Lawmakers urged to combine education spending with reform

To improve Oklahoma's K-12 school system, lawmakers were encouraged to adopt the ideas in a 1990s education law that combined increase in education funding, while simultaneously implementing large reforms. 

Lawmakers’ inaction contributes to dire situation for neglected child

A child survivor of trauma (who also has autism) struggled to obtain needed services until he was able to attend a private school for children with special needs. But this year, due in part to Oklahoma lawmakers’ failure to increase the cap on the tax-credit scholarship program, the boy can no longer attend that school—and the local traditional school refuses to provide many services he needs.

The case was one of many reasons parents and caretakers urged lawmakers to expand Oklahoma’s tax-credit scholarship program during a recent forum.

How much is enough?

With our state’s political leaders operating in an environment of scarce resources and competing demands, it's time for the education community’s entrenched special interests to answer the question: How much is enough?

Building funds a challenge for both charter and district schools

Because Oklahoma’s public charter schools, unlike their traditional counterparts, do not receive local property tax funding, it is very difficult to pay for quality facilities, lawmakers were told at a recent legislative study. At the same time, some traditional districts face similar problems for a different reason: Their local property valuations are too low to pay for construction and repairs.