The education system in Oklahoma is getting better but still needs improvement, according to a national study released Wednesday.
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Oklahoma was ranked the 26th best education system in the Education Weekly magazine 2009 “Quality Counts” survey. The state moved up two spots from 28th in 2008, according to the state Department of Education.
“The bottom line is we’re moving forward, and this annual study recognizes that,” said State Superintendent Sandy Garrett in a statement.
Oklahoma was given a 76.1 overall score — a C. The national average was 76.2.
The highest score was 84.7, given to Maryland, according to Education Weekly. The lowest score was 68.3, given to Washington, D.C.
The scores were calculated based on six categories: standards and assessments, transitions and alignment, teaching profession, school finance, K-12 achievement and chance for success. Oklahoma scored best in the standards and assessments category with a grade of A+. The state scored the worst in the K-12 achievement category with a grade of D.
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"Oklahoma scored best in the standards and assessments category with a grade of A+." So...there doesn't seem to be a funding problem in the bureaucratic end of public education?
Jason, I've never been to Seattle but I've been many other places in the U.S. and I haven't really noticed that many more racist or xenophobes in Oklahoma. I have noticed a lot of ignorance but I don't really see that Oklahoman's have an edge on that. It seems every place has it's share of stupidity.
Gary, we are not posting on a board to prove anything. I've worked in education for many years. I work WITH the Administrators and I can promise you that anything they want, they get, but the teachers have to go without paper and other supplies, sometimes even books. Not one person on this board has to back up their comments with proof, and yes A LOT of good teachers go to Texas because of pay. Aaron didn't say that Oklahoma doesn't have good teachers because all of the good ones go to Texas. He said that too many teachers have to go to Texas because of pay. Pull your head out of your a$$.
Aaron, are you saying Oklahoma can't keep good teachers because they don't pay as much as Texas? Prove it. I've taught in public schools for 32 years, and most of the teachers I taught with were excellent teachers and wonderful people. And Tim, what tools are not provided to teachers because of greedy administrators? And Melissa, is it the teachers' fault if our kids are reaching high standards? You people throw out these generalities but what proof do you have to back them up?
In my experience, the teachers don't have the tools they need because of fudning, which is mostly due to the Administrators making sure their own needs are met before the teachers and students. Politics runs deep in education. I think the districts should be run by business people, not political educators.
In my experience, the teachers don't have the tools they need because of fudning, which is mostly due to the Administrators making sure their own needs are met before the teachers and students. Politics runs deep in education. I think the districts should be run by business people, not political educators.
I'm tired of hearing about how horrible our education system is. It's not horrible to be 26th out of 50. It's mediocre. It's middle of the road. It leaves room for improvement but there are obviously worse places. Instead of being down on Oklahoma for it's average rating, we should be cheering any forward progress.
If you pay them they will stay! Sorry about the bad Field of Dreams ref..., but true.
That is how my wife and I find ourselves in Texas. $40K is a hell of a lot of money to turn down for first year teachers. Oklahoma has some of the best teaching facilities, yet we cannot retain the teachers! Same for the nurses... and so on.
Sandy Garrett is a moron about education but she is a political monster. Unfortunately, the Republicans run bigger morons against her in elections. I don't know of any teachers around me that support her but there have been very poor alternatives to vote for in elections.
So, our kids aren't achieving(D+) but our bureaucrats are (A+)? Sandy Garrett offers this data as proof that Oklahoma education is meeting Garrett's standards for improvement. Why do we settle for moving from 28th to 26th in education (a C, which substitutes for the word "average"), but we are embarrassed to be less than #1 in football? There is nothing this states' young people cannot accomplish, if they set their minds to it and we give them the support it requires. There used to be a time when Oklahoma's young academicians struck fear into the hearts of their out of state competitors, when Oklahoma's youngsters produced awe in the attitudes of those whom they met in non-athletic competitive events across this country and when ANY Oklahoma youngster who dreamed it could do it. They were not settling for C level evaluations, and they certainly put more emphasis upon ACHIEVEMENT than on paper trails. We need to restore that spirit in our young and in those who profess to lead them.
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That is how my wife and I find ourselves in Texas. $40K is a hell of a lot of money to turn down for first year teachers. Oklahoma has some of the best teaching facilities, yet we cannot retain the teachers! Same for the nurses... and so on.