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December 2, 2008

12-3 OKC watch

High school dropout bill filed

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — State Sen. Kenneth Corn plans to file legislation prohibiting students under the age of 18 from dropping out of school.

The measure also would implement a Statewide Truancy Court Program, providing every district attorney in the state with a truancy officer.

Corn, a Poteau Democrat, said reducing Oklahoma’s dropout rate is critical to ensuring future economic growth in the state.

Turnover rate of DHS case workers slows

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The turnover rate of child welfare workers at the Oklahoma Department of Human Services is slowing, but officials with the agency said the rate is still too high.

Last year’s turnover rate was about 44 percent, but DHS officials say the trend is moving in the right direction thanks to a reduction in caseloads and a new bonus plan.

DHS currently has the highest percentage of child welfare specialists with at least two years’ experience than it has had in several years, said agency spokesman George Johnson. Of the 1,100 front-line workers, more than 700 have at least two years’ experience, compared to about 500 in 2005.

Caseloads for many child welfare specialists also have been reduced from about 35 to 20 in the last decade in Tulsa.

“People coming in now are beginning to gain stability, but we still have a high turnover rate on both ends, people with lots of experience who are retiring and people coming in are brand new,” Johnson said.

Department officials said a print media job-posting campaign has helped the department increase its pool of qualified applicants and that a probationary process has helped determine if the job is a good fit for new employees.

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