What they said: Oklahoma's new school evaluation system

The debate about the new A to F school evaluation system has been going for months. Here are some comments from throughout the year:

“Rural, urban and suburban schools are all different, yet you want to judge them all the same. I'm concerned about this, and we are going to use a loud voice from this day forth. In the state of Oklahoma, our kids deserve the best. Is this the way to get it? No.” — Anna King, president of the Oklahoma PTA, to the state Board of Education in March.

“We really want the data to be accurate, and we're confident it will be when we release it. It's a challenge, but it's worth it.” — Maridyth McBee, assistant superintendent for accountability and assessment for the Education Department, when school district officials were double-checking the grading data in September.

“I don't want to have any C's or D's. I didn't have any on my personal report card, and I don't want them on my professional report card.” — Oklahoma City School Board Member Jay Means, to the district superintendent in September before grades were released. In Oklahoma City, 27 schools received C's, 38 received D's and one received an F.