EDMOND —
Last week, as students across Oklahoma start classes or prepare for their first day back at school, I had the special opportunity to deliver a diploma to 95-year-old Lois (Roberts) Turner in Ponca City.
Turner was orphaned when she was 7, pulled out of school after the fifth-grade and enlisted in the U.S. Army during World War II. Lois is a hero, and giving her a diploma was a great way to start a new school year.
After receiving her diploma, Lois commented she wanted this occasion to underscore the importance that every student should work hard to graduate from high school prepared for work. I couldn't agree more.
As we begin classes across Oklahoma, I want to encourage students, empower parents and thank teachers for all that they do.
Oklahoma is on track to improve our schools for everyone.
Recent test results demonstrate that our state is making gains in student achievement — in fact, Algebra II scores were up 21 percentage points compared to 2008, while other end-of-instruction tests showed significant improvements as well.
We’re moving in the right direction, but we must stay the course with reforms. That’s why earlier this year, the State Board of Education passed a resolution for what we’re calling the C3 Plan — with the goal that by the year 2020, every student graduating from an Oklahoma high school will be college, career and citizen ready. The C3 plan is built around a simple but powerful idea — that students must be prepared for real life in the 21st century.
All of the reforms Oklahoma is pursuing are a part of the C3 plan — whether it’s remaining firm on Achieving Classroom Excellence high school graduation requirements or new reforms to ensure third-graders are reading on grade level.
One of our biggest reforms is set to be unveiled publicly this fall. You will see new A through F report cards for schools — schools and school districts will be given a grade of A, B, C, D or F, similar to grades given to students. While the intention of releasing these reports cards is not to point fingers at anyone, it is an opportunity that will allow parents, residents and all stakeholders to determine how a school is performing without having to interpret complicated information. The report cards also will be an important piece of information parents can use when deciding the best educational options for their own children.
The reform also will offer a way for every school to improve. This is a call to action. This provides an opportunity for each and every one of us to join in the effort in our own communities to work with educators on assuring the success of each child. The release of the report cards — expected in early October — is a chance for productive and positive conversations. The end result should be that we celebrate success, challenge others to improve and raise the grade together — to ensure every school in our state succeeds for the benefit of each child.
Have a great school year.
JANET BARRESI is State Superintendent of Public Instruction for Oklahoma.
Opinion
New school year + reforms = better education
- Opinion
-
-
Americans deserve the truth on Benghazi
Lately, the media has been consumed by the controversies surrounding the White House. Among these controversies is the horrific terrorist attack on the United States’ diplomatic compound in Benghazi that took place Sept. 11, 2012. As more people come forward with additional information regarding the attack on the consulate, many Americans, including myself, are still asking for the truth.
The Obama Administration and the State Department have been less than forthcoming with key information on Benghazi and recent information points toward a major cover-up. -
Seizure of AP phone records insult to independent press
Distrust of government secrecy has been elevated to an exceptional level with the disclosure the Justice Department covertly examined two months of Associated Press phone records to determine who leaked details to the AP about a foiled terrorist plot.
-
HEY HINK: Some people just are not cut out for command
Recent headlines cause me to remember an incident that occurred on an army base some years ago. Warning here: I’m taking some liberties with names and details, but the basic outline of events is accurate.
A certain company commander, let’s call him Captain Duntz, had command of a motor pool on a large army base in the continental U.S. -
We’ve become our own worst enemies
The past couple months have been marked by a seeming unprecedented number of man-made tragedies, as distinct from those caused by violent outbursts of the natural world, such as earthquakes, hurricanes and tsunamis.
You don’t want to dwell too long on the negative, but we do have to take notice of horrific human events and we owe it to ourselves to respond to them in some way. We don’t always agree on those responses, however, and that usually exacerbates the problem. -
Let’s reimburse higher ed for remediation costs
The good news: Oklahoma schools are teaching phonics. The bad news: It’s in college.
Students at Tulsa Community College, for example, can take a college English course called “Spelling and Phonics,” which “helps students master basic spelling literacy, principles of phonics and decoding skills.”
This sort of higher education brings to mind former Boston University president John Silber’s quip: “Higher than what?” -
AGAINST THE GRAIN: Department of Commerce highlights Main Street successes
The 24th annual Oklahoma Main Street Awards Banquet was at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum last week. Oklahoma Department of Commerce Secretary Dave Lopez addressed the gathering, and spoke of how the Commerce Department works with Main Street organizations throughout the state that are working to improve their downtown areas. Lopez pointed out that the partnership between his department and those local organizations has brought new life to those communities and that the attendees would see some of that revitalization in a video presentation. Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin also addressed the gathering, and said the Main Street program has resulted in more than $1 billion in investments in the state and more than 1 million volunteer hours in its 24 years of operation.
-
OUR VIEW: Be Edmond needs your help
BMX star and local legend Mat Hoffman knows what’s it like to fall from great heights and find yourself at one of the worst low points in life. He also knows how to climb back up and tackle life’s problems head on.
-
No Americans forgotten in Benghazi
More than eight months ago on Sept. 11, the nation was shaken by the attack on our consulate in Benghazi, Libya. Claiming the lives of four innocent Americans, including Ambassador Christopher Stevens, that horrific night still demands further investigation before it can be laid to rest. Due to an uncooperative administration and State Department who attempted to downplay the terrorist attack just eight weeks before the presidential election, we still don’t know the truth.
-
Saying goodbye to the earmark
When a new legislator, I worked to learn some of the more hidden and less-than-transparent aspects in the way Oklahoma politicians spent our taxpayer dollars. This wasn’t easy as even some legislators are left in the dark regarding the mechanics of how the legislative budget process is abused to the benefit of the most powerful of politicians.
-
HEY HINK: Think like a gaur before deciding on gun debate
Have you ever heard of a gaur? It’s the largest living member of the bovine family. A large gaur bull can weigh more than a ton and a half. His body may be nearly 11 feet long and he may be more than 7 feet tall at the shoulder. This is a huge, enormously powerful animal that could, no doubt, do a terrific amount of work if it would ever allow itself to be hitched to a plow. But it won’t. Man has never been able to offer the gaur a deal that would persuade it to become domesticated.
- More Opinion Headlines
-
Americans deserve the truth on Benghazi
