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Small Town students would pay for high price of school choice
Tulsa World, Feb. 28, 2022
I’ve cherished pouring my heart and soul into teaching small-town students over the last four decades. I was drawn to rural schools early in my career because of the connection to the community.
‘We see this as a potential dismantling of public education,’ Controversial Oklahoma school bill receives more pushback
KFOR, March 11, 2022
Oklahoma Education Coalition released polling data on the proposed voucher bill that would allow taxpayer dollars to be used at private schools.
Supt. Simpson: An update on school vouchers
Guthrie News Page, March 8, 2022
We are now over a month into the latest session of our state legislature. It started with the Governor setting his agenda as he delivered the State of the State Address. In his remarks, he challenged the lawmakers to pass legislation that would allow students who choose to attend private schools to receive state money that would otherwise be sent to public schools. That money would instead be sent to the private school to ‘assist’ in funding tuition or other needs for the student. Proponents of such a practice will link it to various catch phrases about empowerment or school choice but this is more accurately referred to as a voucher.
Teacher pay and ’empowerment’ accounts: Lawmakers debate education priorities
NonDoc, February 14, 2022
Oklahoma lawmakers filed approximately 768 education-related bills for the 2022 session, but the leaders of the Legislature’s education committees have said they are most focused on the ones aimed at promoting workforce development and keeping teachers in the classroom.
Viewpoint: Public school vouchers are bad for rural schools, and bad for Oklahoma
The Oklahoman, March 11, 2022
In 2019, I graduated valedictorian from Woodward Public Schools. My great-grandmother taught in a one-room schoolhouse on the prairie of rural northwest Oklahoma. My grandmother taught first grade for 32 years at Woodward, and my mother is in her 25th year of teaching at Woodward Public Schools. Public education runs in my blood.
Viewpoint: Is Oklahoma school choice push really about better education for all?
The Oklahoman, March 6, 2022
I grew up poor and white in the American South in the 1980s. My dad pastored numerous small rural churches in southern Arkansas and northern Louisiana. We moved on average every 3-4 years throughout my childhood. In December 1991, we moved from Star City, Arkansas, population 2,000, to Nashville, Tennessee, where I began the second half of my freshman year at Hillsboro Comprehensive High School, enrollment about 1,200. At high school graduation, I was the product of four public school districts in three different states.
Editorial: Private school vouchers won't improve public education
Tulsa World, March 9, 2022
The latest private school voucher bill offers more of the same; nothing that would improve Oklahoma education and only harms public schools.
Letter: Want Oklahoma to be top 10? Stop undermining schools
Tulsa World, March 6, 2022
Gov. Kevin Stitt wants Oklahoma to be a top 10 state. Stitt wants Oklahoma to recruit large companies to locate, relocate, or expand in Oklahoma. These companies want an environment that helps them attract and retain an educated workforce.
Column: True stories of what makes an educator #PublicSchoolProud
Tulsa World, Feb. 25, 2022
What makes us #PublicSchoolProud this week? The following anecdotes are just a few glimpses of my observations as an educator in my current district, where I have taught for 13 short years.
Sand Springs superintendent among critics of school voucher bills
Sand Springs Leader, Feb. 28, 2022
Two similar measures in the Oklahoma Senate are purported by their author to be pro-student, but educators, including Sand Springs Superintendent Sherry Durkee, say the bills could cause real harm to public schools and the students who are succeeding in them.
This School Is So Understaffed, The Principal Drives the Bus
Vice, February 12, 2022
Classrooms across the US are dealing with severe staffing shortages, as schools struggle with COVID and teacher burnout. In Oklahoma, where public schools are already funded at lower levels than much of the US, we visit one school to see how educators are coping.
OUR VIEW: Chalk it up to poor planning
Stillwater News Press, February 12, 2022
A good move, probably, before announcing a big plan like, overhauling education funding, might be knowing who is on your side.
THE UNRELENTING PUSH TO PRIVATIZE PUBLIC EDUCATION
Oklahoma PLAC, January 29, 2022
You know the story. A tiny little mouse wears out an energetic boy by making more and more demands. First, he just wants a cookie. What could ever be wrong with that? But if you give him that cookie, you’d better be prepared to give him more and more. By the time you finish granting all of this very persistent mouse’s requests, you are left with a huge mess.
One week of session down, where do education issues stand?
State Impact, February 11, 2022
It’s obvious that education is going to be one of the major focuses of Gov. Kevin Stitt and Oklahoma lawmakers during the 2022 legislative session.
State auditor to lawmakers: Epic Charter Schools mismanagement is largest abuse of taxpayer funds 'in the history of this state'
Tulsa World, February 2, 2022
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma’s state auditor and inspector on Tuesday said mismanagement by co-founders of Epic Charter Schools is “the largest amount of reported abuse of taxpayer funds in the history of this state” — and she has no idea why the attorney general has not brought criminal charges in the case.
Bob Doucette: Public education's 30-year neglect needs a real cure, not half-measure treatments
Tulsa World, February 13, 2022
Imagine a scene where an ambulance arrives at a hospital and a patient is wheeled through the emergency room doors.
Hamilton: Treat’s bill would be bad for students and state
Journal Record, January 27, 2022
When the Senate or House leader champions an idea, its odds of becoming law skyrocket. That’s why public school supporters leaped to Defcon 1 after Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat recently introduced legislation aimed at expanding vouchers – the steering of public dollars into private education.
Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall: 'I don't plan to hear' private school voucher bill
Oklahoman, February 11, 2022
A key school choice bill that would pay for students to attend private schools or homeschool could be dead in its tracks, despite open support from the governor.
Oklahoma’s Backpack Funding Bill is One to Watch
Oklahoma Watch, February 3, 2022
Of the 2,300 bills filed by state lawmakers for the upcoming session, which starts Monday, the one I will be watching most closely is Senate Bill 1647 by Senate leader Greg Treat. He’s calling it the Oklahoma Empowerment Act.
Epic Charter Schools investigative audit makes some lawmakers question voucher push
Tulsa World, February 7, 2022
Could the state’s investigative audit that found questionable handling of taxpayer dollars by Epic Charter Schools’ former for-profit managers have implications on proposed new state-funded voucher accounts?
School Choice Bills Will Be Funded By State Aid, Rural Schools Express Concern
News9, January 21, 2022
More than 2,000 new pieces of legislation have been proposed for the upcoming legislative session. Not all of them will make it through committee, but we expect one key education bill to undergo a lot of scrutiny.
Viewpoint: Improving Oklahoma education outcomes starts with respect toward educators
Oklahoman, January 29, 2022
Public school employees are doing incredible work during unprecedented circumstances. Hundreds of thousands of Oklahoma children have been taught, cared for, and fed by school workers day in and day out — just like they did before the pandemic.
This School Is So Understaffed, The Principal Drives the Bus
Vice, February 12, 2022
Classrooms across the US are dealing with severe staffing shortages, as schools struggle with COVID and teacher burnout. In Oklahoma, where public schools are already funded at lower levels than much of the US, we visit one school to see how educators are coping.
One week of session down, where do education issues stand?
State Impact, February 11, 2022
It’s obvious that education is going to be one of the major focuses of Gov. Kevin Stitt and Oklahoma lawmakers during the 2022 legislative session.
OUR VIEW: Chalk it up to poor planning
Stillwater News Press, February 12, 2022
A good move, probably, before announcing a big plan like, overhauling education funding, might be knowing who is on your side.
THE UNRELENTING PUSH TO PRIVATIZE PUBLIC EDUCATION
Oklahoma PLAC, January 29, 2022
You know the story. A tiny little mouse wears out an energetic boy by making more and more demands. First, he just wants a cookie. What could ever be wrong with that? But if you give him that cookie, you’d better be prepared to give him more and more. By the time you finish granting all of this very persistent mouse’s requests, you are left with a huge mess.
State auditor to lawmakers: Epic Charter Schools mismanagement is largest abuse of taxpayer funds 'in the history of this state'
Tulsa World, February 2, 2022
OKLAHOMA CITY — Oklahoma’s state auditor and inspector on Tuesday said mismanagement by co-founders of Epic Charter Schools is “the largest amount of reported abuse of taxpayer funds in the history of this state” — and she has no idea why the attorney general has not brought criminal charges in the case.
Hamilton: Treat’s bill would be bad for students and state
Journal Record, January 27, 2022
When the Senate or House leader champions an idea, its odds of becoming law skyrocket. That’s why public school supporters leaped to Defcon 1 after Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat recently introduced legislation aimed at expanding vouchers – the steering of public dollars into private education.
Bob Doucette: Public education's 30-year neglect needs a real cure, not half-measure treatments
Tulsa World, February 13, 2022
Imagine a scene where an ambulance arrives at a hospital and a patient is wheeled through the emergency room doors.
Oklahoma House Speaker Charles McCall: 'I don't plan to hear' private school voucher bill
Oklahoman, February 11, 2022
A key school choice bill that would pay for students to attend private schools or homeschool could be dead in its tracks, despite open support from the governor.
Oklahoma’s Backpack Funding Bill is One to Watch
Oklahoma Watch, February 3, 2022
Of the 2,300 bills filed by state lawmakers for the upcoming session, which starts Monday, the one I will be watching most closely is Senate Bill 1647 by Senate leader Greg Treat. He’s calling it the Oklahoma Empowerment Act.
Epic Charter Schools investigative audit makes some lawmakers question voucher push
Tulsa World, February 7, 2022
Could the state’s investigative audit that found questionable handling of taxpayer dollars by Epic Charter Schools’ former for-profit managers have implications on proposed new state-funded voucher accounts?
Viewpoint: Improving Oklahoma education outcomes starts with respect toward educators
Oklahoman, January 29, 2022
Public school employees are doing incredible work during unprecedented circumstances. Hundreds of thousands of Oklahoma children have been taught, cared for, and fed by school workers day in and day out — just like they did before the pandemic.
School Choice Bills Will Be Funded By State Aid, Rural Schools Express Concern
News9, January 21, 2022
More than 2,000 new pieces of legislation have been proposed for the upcoming legislative session. Not all of them will make it through committee, but we expect one key education bill to undergo a lot of scrutiny.