state at the median for cost of living?

I'm all for consolidation regardless but has anyone actually seen any numbers on it? I thought I've read somewhere were the savings weren't nearly what I thought they were.

Bouldler, if you have information to the contrary, please do share. Most of those statements you call largely untrue appear rather accurate from over here on the bleachers.

I'm all for consolidation regardless but has anyone actually seen any numbers on it? I thought I've read somewhere were the savings weren't nearly what I thought they were.

I don't see how it can't be a huge savings.

Political much and largly untrue
I think I can document every claim I made. It will just take a couple of hours.

A simple bit of math would tell you if you had 500 school districts with each superintendent making the minimum $90,000 their total pay would be around 45 million. Let's say you consolidate it to one super per county - 77, then the total pay would be around 7 million at the same pay rate., the savings for this simple move would be 38 million. This does not include their staff, since most rural supers don't do anything (having known a few), while others are very involved. This is without closing a single underfunded or poorly attended school. Many rural communities tie their existence to the town school. The problem then comes from these tiny districts - some with only a couple of schools, paying a elected superintended $90,000 for doing nothing - that could easily hire 2 teachers. Now lets start consolidating school buildings - without losing a single teacher, or some of the unneeded office staff duplication - their jobs could be shifted to more teachers and facility maintenance. The cost in not supporting multiple building easily pays for more gas and buses for transport, with plenty left over. And so it snowballs....Your right, it would be a huge savings, students would have better facilities, more teachers, better sports, music, and arts programs. But, local communities would lose their school, a couple of good gov. jobs - for a couple of 'snot nosed schools kids' - not a chance.

If we double our p/child spending in Oklahoma and raise the teachers pay to equal the median income across the US, would we see our test scores bring our students in the Top 10 ? Top 25 ? ...most likely not.

If we equal the p/child spending for Texas, we would have to increase it by $300. Would we then see our test scores equal Texas? ... No.

I personally know a great Oklahoma teacher who moved to Texas because of the better pay. I rather doubt the teacher who was hired to replace her had her teaching skills and her great concern for her students.

A simple bit of math would tell you if you had 500 school districts with each superintendent making the minimum $90,000 their total pay would be around 45 million. Let's say you consolidate it to one super per county - 77, then the total pay would be around 7 million at the same pay rate., the savings for this simple move would be 38 million. This does not include their staff, since most rural supers don't do anything (having known a few), while others are very involved. This is without closing a single underfunded or poorly attended school. Many rural communities tie their existence to the town school. The problem then comes from these tiny districts - some with only a couple of schools, paying a elected superintended $90,000 for doing nothing - that could easily hire 2 teachers. Now lets start consolidating school buildings - without losing a single teacher, or some of the unneeded office staff duplication - their jobs could be shifted to more teachers and facility maintenance. The cost in not supporting multiple building easily pays for more gas and buses for transport, with plenty left over. And so it snowballs....Your right, it would be a huge savings, students would have better facilities, more teachers, better sports, music, and arts programs. But, local communities would lose their school, a couple of good gov. jobs - for a couple of 'snot nosed schools kids' - not a chance.

No doubt school district consolidation can save money, but at the cost of some communities losing local control of their children's education. You're still overlooking that we're practically at the bottom of states educational funding per student -- and we're getting worse, and that's not affected by too many school districts.

Is our state at the median for cost of living?

According to a study on the Internet by CNBC (http://www.cnbc.com/id/100824779), Oklahoma ranks 1st in lowest cost of living in the country. However, that doesn't give the legislature or our citizens any solace for Oklahoma being one of the worst funding states for education.

No doubt school district consolidation can save money, but at the cost of some communities losing local control of their children's education. You're still overlooking that we're practically at the bottom of states educational funding per student -- and we're getting worse, and that's not affected by too many school districts.But would that event I emphasized necessarily be a tragedy? I'm all in favor of local control versus centralized control by Big Brother in Washington, but so long as control remains within the county and in the hands of elected rather than appointed officials, that seems to be adequate localization.

Or would we really prefer to continue with mandated curricula and tests, as we have in place now? And continue to spend "educational" dollars on a bloated bureaucracy rather than on teachers and kids themselves? Somehow I'm reminded of Einstein's definition of insanity...doing the same thing over and over, and expecting different results.

Cost of Living for the state of Oklahoma. That is the critieria used for the "rate of pay" for teachers. ( The teachers in California have the same argument that they are under-paid due to their "cost of living". )

This needs to be a Value Statement. If we spend the same as Texas ( OK $7,900 vs. TX $8,200 ) would we see the increase in Test Scores? ...is that "why" we are increasing the pay?

Political much and largly untrue

Please boulder, for once find a keyboard and elaborate how this is untrue. Because I follow the happenings at the capitol closely and JohnH seemed to be spot on.

How about consolidating as a start? This state doesn't need almost 500 school districts, each one with a superintendent making more money than he should for what he does.

It's not popular, but it'd be an instant jolt.

Lawmakers are free to change this, they are unwilling to do so. Instead they'll just continue to bad mouth teachers and keep funding to a minimum.

A simple bit of math would tell you if you had 500 school districts with each superintendent making the minimum $90,000 their total pay would be around 45 million. Let's say you consolidate it to one super per county - 77, then the total pay would be around 7 million at the same pay rate., the savings for this simple move would be 38 million. This does not include their staff, since most rural supers don't do anything (having known a few), while others are very involved. This is without closing a single underfunded or poorly attended school. Many rural communities tie their existence to the town school. The problem then comes from these tiny districts - some with only a couple of schools, paying a elected superintended $90,000 for doing nothing - that could easily hire 2 teachers. Now lets start consolidating school buildings - without losing a single teacher, or some of the unneeded office staff duplication - their jobs could be shifted to more teachers and facility maintenance. The cost in not supporting multiple building easily pays for more gas and buses for transport, with plenty left over. And so it snowballs....Your right, it would be a huge savings, students would have better facilities, more teachers, better sports, music, and arts programs. But, local communities would lose their school, a couple of good gov. jobs - for a couple of 'snot nosed schools kids' - not a chance.

Even if your numbers are 100% correct is a $38 million that much of a game changer? I'm not sneezing at the money. I just think when you are talking about a budget that is $3.4 billion more than $38 million is needed to really make any progress. With extra $38 million you've just added $58 of spending for each kid. Again, that is great but I don't think that even starts to make a ripple.

I'm not arguing against consolidation. I think we could use it. I just don't see how it is a huge profit windfall. Of course every dollar helps.

Lawmakers are free to change this, they are unwilling to do so. Instead they'll just continue to bad mouth teachers and keep funding to a minimum.

So, what should the level of funding be? ...and what is the goal we are trying to accomplish by increasing our funding? ...this is a Math Problem, so please, let's solve this equation ?

What is the equation?

So if we lose teachers to Texas because of higher teacher pay down there, does the increase in pay outpace the increase in cost of living?

Also, and this isn't the state's fault, but kids are educated to pass test. They are not educated in order to be informed and know things.This is a diservice to the children.

all because the legislature keeps giving the richest 5% and state businesses more and more tax breaks. The state totally underfunds & undercuts the middle class & our poor. Our poor depend on Medicaid & often don't receive it because of a lack of funding.


Please boulder, for once find a keyboard and elaborate how this is untrue. Because I follow the happenings at the capitol closely and JohnH seemed to be spot on.

What I have quoted is political garbage and factually incorrect



And as an aside the majority of teachers and properly or overpaid

How about consolidating as a start? This state doesn't need almost 500 school districts, each one with a superintendent making more money than he should for what he does.

It's not popular, but it'd be an instant jolt.

As a comparison, Oklahoma has approximately 650,000 public school students (Oklahoma Education - A Profile on Oklahoma Education and Schools (http://teaching.about.com/od/ProfilesInEducation/a/Oklahoma-Education.htm)), whereas Texas has 4.8 million

With 532 districts, OK averages one district per 1,332 students. Texas, in contrast, with 1032 districts, averages one district per 4,651 students.

Using a similar model simply for discussion, that would suggest Oklahoma could be served with something on the order of 139 districts. Round it up to 200 for easy numbers, and you're talking about well over 300 districts, presumably most or all with at least a superintendent, and at least some minimal staff. Now, according to a job/wage survey site (School Superintendent (US) Salary (http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=School_Superintendent/Salary)), an average superintendent salary is $108,000. I don't for a second think that's the average salary in OK, but I could not find hard data to back up a number. Suppose, arguendo, an average super's salary in OK is $70K (Just as I think the $108k figure is too high, I think $70K is low.). If Oklahoma consolidated away 300 public school districts and eliminated one $70,000 position in each, that's $21 million in real, tangible annual savings that could be realized - to say nothing of the additional savings from the elimination of corresponding support/administrative/staff positions. Assuming one such consolidation per district at a salary of, say $40,000 per year, and that's another $12,000,000 in savings. And I believe the notion of *one* superintendent and *one* support person per district at combined annual salaries of $110,000/annually is very conservative.

That's $33 million in scratchpad savings from consolidation.

Sure seems to me that's a value worth looking at, and I can't see why it wouldn't be a bi-partisan effort.

EDIT: My apologies for not having seen a similar post earlier with comparable notions.

What I have quoted is political garbage and factually incorrect



And as an aside the majority of teachers and properly or overpaid

First, its not really incorrect. The tax cut/capitol repair bill that was thrown out along with the proposed tax cut going around this year dont provide any savings to 40% of the population and to get any more savings than $100 for the year, you essentially need to be in the top 5%. Sorry that someone pointing out the truth is "garbage" to you.

And wow, teachers are lowest paid among all bordering states and per pupil funding is 49th in the country but our teachers are overpaid? I think that deserves the "political garbage and factually incorrect" tag.

First, its not really incorrect. The tax cut/capitol repair bill that was thrown out along with the proposed tax cut going around this year dont provide any savings to 40% of the population and to get any more savings than $100 for the year, you essentially need to be in the top 5%. Sorry that someone pointing out the truth is "garbage" to you.

And wow, teachers are lowest paid among all bordering states and per pupil funding is 49th in the country but our teachers are overpaid? I think that deserves the "political garbage and factually incorrect" tag.

Of course the tax cut doesn't help the bottom 40%. That group pay virtually no income tax

And I don't say all teacher are overpaid.

And again we have the lowest cost of living in the country and this is a job that works 75% of the year

... and this is a job that works 75% of the year

I wouldn't want their hours or customer expectations.

Of course the tax cut doesn't help the bottom 40%. That group pay virtually no income tax

And I don't say all teacher are overpaid.

And again we have the lowest cost of living in the country and this is a job that works 75% of the year

So then, why does the legislature not propose/pass a tax cut that will benefit a greater percentage of the population? A tax cut/elimination on food or clothes would benefit the most. Oklahoma currently has one of the highest sales tax rates in the nation.

from 1998- 2011 Oklahoma’s school district administration has grown by 49 percent while the number of students in its public schools increased by only 6 percent.

Read more: Free Market Friday: Unions rally for oil money | The Journal Record (http://journalrecord.com/2014/03/27/free-market-friday-unions-rally-for-oil-money-opinion/#ixzz2xfe60gWi)

from 1998- 2011 Oklahoma’s school district administration has grown by 49 percent while the number of students in its public schools increased by only 6 percent.

Read more: Free Market Friday: Unions rally for oil money | The Journal Record (http://journalrecord.com/2014/03/27/free-market-friday-unions-rally-for-oil-money-opinion/#ixzz2xfe60gWi)

It's too bad this opinion piece failed to cite a source for those numbers but hey it's on the internet so it must be true.

It's too bad this opinion piece failed to cite a source for those numbers but hey it's on the internet so it must be true.

OCPA - School administrator job growth dwarfs student growth (http://www.ocpathink.org/articles/2640)

unions win again

OCPA - School administrator job growth dwarfs student growth (http://www.ocpathink.org/articles/2640)

unions win again

Thanks.

As a comparison, Oklahoma has approximately 650,000 public school students (Oklahoma Education - A Profile on Oklahoma Education and Schools (http://teaching.about.com/od/ProfilesInEducation/a/Oklahoma-Education.htm)), whereas Texas has 4.8 million

With 532 districts, OK averages one district per 1,332 students. Texas, in contrast, with 1032 districts, averages one district per 4,651 students.

Using a similar model simply for discussion, that would suggest Oklahoma could be served with something on the order of 139 districts. Round it up to 200 for easy numbers, and you're talking about well over 300 districts, presumably most or all with at least a superintendent, and at least some minimal staff. Now, according to a job/wage survey site (School Superintendent (US) Salary (http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=School_Superintendent/Salary)), an average superintendent salary is $108,000. I don't for a second think that's the average salary in OK, but I could not find hard data to back up a number. Suppose, arguendo, an average super's salary in OK is $70K (Just as I think the $108k figure is too high, I think $70K is low.). If Oklahoma consolidated away 300 public school districts and eliminated one $70,000 position in each, that's $21 million in real, tangible annual savings that could be realized - to say nothing of the additional savings from the elimination of corresponding support/administrative/staff positions. Assuming one such consolidation per district at a salary of, say $40,000 per year, and that's another $12,000,000 in savings. And I believe the notion of *one* superintendent and *one* support person per district at combined annual salaries of $110,000/annually is very conservative.

That's $33 million in scratchpad savings from consolidation.

Sure seems to me that's a value worth looking at, and I can't see why it wouldn't be a bi-partisan effort.

EDIT: My apologies for not having seen a similar post earlier with comparable notions.

I'm glad you did, it is too obvious. I use the one super per county as I notice many state do this - I think Kansas does - and they consolidated decades ago.

from 1998- 2011 Oklahoma’s school district administration has grown by 49 percent while the number of students in its public schools increased by only 6 percent.

Read more: Free Market Friday: Unions rally for oil money | The Journal Record (http://journalrecord.com/2014/03/27/free-market-friday-unions-rally-for-oil-money-opinion/#ixzz2xfe60gWi)
A very hard to read and understand statistic, just saying 6% this and 49% that. Yes, of course arent going to have giant increases in student enrollment because there are hundred of thousands of students. The 49% increase in admin doesnt tell us anything. Maybe each district had been short of admins starting in 1998. Maybe they only had two administrators and just added one more, thus the big increase. Basically what Im saying, that stat is meaningless without more date. Overall costs would be much more helpful, but that probably isnt as drastic as a stat for OCPA to exploit. Why be so deceitful OCPA? Give us some better info.

Also, whats with the oil business being brought up in the article, really doesnt seem to have much to do with the teacher rally yesterday.

Let's just do it this way.... On-Line. Do we really need an expensive classrooms / desks / chairs / teachers / Admin's / Buses ,.... No. We could provide a laptop w/ Wifi and still have the same "end results" of 42nd in test scores. Right ?

It's only money & scores that matter.

So why is the issue of consolidation a loser in the legislature? Is it the outsized influence of rural politicians?

So why is the issue of consolidation a loser in the legislature? Is it the outsized influence of rural politicians?

Consolidation has been a loser in the legislature for over twenty years. Too many old cronies with too many skeletons to allow the idea to reach critical mass and an authentic public discussion. Really thought Barresi might push it, but nope.

Back when HB 1017 was the latest, greatest legislative effort to Finally Fix Education, many of us were screaming for some consideration of consolidation back then. No soap. Tax first, consolidate later. I think you see a lot of good-old-boy tentacles in Oklahoma politics coming to the fore when someone really starts pushing the consolidation effort.

I actually think a governor with the willingness to sacrifice political popularity in some circles to the extent of only being a one-term office holder could make this their principal campaign platform - reform and consolidate Oklahoma schools. For real.

Of course the tax cut doesn't help the bottom 40%. That group pay virtually no income tax

And I don't say all teacher are overpaid.

And again we have the lowest cost of living in the country and this is a job that works 75% of the year

Usually find a lot to respect in your opinions, Boulder, but having been married to a teacher for the last 19 years I can just tell you this is, quite simply, dead wrong. Lots of other people use it as a punching bag to rationalize paying professional educators crapola wages in this state, and I wish we could fight the myth. I've lost count of the continuing education workshops, late nights calling parents, holding conferences, doing bureaucratic, non-value-added paperwork, that no one cares to consider or conveniently ignores.

If you think current teachers aren't good enough, you've got to do something to attract better ones. And if you can't do much about the hours/calendar, you'd better be prepared to offer more money. And that's why so many Texas public schools set up employment workshops in Oklahoma every year for the top-dogs who graduate out of our universities with teaching degrees, and export all that income tax revenue south of the Red River.

We can argue all you want about how many "real" hours or "days" teachers in OK work, but the bottom line is if you want a better grade of employee, you'd better be prepared to become a better grade of employer.

Just sayin.

What does it take to fire a teacher? If a teacher isn't cutting it why are they kept around? I've never understood it when people say there's good teachers and there's bad teachers... if they're bad then get rid of them. You can't pay a bad employee enough money to make them better, same with a teacher.

Students are extremely lucky if they encounter just one really good teacher in their 12 years of forced public education, no matter where they live. While I don't condemn the average professional educator, and sympathize deeply about all the non-teaching chores and baggage with which they're saddled, what I mean by "really good teacher" is one who inspires the student with an ambition that becomes his/her life's work.

Being one of those is a goal to which many aspire, but which few achieve.

I've been more fortunate than most, in that I encountered not one but two such teachers, one in Southern California during the mid-40s and the other at old Classen here in OKC in 1947. Mr. Smithpeter, known to his students (at his request) as "Smitty," taught algebra, geometry. and trig at Beaumont Union High School. He moodlighted writing magazine articles about amateur photography and had a great classroom presence. What distinguished him from the average bear was his knack of sensing when a specific student had absorbed the lesson early and was in danger of becoming bored, and his willingness to assign that student a new mental challenge to retain interest and maintain the joy of learning.

My own experience with that was in geometry class, where for some reason I grokked the concept of isocsoles triangles almost instantly. Smitty saw that I had, and next day brought a sextant to class and called me to his desk just before the class actually began. There he showed me what it was, how to use it, and told me to spend the next hour using it to measure the height of the flagpole on the front lawn of the school. He left it up to me to deduce that if I set it to 45 degrees, then walked away from the flagpole until the sextant showed me the exact tip of it, then the distance from me to the base would be the same as the height. And from that moment on, geometry (and later trig) had much more meaning that my sons ever found in either subject...

I don't think it was coincidental that I took up photography during the years I studied under Smitty, or that I eventually became a full-time professional writer -- moonlighting from my day jobs by writing for hobby magazines!

The other teacher, at Classen, was Mrs. Fannie Virginia Mae Chappelear, known to her students as Chappie. She taught Journalism, and I was by that time eager to learn all that I could from her. She seems to have had that impact on many of her students; more than a decade after I graduated from Classen, I attended a reception at The Biltmore in her honor, and the place was packed.

What we need in Oklahoma is many more people of this kind, and many fewer who see the profession only as "a job" like any other. Unfortunately I have no idea how we can achieve this -- but simply throwing money at the status quo, or continuing to subsidize more than four times as many administrators per student compared to the actual need, certainly won't do it.

Our current edicational policy illustrates, quite nicely, Einstein's definition of insanity!!!

I believe that I taught with quite a few inspirational teachers during my time at Westmoore. They definitely inspired students as you've explained, but they often did so in the face of systemic barriers and without the professional respect they deserved.

My entire goal when I taught government was to make it relevant and engaging for students. The biggest detriment to this goal were required scope and sequence standards that did not allow us to follow interests or passions. There was such an incredible amount of curriculum crammed into my AP courses that you barely had time to find meaning in anything before you moved on. The curriculum was a mile long and an inch deep. Every year I redesigned the course curriculum so that I could work in projects and content meaningful to my students. Even though I had a masters and was finishing my doctorate, worked an average of 12-14 hours a day, and spent tons of free time supporting students at school clubs and events, my total compensation was in the lower $30,000s. That's why teachers need summers (which I spent at teacher workshops and graduate school). Teachers need time to reflect and learn. I just spent last Saturday with 150 Oklahoma educators who spent the entire day learning from each other with no institutional benefits. They were there just to improve their craft.

For those who have never taught, try putting your heart and soul into working with 150+ students a day within a system that privileges standardization and short-term memorization over creativity, passion, or authentic learning. People would be amazed by how many great teachers there are in Oklahoma, but, unfortunately, we trust lawmakers with no educational background to make decisions about a field in which they are ignorant. It makes the job tough, but I've dedicated my life to empowering teachers and students. Just something to think about...

I believe that I taught with quite a few inspirational teachers during my time at Westmoore. They definitely inspired students as you've explained, but they often did so in the face of systemic barriers and without the professional respect they deserved.And that, in a nutshell, is what we must change no matter what it takes.

Thanks for confirming, from the other side of the podium!

Usually find a lot to respect in your opinions, Boulder, but having been married to a teacher for the last 19 years I can just tell you this is, quite simply, dead wrong. Lots of other people use it as a punching bag to rationalize paying professional educators crapola wages in this state, and I wish we could fight the myth. I've lost count of the continuing education workshops, late nights calling parents, holding conferences, doing bureaucratic, non-value-added paperwork, that no one cares to consider or conveniently ignores.

If you think current teachers aren't good enough, you've got to do something to attract better ones. And if you can't do much about the hours/calendar, you'd better be prepared to offer more money. And that's why so many Texas public schools set up employment workshops in Oklahoma every year for the top-dogs who graduate out of our universities with teaching degrees, and export all that income tax revenue south of the Red River.

We can argue all you want about how many "real" hours or "days" teachers in OK work, but the bottom line is if you want a better grade of employee, you'd better be prepared to become a better grade of employer.

Just sayin.

This is why I didn't not say most or all. I think lots of teachers are underpaid the problem is figuring out how to reward the good/great teachers and not the bottom 50% that do the minimum. I don't claim to know enough to figure out what the metrics/ evaluation should be. But there can not be needed merit based raises with out a way to determine merit

So then, why does the legislature not propose/pass a tax cut that will benefit a greater percentage of the population? A tax cut/elimination on food or clothes would benefit the most. Oklahoma currently has one of the highest sales tax rates in the nation.

60 is greater than 40

I think this rally could be a catalyst for change. Change won't happen overnight, though. It was inspiring to see, though. :)

60 is greater than 40

Give me some info on % of Oklahomans that do not pay sales tax. While you are at it, give me the % of work eligible people in the state not paying income tax. We are talking state income tax, not federal. Has the % of people not paying income tax been increased by the legislature by lowering the threshold on when the tax kicks in, based on wanting to lower the upper rates at the same time? I am skeptical that the number paying sales tax is not greater than 60%. To be fair shouldn't anyone younger than 18 not be exempt from sales tax based on that taxation w/o representation argument?

So why is the issue of consolidation a loser in the legislature? Is it the outsized influence of rural politicians?

I think there's more too it. Which communities give up local control of their district? Wellston suddenly falls under Luther or Chandler? Does Edmond absorb Arcadia? Because then suddenly the people of Arcadia would have a reduced input/control compared to folks in Edmond, much less on bond votes, etc.

My mother teaches in a small, rural school district, and I've brought up consolidation to her, and she mentions these concerns as a big reason for push back from those various districts.

I'm glad you did, it is too obvious. I use the one super per county as I notice many state do this - I think Kansas does - and they consolidated decades ago.

Also, think of the other positions that could be eliminated. Each district has a bus maintenance barn and mechanics, human resource person/accounting , super's secretary, etc. Also, a larger district would have more buying power so possibly could be getting better prices on food, sports equipment, supplies. Insuring one large district would seem to be cheaper that insuring a bunch of little ones.

I believe that I taught with quite a few inspirational teachers during my time at Westmoore. They definitely inspired students as you've explained, but they often did so in the face of systemic barriers and without the professional respect they deserved.

My entire goal when I taught government was to make it relevant and engaging for students. The biggest detriment to this goal were required scope and sequence standards that did not allow us to follow interests or passions. There was such an incredible amount of curriculum crammed into my AP courses that you barely had time to find meaning in anything before you moved on. The curriculum was a mile long and an inch deep. Every year I redesigned the course curriculum so that I could work in projects and content meaningful to my students. Even though I had a masters and was finishing my doctorate, worked an average of 12-14 hours a day, and spent tons of free time supporting students at school clubs and events, my total compensation was in the lower $30,000s. That's why teachers need summers (which I spent at teacher workshops and graduate school). Teachers need time to reflect and learn. I just spent last Saturday with 150 Oklahoma educators who spent the entire day learning from each other with no institutional benefits. They were there just to improve their craft.

For those who have never taught, try putting your heart and soul into working with 150+ students a day within a system that privileges standardization and short-term memorization over creativity, passion, or authentic learning. People would be amazed by how many great teachers there are in Oklahoma, but, unfortunately, we trust lawmakers with no educational background to make decisions about a field in which they are ignorant. It makes the job tough, but I've dedicated my life to empowering teachers and students. Just something to think about...

My favorite teacher of all time was a Government teacher at Westmoore, he was extremely passionate about his job and what he was teaching. Wonder if that teacher was you.