Articles
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Education
ESAs Are a Much-Needed Refinement of the Public Education Model
Although Oklahoma may have suffered an ESA setback in 2016, the fight is far from over.Lindsey M. Burke | January 1, 2017
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Budget & Tax, Education
Raise Teacher Pay Without Raising Taxes
Oklahoma can’t afford to lose more homegrown talent to other states, whether in teaching or other professions. With SQ 779’s defeat, Oklahomans have given the Legislature the opportunity to address this urgency without further burdening working Oklahomans.Dave Bond | January 1, 2017
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Education
Emergency Certification in Oklahoma
The Oklahoma State Department of Education has issued 1,082 emergency teaching certificates so far this fiscal year. Some use this data as a way to bang the drum on an alleged teacher shortage. However, a study published in October by the 1889 Institute found that the evidence of a shortage is scant.Byron Schlomach, Ph.D. | December 22, 2016
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Education
Oklahomans Want Educational Choices
An honest reading of the public-opinion survey data over the past couple of years shows that Oklahomans favor educational choice.Brandon Dutcher | December 1, 2016
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Education
Why Schools Don't Deliver
I don’t often get great new insights when I read the work of Oklahoma edu-blogger Rob Miller. But I did have an epiphany of sorts when I recently read an article of his arguing that public schools underperform for the same reason the post office does—because meddling politicians are in charge.Greg Forster, Ph.D. | December 1, 2016
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Education
Coach’s Alleged Acts Raise Questions in Clinton
CLINTON—Phillip Koons has coached football in Oklahoma for more than 20 years. The majority of his time was spent at Tuttle High School where he led the Tigers to two state championships and produced a blue-chip quarterback named Jason White, who would later become a Heisman Trophy winner as an Oklahoma Sooner in 2003.Jay Chilton | November 17, 2016
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Education
Nearly 4 in 10 Oklahoma teachers would choose private or home schooling for their own children
When asked what’s the best educational choice for their own children, one might expect near unanimity from Oklahoma public school teachers. Teachers might favor their own schools not just for reasons of loyalty to one’s employer (Thunder employees don’t cheer for the Warriors), but because they have firsthand knowledge of school quality and safety.Brandon Dutcher | November 17, 2016
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Education
Survey: Most Oklahomans See Educational Choice as a Moral Right
Should parents be allowed to use the tax dollars intended for the education of their child to subsidize the cost of an education at a privately operated school? Most Oklahoma voters say yes, according to a new SoonerPoll Quarterly Poll, with regular church attenders and evangelicals expressing even stronger support.Jay Chilton | November 11, 2016
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Education
WHY GOVERNMENT GOVERNS ITS SCHOOLS WRONG (AND HOW TO FIX IT)
Oklahoma policymakers should take a hard look at school board elections, building-level autonomy, principal training, transparency measures, and other public-school governance reforms.Greg Forster, Ph.D. | November 1, 2016
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Education
Free Market Friday: For pre-K choices
Next week in downtown Oklahoma City, several organizations are hosting a statewide conference on early-childhood issues.Jonathan Small | October 21, 2016