Barresi: bill will weaken third-grade reading law

OKLAHOMA CITY (March 28, 2014) — State Superintendent of Public Instruction Janet Barresi made the following remarks concerning House Bill 2625. Slated for a vote Monday in the state Senate Education Committee, the measure would repeal automatic retention of students who score Unsatisfactory on the third-grade reading test and who don’t meet a good-cause exemption.

“To deny children the opportunity to learn how how to read is to deny them an opportunity for success. Reading is the most fundamental aspect of an education. It is unconscionable that anyone would think it’s too much to ask that a school teach a child to read.

“Extensive research shows that moving children forward in school without the ability to read proficiently sets them on a course of falling further and further behind. It condemns them to frustration and failure. But there are also severe consequences for the students who are able to read proficiently, as fourth- and fifth-grade teachers must increasingly spend their time in remediation with the struggling readers.

“The Reading Sufficiency Act has been in existence for 17 years to identify and provide intensive remediation for struggling readers as early as kindergarten. And yet after 17 years and more than $80 million in funding, the percentage of Oklahoma students reading below grade level has remained flat. We cannot allow this to continue. We cannot continue sabotaging the promise of future generations.

“I urge Senate Education Committee members to continue to support high standards by ensuring that our children can read. I would ask that they let the RSA work. There already are good-cause exemptions to address an array of special circumstances. Predictions of catastrophe are simply incorrect. When the State of Oklahoma mandated end-of-instruction exams as a condition for high school graduation, critics made similar predictions that the sky would fall. Instead, Oklahoma’s young people rose to the occasion, with the passage rate at 99 percent.


“The good news is that RSA already is working. It is igniting attention and innovation in reading instruction. We see school districts in Tulsa, Bartlesville, Putnam City and elsewhere making impressive gains in reducing the numbers of children with reading difficulties. It would be a mistake to start weakening the law just as it begins to show glimmers of its anticipated positive impact.”

Senate Ed Committee to hear bill assuring higher standards/complete state control

The Senate Education Committee will consider House Bill 3399 on Monday. The measure provides for the development and adoption of new English and math standards and assessments while prohibiting the State Board of Education from entering into any contract or agreement with any federal agency or private entity that would cede or limit state control.

Sen. Josh Brecheen, R- Coalgate, and Sen. Anthony Sykes, R-Moore, are Senate co-authors of the measure.

"Governor Fallin and Superintendent Barresi are to be commended for their leadership and insistence in higher standards,” Brecheen said. “With the committee substitute to HB 3399 we are ensuring Oklahoma's standards can exceed those of Common Core without surrendering state control through a well-written firewall that safeguards our students.”

Brecheen said the goal is to reduce the need for remedial classes after high school, helping more students successfully complete a college degree or Career-Tech certification.

"I am glad that we are responding to the people and moving forward on this issue. It is time we put Oklahomans back in charge of educating our children,” Sykes said.

Under the committee substitute for HB 3399, the State Board of Education would work with higher education and Career-Tech officials to adopt new English and mathematics standards by August 1, 2015.

House Speaker Jeff Hickman is the principal author of HB 3399.

“It is essential that we create standards that push our children to achieve in the 21st century,” said Hickman, R-Fairview. “This option gives Oklahoma the flexibility to establish quality standards aimed at success and resist any overbearing federal intrusion into decisions that should be made by the states. We have proven Oklahoma can be an economic leader, and we can prove that Oklahoma can also lead the way in student achievement.”

House co-author of the measure is Rep. Jason Nelson.

“This respects local control by placing decision making authority regarding curriculum, textbooks, learning materials, and reading lists with local school districts,” said Nelson, R-Oklahoma City. “We all want high standards which are developed and controlled by Oklahomans and that prepare our students for active citizenship.”

Under the legislation, school districts will have the exclusive right to determine instructional materials, curriculum, reading lists and textbooks.

Jenni White is the president of Restore Oklahoma Public Education.

"We are thankful to the bill's authors for their tireless work on HB 3399, and are truly grateful to House and Senate leadership for soliciting our input,” White said. “It will be a great relief to finally repeal the Common Core State Standards from Oklahoma law."

Carolyn L. McLarty, Republican National Committeewoman for Oklahoma, joined White in her support of the legislation.

"In supporting the Senate committee substitute to HB 3399, I am very pleased that our legislators have found a constructive way to come together, listen to input from the people, follow the intentions of the Governor’s executive order, and act to help protect Oklahoma students, teachers and parents from federal control of education,” McLarty said.

The Senate Education Committee is scheduled to meet at 9 a.m. on Monday, March 24, in room 535 of the state Capitol. The Senate live-streams all floor sessions and committee meetings at www.oksenate.gov.

Parental choice in education a topic in OEA questionnaire

State Superintendent Janet Barresi's campaign today posted her responses to an Oklahoma Education Association (OEA) candidate questionnaire. Barresi answered questions on several areas of education policy, including school choice.

The OEA is the state's largest teachers' union and opposed Barresi in the 2010 state superintendent’s race. The OEA also consistently opposes legislative efforts to provide greater educational options to parents.

Barresi answered a very revealing question about publicly funded educational choice programs:

Q. What are your feelings about using public money to support private schools through voucher programs, tax credits, and other mechanisms?

A. My goal is to make sure our public schools are the first choice of every Oklahoma parent. Until that day, I want to give parents as many choices as possible. I have worked to increase funding for the Lindsay Nicole Henry Scholarships so that parents of those with learning challenges have better options for their students to have the same success as everyone else. There is still more we can do. Every child, every parent should have the opportunity to choose the school that best fits their specific needs, and no child should be confined to a failing school. I won’t rest until that’s a reality.

The premise of the OEA's question is absurd and a clear example of misplaced focus. The union sees programs like the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships Act as existing to support private schools over public schools. They see education in terms of institutional schools -- not individual students.

My two children attend public schools. We do so not out of a sense of obligation to support the public institutions and provide employment for union members who believe they know better than my wife and I do what is best for our children.

Children are more than mere funding units for educational institutions. Common sense dictates that the institutions exist for the benefit of schoolchildren. The children do not exist for the benefit of the system of public schools.

Following the logic of the OEA's question, it must hold that the per pupil revenue generated by students attending public school is for the purpose of supporting that school, regardless of the service it provides to students.

The OEA’s focus is not on providing children with educational services, but with protecting their turf. The union bosses concern themselves with imagined harm to their dues-paying members while ignoring the very real harm of denying help to students who need a different educational environment.

The membership concerns of the teachers' union should not take priority over the sacred right and duty of parents to direct the education of their children.

As the author of the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program Act, I’m grateful to Supt. Barresi for her steadfast support of this important, student-centered education program.

Barresi, along with the State Department of Education and the State Board of Education, are defendants in a new lawsuit filed by educators challenging the constitutionality of the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship Program. I'm working with Barresi and Attorney General Scott Pruitt to defend this law against those who believe that the children exist to support the system and dues paying union members.

Call me naïve, but I think education should be focused on students.

NAEP Scores Show Oklahoma Students up in Three Areas, Still Behind Nation

Oklahoma math and reading scores in the 2013 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) are a mixed bag. While the fourth-grade math scores are the highest in 10 years — and 19 points up from 1992 — state education officials note that other results point to the need for stronger academic rigor that is beginning to take shape.

NAEP is designed to measure what students across the nation know and can do in 10 subject areas, including mathematics, reading, writing, and science. The results of these tests are reported in the Nation's Report Card. The NAEP results were released last week.

Governor Mary Fallin commented on the release last week of Oklahoma’s 2013 NAEP scores.

“Fourth grade math scores are the highest they have been in ten years,” Fallin pointed out. “That’s great news. We have the hard work of Oklahoma teachers, administrators, parents and students to thank for that forward progress. Oklahoma continues, however, to fall below the national and the regional average in every category.”

Oklahoma fourth-graders taking the national assessment earned an average score of 239, up from 229 in 2003 and 220 in 1992. That still placed the state behind this year’s national average of 241.

Eighth-grade math scores also were higher than they were a decade ago — 276 in 2013 as opposed to 272 in 2003. That’s an improvement over the 262 average score earned in 1992, but lower than the 279 earned two years ago and lower than this year’s national average of 284.

In reading, Oklahoma fourth-graders posted an average of 217, up from 214 in 2003 and 215 in 2011. Despite the jump, it remains below the national average of 221 and below the state average score of 220 earned in 1992. From 1992 to 2002, fourth-grade reading scores plummeted to 213 but have been on an upward trend since the mid-2000s.

Oklahoma’s eighth-grade reading score average was 262, better than 260 in 2011 but unchanged from 2003 and down from 265 in 1992. The national average for eighth-grade reading this year is 266. Oklahoma’s reading scores in this grade have been climbing since a low of 259 in 2009.

State Superintendent Janet Barresi commented on the release of Oklahoma’s 2013 NAEP scores.

“The fact that our scores are on the upswing in three areas is exciting,” said Barresi. “Overall, however, the NAEP report confirms what we’ve long known. Oklahoma students lag behind their national counterparts in these key subject areas. This is why we must build on the momentum of the education reforms we’ve enacted in recent years.”

Barresi said reforms such as the end to social promotion for third-graders reading significantly below grade level, Teacher and Leader Effectiveness and the implementation of rigorous Oklahoma Academic Standards will have a significant and positive impact.

“Oklahoma students can be at the top of math and reading scores, but it will take all of us engaging and working together to prepare them for college, career and citizenship,” she said.

Fallin also highlighted the importance of recent education reforms as part of the plan to improve student achievement.

“Moving forward, we must work together to improve our schools,” Fallin said. “That improvement will require increased rigor in the classroom and a greater focus on literacy, which the implementation of the Reading Sufficiency Act will provide. Greater success will demand the kind of accountability and benchmarks of progress represented by the A-F grading system. And it will rely on a sense of cooperation and shared responsibility between lawmakers, educators, parents and students.

“Oklahoma has great teachers,” Fallin said. “It is a supportive community that cares about public education and, most of all, our children. I am confident that we will continue our upward trajectory and deliver the education results our students deserve.”

Barresi said the NAEP results indicate that additional focus is needed on middle school. She said she will gather a task force to examine math scores from sixth grade and higher.

“This will help us knock down college and workforce training remediation rates,” Barresi said.

The NAEP scores also show the wisdom of increasing the rigor of Oklahoma Academic Standards and the Oklahoma College and Career Ready Assessments, both of which will be implemented in schools by the start of the 2014-2015 school year.

“For the first time, we will see state scores that better reflect how our students are actually performing,” Barresi said. “While it might seem painful at this moment, a clear-eyed look at where we are realistically will help us achieve true and meaningful change to best equip our students for the future.”

NAEP reveals that the percentage of Oklahoma students scoring at or above proficiency is 36 percent in fourth-grade math and 25 percent in eighth-grade math.

The national percentage at or above math proficiency is 41 percent for fourth grade and 34 percent for eighth grade.

In reading, the percentage of Oklahoma students scoring at or above proficient is 30 percent in fourth grade and 29 percent in eighth-grade. The national percentage at or above proficiency is 34 percent for both fourth and eighth grade.

Compared to the nation, Oklahoma is:

• below 30 states, not significantly different from 14 states and above seven states in fourth-grade reading;
• below 35 states, not significantly different from 10 states and above six states in eight-grade reading;
• below 31 states, not significantly different from 12 states, and above eight states in fourth-grade math; and
• below 42 states, not significantly different from five states and above four states in eighth-grade math.

In comparison to regional states, only New Mexico had a lower average score than Oklahoma on all assessments. Texas, Arkansas and Kansas had higher average scores in each assessment in both fourth- and eighth-grades.

In 2011, Oklahoma was the only state in the U.S. to show a low inclusion rate for special education students and English Language Learners. In fourth-grade math, for example, only 49 percent of Oklahoma special education students had been tested as compared to 84 percent nationally.

In the wake of that revelation, Barresi implored districts to look closely at testing children with special needs to assure each child’s needs were being met.Oklahoma increased its inclusion rate this year more than any other state in the nation: 98 percent in fourth-grade reading, 99 percent in eighth-grade reading and 98 percent in fourth- and eighth-grade math. All are well above NAEP parameters.

Federal law requires that states and districts receiving Title I funding participate in the NAEP reading and mathematics assessments every two years. A sample of students representing the entire student population —about 3,000 students per grade and per subject — are tested.

State scores are reported for students in grades four and eight. Scores for students in grade 12 are reported only as part of the national picture. Samples for long-term trend are based on age (9, 13 and 17) rather than grade.

Other NAEP testing is optional and can be used for comparing our state to regions with similar demographics, others states and the nation.

A-F Grades for Oklahoma Public Schools Released Today

OKLAHOMA CITY – The Oklahoma State Department of Education today released the A-F Report Card for Oklahoma public school districts and schools. Available online at http://afreportcards.ok.gov, the annual grades were approved at a special meeting of the State Board of Education.

The grading system is part of a larger, comprehensive effort to heighten accountability and transparency for Oklahoma schools, providing parents and communities with readily understood information about how their local schools are doing.

In the second year of SDE issuing the report cards, 354 schools, or 20 percent, received an overall A, compared to 160 in 2012. There were 499 schools that earned an overall B – 28 percent of all schools – while 472 (26 percent) received C’s. That compares to last year’s total of 842 B’s and 594 C’s.

There was also a significant rise in D’s and F’s, with 263 schools getting the former and 163 schools receiving F’s, a combined 24 percent of schools statewide. In 2012, the report cards recorded 138 D’s and 10 F’s.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Janet Barresi said this year’s grade results were expected in light of increasing academic rigor and changes made to the grade calculation. The results, she said, reflect what is occurring in other states as schools shift to stronger standards and the resulting instructional changes.

“Our students do not know less than they did, and teachers are not doing a poor job. Far from it. Classroom teachers are working hard, responding to more rigorous standards that will help children be prepared for successful and happy lives. As I had noted in August at a state Capitol news conference, this is a transformative time for Oklahoma education. The move to higher standards and expectations will be challenging, but the rewards will be generations of young people ready for college, career and citizenship.”

The grading formula underwent changes as the result of House Bill 1658. Signed into law earlier this year, it addressed a number of concerns that had been raised by district administrators.

Several factors utilized in last year’s calculations — such as Advanced Placement classes, dropout rates and the like — are now considered in bonus points that schools can accrue. The revised formula also raised the percentage factored in for student performance and student growth.

“I am proud of Oklahoma’s teachers and the incredible work they do day after day,” Barresi said. “It is a difficult job, but a crucial one in the lives of young people and the future of our great state. I would urge Oklahoma parents to take an active role in supporting our teachers.”

Release of the report card had been scheduled for Oct. 29, but Barresi ordered a delay after several issues surfaced during a 10-day review period. There were initial glitches in grade calculation due to OSDE. Afterward, grades fluctuated as the department fielded more than 1,100 updates from data verification changes.

“Through it all, we kept the grades online for districts to see, believing full transparency was the best course. The department worked to give districts as much time as possible to update the testing files so that the data we used in the report cards could be accurate, said Barresi.

“But as a result, there here has been much sound and fury from a number of quarters. Some district superintendents — knowing that some of their schools would be getting F’s — preemptively tried discrediting the grading criteria. If these administrators put that same degree of energy and enthusiasm into turning around their challenged school sites as they did in criticizing the grades, then I am very optimistic about the future of those schools.”

Used by a growing number of states, A-F school grades are aimed at raising education standards by making school performance clear. In past years, Oklahoma education officials had offered similar data through the Academic Performance Index (API), which evaluated schools through a 0 to 1500 scale. But many parents do not know API scores exist, much less how to interpret them.

By contrast, the A-F Report Cards use a time-tested grading system that has long served the needs of educators and students.

“The A to F grades are not a punitive tool. They are a tool of empowerment for parents and students,” said Barresi. “The report cards help us see which schools are having success so that we can provide best-practices for their peer institutions. Similarly, the grades identify the low-performing schools that need help.”

Barresi acknowledged that the A-F grades have met resistance from some administrators with a stake in defending the status quo.

“Change can be painful and sometimes scary. Nothing worth achieving is easy, but nothing is more worth it than the future of our children,” she said. “We can do better, and we will do better. Oklahoma’s teachers are too talented, too driven and too dedicated to do otherwise. Oklahoma’s students are too filled with promise to accept less.”

Statement by Governor Mary Fallin

Governor Mary Fallin released the following statement regarding the Oklahoma State Department of Education’s release of A-F grades for public schools. 

"Delivering high quality public education is one of the most important things we can do in Oklahoma to increase prosperity in our state. Good schools teach children the skills they need to succeed when they enter the workforce or pursue post-secondary education. They also help to produce the highly skilled workforce that we need to retain and attract businesses and jobs to Oklahoma.

"We have many great teachers and schools that are helping to produce positive outcomes and improve student performance. Those teachers and schools deserve recognition. Unfortunately, we know we are also falling short in many areas. Historically below average NAEP scores in reading, writing and math; as well as college remediation rates higher than 40% indicate that in many instances we are failing to prepare our students for life beyond high school.

"These are problems that need to be addressed—cooperatively and with a shared sense of urgency—by lawmakers, administrators, teachers and parents. But before we can improve education, we need a system that accurately measures success and failure.

"The A-F grades delivered today provide that system. They give parents an accurate, easily understood method of measuring the quality of education their children are receiving. They also give teachers and administrators a benchmark to measure progress.

"The grades issued today, as expected, paint a mixed picture. The majority of our schools are performing adequately. Many are operating at a very high level, thanks largely to dedicated and skilled teachers.

"Some schools, however, are clearly in need of immediate improvement. The superintendents and teachers of schools receiving a D or an F must remember: a bad grade is not a punishment; it is a call to action. Parents should also understand that we are absolutely committed to helping these schools succeed.

"Oklahoma has great teachers. We have a supportive community of parents who want to play an active role in their child's education. And we have state resources committed to delivering assistance as we work to move these schools in the right direction.

"Working together, we will succeed in better preparing our kids for college and the workforce. Nothing is more important for our children or for Oklahoma's sustained prosperity."

Statement by Dr. Robert Sommers

Dr. Robert Sommers

Oklahoma’s secretary of education and workforce, Dr. Robert Sommers, today issued the following statement regarding the release of the State Department of Education’s A-F grades for Oklahoma Public Schools. In addition to serving on Governor Mary Fallin’s cabinet, Sommers also serves as the director of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education. Previously, he served as the superintendent of Butler Technology and Career Development Schools in Ohio.

“As a superintendent, I championed the use of data to reform my school district.  In 2001, the data showed my district was doing poorly. We were ranked 42nd out of 49 Ohio tech centers.

“In response to that ranking, which revealed that our students were underperforming, our staff and student body committed ourselves to improvement. After a lot of hard work, we were eventually ranked first in student performance for three years in a row.

“We didn't see the data as a negative. We saw it as an opportunity to measure success. Most importantly, we saw it as a motivator for change and improvement.

“The A-F grading system in Oklahoma offers the same opportunity today. Reporting school performance in a transparent and understandable way is a valuable tool for educational improvement.  Educators who embrace this information and engage their students, parents, and faculty in maintaining high performance or improving low performance are best serving Oklahoma’s children.”

State Board of Education approves FY 2015 budget request

OKLAHOMA CITY (Oct. 29, 2013) – The Oklahoma State Board of Education today approved a $2.5 billion fiscal year 2015 budget request for the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE). Representing a $174.9 million increase over last year, the proposal will go before the state Legislature when it convenes in February.

The budget requests an $81.4 million increase in financial support for schools, part of $1.9 billion overall in the State Aid Funding Formula.

State Superintendent of Public Instruction Janet Barresi said the budget addresses a number of academic and financial challenges facing Oklahoma schools.

“This budget is responsible, realistic and takes an important step forward in connecting new funds to proven performance,” she said. “Adequate funding is critical to a sound education, of course, but money itself is not a cure-all. Oklahomans must know their tax dollars are being invested wisely in schools.”

To that end, the budget request sets aside 20 percent of the new funds – about $16 million — to reward schools that show academic improvement among a large student population on free and reduced lunches.

“This is a way to recognize and build on the successes of the many schools in our state that are rising to significant challenge. Through innovation, tenacity and a commitment to excellence, these teachers, administrators and parents are working hard to ensure a bright future for the next generation of Oklahomans.”

Barresi urged district superintendents to use part of the new funds to increase teacher pay.

“There is no question that inadequate teacher salaries are a big reason we lose many of our best and brightest educators to other states,” she said.

The funding request includes $593.5 million for the activities budget, an $86.4 million increase over FY 2014. That figure reflects how Oklahoma schools are continuing their shift toward stronger academic standards and heightened expectations, providing $69 million for the implementation of various reforms.

That amounts to a $26 million increase in reform spending over last year.

This includes:

$21.7 million for Achieving Classroom Excellence (ACE) remediation;
$16 million for reading sufficiency;
$5 million for REAC3H coaches ;
$2.8 million for school reform competitiveness grants;
$2.4 million for the Think Through Math program;
$564,000 in Oklahoma Academic Standards implementation;
$500,000 for third-grade reading readiness support teams; and
$200,000 for charter school incentives.
In the wake of the Affordable Care Act, health insurance costs are taking a significant portion of the would-be budget.

“As is proving to be the case throughout the nation, the consequences of Obamacare are severe and painful. Millions of dollars that could have gone to the classroom instead must be eaten up in insurance costs,” Barresi said.

OSDE is requesting a flexible benefit allowance budget of $426.9 million in FY 2015, a $59 million increase over last year. More costly premiums and an increase of fulltime, insured school employees are responsible for the requested increase.

Nelson Reacts to New Lawsuit against Special Needs Scholarships Law

OKLAHOMA CITY – A new legal challenge to the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarships for Students with Disabilities Program Act filed yesterday represents “ideological hostility to the rights of parents to direct the education of their children,” according to the author of the bill that created the scholarships.

State Rep. Jason Nelson said the program helps children with special needs attend a private school of their choice by providing state-funded scholarships. It has been in place for three years. A lawsuit filed by two Tulsa-area school districts was tossed out by the Oklahoma Supreme Court in 2012 on the grounds that schools cannot sue on behalf of taxpayers. The new lawsuit targets the state superintendent, the state department of education and the state board of education. The Obama Administration filed a lawsuit against a similar law in Louisiana this year.

“I first heard about this latest lawsuit from a parent who is concerned about what will happen to her child now,” said Nelson, R-Oklahoma City. “This new lawsuit mirrors the previous one that was struck down just this past fall and many of the plaintiffs have ties to school districts but are suing as individuals this time.”

Nelson said there are two things about the lawsuit that stand out to him.

“First and most importantly, not one of the plaintiffs has a child with special needs in the public school system where the school is failing to meet the needs of their child,” Nelson said. “None of them are facing the very real circumstances faced by parents of more than 200 children who use the Henry scholarship program because the needs of their children were not being met.

“Second, none of the plaintiffs in this case have demonstrated any interest or willingness to address the legitimate concerns expressed about challenges in public schools faced by parents of the students who are currently using the Lindsey Henry Scholarship.

“There’s a fundamental disagreement here. Children do not exist to fund the institutions. The institutions exist to support and educate the children and when that doesn't happen, regardless of the reason, we have a moral obligation to do whatever is necessary to ensure those children get the education they need and that the taxpayers are paying for, regardless of where they receive that education.

“This law has benefitted the public school system by increasing per-pupil spending on students in the public school system every year it's been in existence. This is a fact that is easily demonstrated but universally ignored by opponents. One of the plaintiffs has a background in school finance. I’m amazed this fact has escaped him.”

Nelson noted that the lead plaintiff is employed by Oral Roberts University, which was allocated more than $380,000 in state-funded scholarships through the Oklahoma Tuition Equalization Grant program, or OTEG, for the current academic year.

“OTEG is virtually identical to the Henry Scholarship Program,” Nelson said. “If the lead plaintiff is so offended by the Lindsey Henry Scholarship Program why has he not challenged the OTEG law that he benefits from – I would be embarrassed. He must be familiar with Jesus’ teaching, ‘Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?’

“If you use their actions as a guide, the opposition here and in the Louisiana case is about an ideological hostility to the rights of parents to direct the education of their children – not about legitimate legal concerns. There are many state programs that do exactly what the plaintiffs here claim is unconstitutional. The plaintiffs simply can’t see that this is not about funding institutions but about ensuring children get the best education possible regardless of where they get that education.”

Nelson said he looks forward to working with state Superintendent Janet Barresi, Attorney General Scott Pruitt, the state Board of Education, parents and other supporters to vigorously defend the law. 

“The Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship Program is a constitutional, common sense law that benefits the students using the program, the public school system and the taxpayers,” Nelson said. “I’m confident the law will ultimately be upheld.”

Short documentary about the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship Program

State leaders announce higher academic standards

OKLAHOMA CITY (Aug. 28, 2013) – In 2010, Oklahoma made a commitment to raise the educational bar for children. With the passage of Senate Bill 2033 that called for the implementation of college and career ready standards, Oklahoma teachers are now in the final stages of aligning instruction to those new standards this school year.

"Now that we've reached our first milestone, increasing the rigor of the Oklahoma Academic Standards, Oklahomans across the state need to give full support to our teachers as we begin to assess children on these new standards," State Superintendent Janet Barresi said. "Education reform is never easy, but I know that our teachers and our students are ready to answer this challenge."

Governor Mary Fallin applauds the efforts of our students and teachers. “Nothing is more important to the prosperity of this state and its residents than high quality education. To deliver that education and ensure our children have the skills they need to succeed in today’s economy, Oklahoma must raise the bar when it comes to academic standards.

“Oklahoma has great teachers and great schools. If we increase rigor in the classroom, students will rise to the challenge. We know that requiring higher scores on exit exams and standardized tests comes with growing pains. We will work through these challenges with teachers, administrators, parents and students to ensure these higher standards are met. Ultimately, greater rigor in the classroom will empower our children by helping them to achieve success both in school and in the workforce.”

Superintendent Barresi made the call to action for supporting teachers and students in increasing academic achievement at a press conference on Wednesday, August 28, in the Governor’s Blue Room at the State Capitol. The event coincided with State Department of Education officials releasing preliminary student test scores from spring 2013 to school districts.

Joining Superintendent Barresi in the call to action were Dr. Robert Sommers, Secretary of Education and Workforce Development and State Director of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education; Dr. Glen Johnson, Chancellor of the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education; Chuck Mills, President of Mills Manufacturing Company and Chairman Elect of the State Chamber of Oklahoma; and Fred Morgan, President and CEO of the State Chamber of Oklahoma.

More challenging test questions were included in the 2013 spring assessments to reflect the more rigorous Oklahoma Academic Standards. Questions were added to the 5th and 8th grade science and writing tests and end-of-instruction biology test. These more challenging test questions helped prepare students for the more rigorous assessments that follow full implementation of college and career standards. Cut scores to measure proficiency also were increased for these tested subjects. Cut scores are like the defined range of scores that qualifies student work for letter grades such as A’s, B’s, etc. on classroom assignments and tests.

SDE officials say assessments aligned to the new academic standards will become more rigorous. Although this will mean an initial drop in test scores across the state, as teachers and children become accustomed to this new, better way of learning, test scores will rebound.

“Just as the new standards incorporate reading, writing and math across all subject areas, the new assessments will as well. We are no longer asking students to memorize facts and figures for multiple-choice tests. We are asking them to read two or more paragraphs, write out their answers in short essay form and, in some cases, defend their answers by showing their work,” explained Dr. Maridyth McBee, Assistant State Superintendent of Accountability and Assessment.

“Now that we know the extent of the challenge, everyone must join together and support our teachers and students. This is what we want. We want our children to be college, career and citizen ready. Prepared to compete with the best and the brightest,” Barresi said. “The toughest part of our journey is here, and we cannot let our teachers and students travel the road alone. We must be there for them to provide all the support they need.”

To help teachers, the State Department of Education offers several professional development opportunities such as:

• The REAC3H Network, an instructional team that delivers professional development to classroom teachers and school administrators in regional trainings throughout the state.
• Sixty REAC3H Coaches who provide literacy training to teachers in their classrooms.
• The PD on Your Plan program. When launched, this will provide virtual professional development teachers can access during their planning period. This means instructional time will not be taken away from students in the classroom.
• The OKMath/OKSci program modeled after Leadership Oklahoma. This program creates leaders who can identify challenges and create solutions for math and science educators. They also can serve as a support system during implementation of the Oklahoma Academic Standards.
• Convenings of English, math and science teachers who work to determine the needs of teachers for implementation of the more rigorous standards and develop resources and tools to address those needs.
• A partnership with the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) project that increases access to Advanced Placement courses for students and provides training and resources in AP coursework to teachers.
• The school improvement program designed to help some of the state’s most struggling schools.

In closing, Barresi commented, “Time and again I have seen the bar raised for children, and they have successfully risen to meet the challenge. We must remember, if there was ever a state that has proven it can rise to a challenge and come out on top, it’s Oklahoma.”

University of Oklahoma President David Boren and Oklahoma State University President Burns Hargis released statements in support of higher standards. Boren and Hargis believe these higher standards and increased rigor are essential for improving student performance.

OU President David Boren:

“The University of Oklahoma supports high academic standards across all academic areas.  The new proposed state science standards have included input from many stakeholders, including OU scientists and K12 educators.  We believe the increased rigor will better prepare students for success in STEM fields as they enter college.”

OSU President Burns Hargis:

“Oklahoma State University supports standards that better prepare students for college and inevitably lead to higher retention and graduation rates.  OSU partners with public schools across our state to assist teachers in challenging students in ways that engage them to improve achievement.  We appreciate those who are working hard to improve education for Oklahoma's students.”

Barresi Calls for $2,000 Raise for Oklahoma Teachers

Oklahoma City –Oklahoma State Schools Superintendent Janet Barresi this weekend called for giving all Oklahoma teachers a $2,000 raise.

The raise would not require increased state appropriations, but could be funded by tapping surplus funds and reducing schools’ administrative overhead.

“How many of you have heard of all the teachers leaving for Texas?” Barresi asked the crowd of administrators and school board members attending a Saturday event hosted by the Oklahoma State School Boards Association. “With a $2,000 raise, we will see Oklahoma teacher pay jump past numerous states, including our neighbor to the east, Arkansas, and get within just a few dollars of Missouri. We’ll also cut by more than half our gap with Texas.”

To provide teachers that raise, however, Barresi said Oklahoma’s school administrators will need to reset priorities. Oklahoma schools are facing a massive shortage of quality teachers.

“Our shortage is quality teachers, not administrators,” Barresi said, pointing to reforms in her administration that have reduced state Department of Education Department spending by more than $250,000 a month. “Aside from parents, teachers are the single most important factor in a child’s success.”

Barresi’s plan calls for moving less than 10 percent of Oklahoma schools’ carryover money – currently more than $700 million – to teacher pay, while also asking individual school superintendents and school boards to redirect 2 percent of money now going to administrative overhead to teacher pay.

Despite the biggest recession since the 1930s Oklahoma schools have left a record amount of money on the table in their carryover – money that is just sitting there, unused. Barresi noted it doesn’t do Oklahoma kids any good to have hundreds of millions of dollars sitting on the sideline when the state is facing a teacher shortage and the teachers that schools have are often financially stressed.

“By combining the 2 percent reallocation of non-instruction costs with a slight reduction to the carryover, we can give every teacher in the state a $2,000 pay raise in the next fiscal year,” Barresi said before challenging her audience. “At this point, this is not a mandate. There are many people who want to set a percentage of how much money goes to the classroom.  I want to see where your commitment is.

“I’m asking you to redirect 2 percent from your overhead to give our teachers a $2,000 raise. Make the adjustments where and how you see fit. Two percent for two grand, for every teacher in Oklahoma,” Barresi concluded. “Our teachers need our support. They have mine.”

ACT Scores Show Increase in Oklahoma Reading Benchmarks

ACT results released last week show that more Oklahoma graduating seniors are ready for college and career than in previous years.

According to ACT's 2013 Condition of College and Career Readiness report, the percentage of the state's 2013 graduates who met all four benchmarks in English, reading, science and math rose to 23 percent from 20 percent the previous two years and from 17 percent in 2008. The report is based on the results of the 2013 ACT college entrance exam.

“I’m bolstered by these results,” said State Superintendent Janet Barresi. “This shows that our education reform efforts in Oklahoma are paying dividends in student performance."

Barresi said while she is pleased with the bright spots in the state highlighted in the report, she is not satisfied.

"There is still much work to be done," she said.

A total of 28,988 students took the ACT this year; 75 percent of Oklahoma’s 2013 graduating class took the test at least once.

Oklahoma’s ACT 2013 composite score rose .1 to 20.8 over the 2012 score of 20.7, while the national composite declined from 21.1 to 20.9.

In Oklahoma, 23 percent of ACT-takers last year met all four benchmarks. Fourteen percent of students met three benchmarks, 17 percent met two, 18 percent met one and 29 percent met no benchmarks, according to the report.

Nationally, 26 percent of students met all four benchmarks. Oklahoma students, however, exceeded the national average for meeting the English benchmark -- 66 percent versus 64 percent; 45 percent of Oklahoma ACT-takers met the reading benchmark, slightly above 44 percent nationally. At the same time, reading scores were up from 21 to 22 for state test-takers.

Barresi said these results show that efforts to target reading instruction are translating into success.

Superintendent Barresi has hired 60 REAC3H Coaches to offer job-imbedded professional development for reading teachers throughout the state in addition to other training.

Only 37 percent of Oklahoma students met the math benchmarks, and 35 percent met the science benchmarks, compared with the national 44 percent and 36 percent figures, respectively.

Barresi pointed to the recent efforts at the State Department of Education that will help improve scores in these areas in the future.

Teams from the State Department of Education’s Office of Instruction are providing regional professional development workshops for educators throughout the state, free of charge to participants. The department also has gathered leading educators from throughout the state in science and math to participate in the inaugural class of OKSci and OKMath. This program is fashioned after Leadership Oklahoma with the goal of growing leadership participants who will work to disseminate best practices and resources with the goal of improving student performance in these subject areas.

In addition, the department is in the second year of offering Think Through Math, a digital program that prepares elementary and middle school students for Algebra. Participation in this program has doubled since the program started a year ago.

The State Department of Education also has partnered with the National Math and Science Initiative to increase the number of Advanced Placement courses available and the number of students participating in AP courses in science, math and English in selected high schools throughout the state.

Barresi said she’s confident these offerings will boost performance in all subject areas in the coming years.

Barresi said she while she is pleased with state results for minority groups, which outpaced the nation, she still would like to see more improvement and even more participation in the future. A breakdown by ethnicity shows:

• Black/African American students made up 7 percent of the ACT-tested population, 2,067 students compared to 8 percent, 2,306 students in 2012. The composite score for this population was 17.4, which outdistanced the composite score of 16.9 achieved by national counterparts.
• American Indian/Alaska Native students made up 8 percent of those tested, 2,428 students, compared to 9 percent, 2,723 student sin 2012 – a decline for the third consecutive year. The ACT composite score for this population was 19.0, significantly above the national composite of 18.0.
• Hispanic/Latino students represent 10 percent of the ACT-tested population, 2,856 students, up from 9 percent or 2,717 students in 2012 – an increase for the sixth consecutive year. The composite score was 19.0, much higher than the national of 18.2. Hispanic/Latino participation has increased by 92 percent over the last five years.
• White students make up 57 percent of those tested, 16,418 students, compared to 58 percent, 16,989 students, in 2012. White students earned a composite score of 21.7, up .1 from 2012 but still below the national composite of 22.2.

Special State Board of Education Meeting Set Tomorrow

WHO: The Oklahoma State Board of Education


WHAT: At a special State Board of Education meeting, board members will consider possible action on a process to approve non-traditional routes to special education teacher certification and adoption of state policies for Special Education – Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The board also will consider possible action on the fiscal year 2014 education appropriation in addition to other items. Click here to see the full agenda.

WHEN: 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, June 12, 2013

WHERE: The Oliver Hodge Building, 2500 N Lincoln Blvd., Suite 1-20, Oklahoma City.

The State Board of Education's regular monthly meeting will be at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, June 27.