Articles
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Education
OCPA rebukes Senator’s continued attacks on students who attend private schools
After State Sen. Ron Sharp, R-Shawnee, called an interim study to pressure the Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association to kick students who attend private school out of some athletic competitions, Jonathan Small, president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA), released the following statement.Staff | August 27, 2018
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Education
Better teacher pay
How many teachers can be hired with a school superintendent’s compensation? This isn’t a riddle. It’s data relevant to the school shutdowns of 2018 when educators went on strike in Oklahoma and elsewhere.Jonathan Small | August 24, 2018
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Education
Retirement provision boosts superintendents’ pensions
It’s long been known that several Oklahoma public school superintendents earn more than the governor, but a provision of the Oklahoma Teacher Retirement System (OTRS) assures that some of them will get fatter pensions as well.Jonathan Small & Mike Brake | August 22, 2018
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Education
Hysteria and hyperbole surround teacher certifications
Hysteria about Oklahoma’s alternatively certified teachers ignores basic facts and does nothing to further the discussion about improving educational outcomes for students. In fact, multiple studies have found no evidence that traditional certification improves outcomes.Curtis Shelton | August 21, 2018
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Education
School choice is helping these kids
A tax-credit scholarship program is helping homeless children, teenage students battling addiction, north Tulsa students ill-served by Tulsa Public Schools, and many more.Jonathan Small | August 17, 2018
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Education
Let’s be humble on what we know about education
Sound education policy begins by accepting just how much we do not know and cannot know. Let’s put the people who do know—the parents—in charge.Greg Forster, Ph.D. | August 16, 2018
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Education, Good Government
SQ 801 empowers schools to set priorities
“Under current law, schools are prohibited from using a portion of school-dedicated property tax revenue on anything other than building-related expenses,” OCPA distinguished fellow Andrew Spiropoulos writes. SQ 801 “amends the state constitution to provide school districts increased authority to use property tax revenue to fund school operations.”Andrew C. Spiropoulos | August 16, 2018
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Education
Crossover Prep brings hope, transformation
Incredibly, only 22 African-American senior boys were college-ready in Tulsa Public Schools in 2015. With the help of Oklahoma’s tax-credit scholarship program, a private school in north Tulsa is tackling the problem head-on.Patrick B. McGuigan | August 9, 2018
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Education
As teacher pay raises kick in, OKCPS teachers must wait
Oklahoma City Public Schools announced that the raises due to all certified and support personnel would be delayed until September because “we felt it was important to work closely with our union partners in the interpretation and implementation of the statutes.”Mike Brake | August 8, 2018
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Education
OCPA comments on State Question 801
After Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin issued an election proclamation that places State Question 801 on the November ballot, Jonathan Small, president of the Oklahoma Council of Public Affairs (OCPA), made the this statement.Staff | August 3, 2018