OKLA. CITY —
EDITOR’S NOTE: To read more information about Edmond Public School’s and Deer Creek Public School’s grades, see Saturday’s Weekender edition of The Edmond Sun.
Oklahoma State School Board members on Thursday unanimously approved the first-time A-F School Report Cards for close to 1,750 schools throughout the state.
After spending two weeks reviewing what 313 superintendents see as flawed methodology used in the calculation of school report cards, the board had little discussion about the actual grading formula before voting unanimously to keep the original grading system.
The report cards released Thursday represented 1 percent of schools with a grade of an F, 8 percent a D, 34 percent C, 48 percent B, 9 percent A.
In Edmond Public Schools, 3 elementary schools, two middle schools and all three high schools earned A’s. The rest with the exception of one elementary school earned a grade of B. Ida Freeman Elementary received the district’s only grade of C.
Tulsa Union’s Superintendent was most pointed in her remarks to state board members.
“I was embarrassed the day you told schools to give out the original grades,” Union Superintendent Cathy Burden said, “after you had said you were going to look at the grading formula.
“It is obvious this is about politics and not good policy,” Burden said as she asked board members to accept the districts’ calculations and to use their vote to develop a buy-in with stakeholders. She added, “Don’t let a flawed system become our state standard.”
Sand Springs Superintendent Lloyd Snow asked board members, “Where can we find a page to work collaboratively?”
He said, “We need to come up with something we all can celebrate.”
More than one parent stated they want to stop being 47th in the nation in education. Rhonda Boston, a Putnam City parent of five children, said, “Show me what I need to do to help.”
Mustang parent Sarah Baker said as a parent she is concerned about the lack of transparency as to how the grades were arrived at for each of the schools.
Lee Baxter, state board of education member, said he rejected the idea of “no forum” from the schools because efforts had been made to include superintendents.
Baxter said it was offensive to him that board members were being called political.
“We are open to work with superintendents,” Baxter said. Looking at the group of educators and parents behind him, many of them superintendents from across the state, Baxter added, “You were 47 when I got here. We are going to reform (education with) the A-F grading system.”
Still looking at the group Baxter said, “You are 47. If you are going to change, then change.”
Board member Bill Price said the myth that superintendents need to brought to the table doesn’t add to the process.
“It is appalling to me that instead of trying to figure out how to improve the system you are complaining.”
He added the old system didn’t accommodate progress and the first thing to do is to recognize what the problem is in how schools are evaluated.
State Board member Joy Hofmeister told the audience she appreciated the public comments. “I would like to know what do we do now,” she said.
“This is not all a negative story,” Baxter said.
Baxter shared he met a gentlemen on a flight who had three sons who went through the Edmond Public Schools and received an excellent education.
Baxter said the man had told him he chose to move his family to Oklahoma, more specifically Edmond, because of the schools.
“With today’s release, Oklahoma is entering a new era of accountability and transparency for our schools,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Janet Barresi. “This landmark first for Oklahoma gives parents and community members clear-cut information about the performance level of their local schools.”
Barresi added, “These report cards are user-friendly, straightforward and fair. It is high time for parents to have access to this information as they seek to make the best educational choices for their children. Parents have a basic right to this information, and they should be able to find it easily.”
The report cards show student achievement based on test scores in subjects such as reading, writing and math. They show overall student growth, and whole school improvement, which consists of such things as student attendance, dropout rates and advanced course work. Schools earned bonus points for parent and community participation and for school climate surveys.
Barresi said the A-F reform has strong support among parents and the general public.
“At the end of the day, this reform represents an opportunity for communities to gather around their schools to maintain success or to help them improve.”
The report cards originally were planned for release on Oct. 8, but the State Board of Education delayed the vote to take into consideration concerns voiced by a number of state school superintendents. The board on Thursday said those concerns had been thoroughly considered.
As part of this new reform, Barresi also has launched Raise the Grade Together — an effort to help every school in the state improve and succeed.
Barresi has started visiting communities for Raise the Grade Together events, to bring together parents, civic, business and school leaders for constructive conversations about academic success.
She said every stakeholder must help to raise the grade by taking the mission of educating children as a community approach.
Local News
State board, school officials still disagree on A-F grading
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UPDATE: How to donate, find drop-off locations for relief supplies
Below is a listing of where donations may be taken in the Edmond area to help the Moore/Oklahoma tornado victims:
The Edmond Sun is serving as a drop-off location for the downtown Edmond area for the American Red Cross. Supplies only may be dropped off at 123 S. Broadway and residents may use the back door to enter the building. Parking is available behind the building at the Festival Market Place. Donations may be taken to Café Evoke, 103 S. Broadway, from 5-10 p.m. -
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UPDATE: How to donate, find drop-off locations for relief supplies
Below is a listing of where donations may be taken in the Edmond area to help the Moore/Oklahoma tornado victims:
• The Edmond Sun is serving as a drop-off location for the downtown Edmond area. Supplies only may be dropped off at 123 S. Broadway and residents may use the backdoor to enter the building. Parking is available behind the building at the Festival Market Place. From 5-10 p.m. donations may be taken to Café Evoke, 103 S. Broadway.
• Edmond North High School is serving as a drop-off location for bottled water through today
• Memorial High School is serving as a drop-off location for food through today.
• Santa Fe High School is serving as a drop-off location for supplies such as work gloves, tools, etc. through today. -
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The storm, which produced the tornado began at 2:45 p.m., about 4.4 miles west of Newcastle and its 20-mile long path went through Newcastle, Moore and south Oklahoma City. About 10 minutes after it formed, it was already causing EF4 damage. Maximum winds of the tornado, upgraded to an EF5, were 200-210 mph, according to information released at 2:50 p.m. Tuesday by the National Weather Service. Its estimated maximum width was 1.3 miles. -
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Monday afternoon, Sydney Richardson, who will be Santa Fe’s student body president next year, was driving home and it was raining. Once home, she talked to her mother, who told her about the tornado in Moore. Then she began seeing the damage on TV.
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Insurers respond to Moore disaster
Insurers, like other agencies related to the Moore tornado disaster, are assessing the damage.
The Oklahoma Insurance Department has made an emergency declaration, allowing out-of-state adjusters to work storm damaged areas, said agency spokeswoman Calley Herth. It’s too soon to have tabulated damage estimates, Herth said.
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