Oklahoma

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945 articles

Senators vote to close loophole exploited by teacher unions

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Mar 3, 6:11 AM: Teacher union employees could no longer exploit an alleged loophole in state law that allows them to accrue increased state retirement benefits even when they are actually working for a labor union and not a public school, >

Viewpoint: Oklahoma tax dollars should fund school choice for students, not lobbyists

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Feb 25, 8:50 AM: Still unclear is whether some Republicans in Oklahoma will have the necessary fortitude to take on the teachers’ unions and school administrators that oppose the bill.

Oklahoma lawmaker stands ground regarding school choice bill

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Feb 17, 9:59 AM: Oklahoma’s Speaker of the House Charles McCall stood his ground against fellow Republican efforts to pass a school choice bill.

Bill supporting private-school, homeschool costs clears committee, advances in Senate

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Feb 16, 9:05 AM: One of the Oklahoma Legislature's most polarizing education bills narrowly passed committee on Tuesday. The Senate Education Committee advanced Senate Bill 1647, called the Oklahoma Empowerment Act, with an 8-7 vote. >

Oklahoma House speaker says school-choice bill won’t be heard in his chamber

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Feb 11, 10:33 AM: House Speaker Charles McCall, R-Atoka, said his chamber wouldn't hear the bill and questioned how it would help rural students, many of whom don't have non-public school options

Following Texas, Oklahoma governor unveils plans to increase some teachers' pay above $100K

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Feb 10, 10:09 AM: Oklahoma's governor is pushing a plan to pay high performing teachers a six-figure salary. The move follows a similar incentive-based plan in Texas that allows some teachers to receive $100,000 in salary. >

Gov. Kevin Stitt emphasizes education in State of the State address

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Feb 8, 9:01 AM: Gov. Kevin Stitt emphasized education in the annual State of the State address. Stitt said he would support any legislation that gives parents more school choice.

Epic Charter Schools investigative audit makes some lawmakers question voucher push

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Feb 7, 10:03 AM: Could the state’s investigative audit that found questionable handling of taxpayer dollars by Epic Charter Schools’ former for-profit managers have implications on proposed new state-funded voucher accounts? >

Legislature will consider a new system for authorizing charter schools in Oklahoma

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Jan 31, 7:40 AM: Every Oklahoma charter school could soon have a new authorizer if a bill before the Oklahoma legislature this session becomes law.

KIPP Tulsa receives national award for computer science gender diversity

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Jan 26, 9:05 AM: The College Board presents the award annually to schools where at least half of the students who take an Advanced Placement computer science exam are female or the exam participation rate of female students was greater >

'Oklahoma Empowerment Act' would give parents power over school funding

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Jan 25, 7:36 AM: Right now, Oklahoma has a per-pupil formula for taxpayer dollars. If the "Oklahoma Empowerment Act" went into effect, the state's educational funding would be dispersed among all students, not just public or charter >

Column: Parents disillusioned with education's status quo celebrate National School Choice Week

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Jan 24, 6:31 AM: In the first year of the pandemic, Owasso Public Schools offered parents the option of sending their children to class or choosing remote education. Over 75% of all parents chose in-person schooling, making it clear where >

Editorial: Confidence in public schools shows with surging enrollment

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Jan 19, 9:40 AM: A year after pandemic-related shutdowns and remote learning, Oklahoma students have returned to public schools with an increase that is nearing a 700,000 enrollment.

Parents scrambling to adjust as schools close amid COVID-19 surge

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Jan 13, 8:55 AM: Most closures come at a time cases are skyrocketing among both students and staff. Oklahoma City public schools reporting nearly 17% of teachers are either out sick or isolating.

Stitt's education secretary comes down on schools halting in-person instruction amid soaring COVID absences

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Jan 12, 9:01 AM: Some educators took issue on Tuesday with comments Gov. Kevin Stitt’s education secretary, Ryan Walters, made about in-class cancellations as COVID cases continue to rise.

Student Council members at COJC collect socks for nursing home residents

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Dec 29, 8:46 AM: Members of the Oklahoma Youth Academy Charter School (OYACS) Student Council on the Central Oklahoma Juvenile Center (COJC) campus in Tecumseh recently concluded a sock drive to benefit residents of a local nursing home. >

Oklahoma withholds $9 million from Epic Charter Schools, bringing total penalties to $20 million

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Dec 17, 8:53 AM: Misreported salaries and overspending will cost Epic Charter Schools $9.11 million, bringing its total penalties over the past two years to $20 million for exceeding administrative cost limits.

State Department of Education investigates allegations made against Oklahoma’s largest online charter school

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Dec 10, 7:09 AM: There is new scrutiny and legal battles involving Oklahoma’s largest online charter school. Epic is facing a state investigation after the vice-chair of the governing board resigned, and blew the whistle on what she calls >

OKCPS ditches virtual learning days after "extremely low" student attendance

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Dec 7, 6:33 AM: Monday night, the Oklahoma City Public School district got rid of asynchronous learning days they had previously built into the 2021-2022 calendar. Asynchronous learning days were meant for students to learn at home at >

Education Department invests $5M for math tutors to close learning gap from pandemic

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Nov 17, 10:21 AM: The Oklahoma State Department of Education announced a $5 million investment from federal relief funding for math tutors to help close the learning gap for students due to the COVID-19 pandemic.