Articles
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Education, Good Government
Experts urge Oklahoma to reinstate third-grade reading law
Oklahoma’s fourth-grade reading scores have collapsed to near the bottom nationally. In a recent legislative study, literacy leaders urged state lawmakers to reinstate Oklahoma’s once-successful third-grade reading law, which required early intervention and retention when necessary.Ray Carter | October 22, 2025
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Education
If Oklahoma’s public schools are ‘accountable,’ why are all these high-school graduates illiterate?
“One in four young adults across the U.S. is functionally illiterate—yet more than half earned high school diplomas,” says a new report. It’s time for the Oklahoma Legislature to put an end to social promotion in our state’s unaccountable public schools.Brandon Dutcher | October 17, 2025
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Education
New test results expose deep reading crisis in Oklahoma classrooms
Newly released 2025 state test results show a staggering 73 percent of Oklahoma third-graders are not proficient in reading—a finding that mirrors national NAEP data. Despite record school funding in Oklahoma, student performance has steadily declined.Ray Carter | October 7, 2025
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Education, Law & Principles
Whistleblower: To target Owasso schools, Biden administration defied court order
Whistleblower testimony reveals that the Biden administration defied a federal court injunction in order to pursue a “gender identity” discrimination complaint against Owasso Public Schools following the suicide of 16-year-old student Dagny “Nex” Benedict.Ray Carter | October 6, 2025
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Education, Good Government
Stitt calls for making state superintendent an appointee
Gov. Kevin Stitt has appointed longtime CareerTech educator Lindel Fields as Oklahoma’s new state superintendent, following Ryan Walters’ resignation. Stitt also called on lawmakers to let voters decide whether future superintendents should be governor-appointed rather than elected.Ray Carter | October 2, 2025
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Education
Oklahoma’s next state superintendent must implement social studies, science reforms
Oklahoma’s new social studies and science standards are significantly strengthened from the previous versions. But standards alone are not enough: the next state superintendent must ensure these reforms are implemented in curricula, training, and classrooms.David Randall, Ph.D. | September 29, 2025
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Education
In nearly all states, public school funding exceeds private school tuition
We’re told public schools are “underfunded” while private schools are lavish and exclusive. But the truth is just the opposite: in nearly every state, public schools collect more per student than the average private-school tuition—often by huge amounts.Ray Carter | September 26, 2025
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Education
Poll shows voters strongly prefer school-choice supporters
A new national survey finds that voters—by nearly three to one—favor state legislators who back school-choice programs, with strong support across party lines and among public-school parents.Ray Carter | September 23, 2025
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Education
Athletic associations try to impede states’ school-choice programs
The Oklahoma Secondary School Activities Association (OSSAA) is under fire for allegedly deterring families from using the state’s open-transfer law by declaring some transfer students ineligible for sports. This dispute mirrors a high-profile clash in Alabama.Ray Carter | September 22, 2025
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Education
Oklahoma private schools aren’t maxing out tuition under new school-choice program
New data from the Oklahoma Tax Commission show that most families using the Parental Choice Tax Credit aren’t using the full credit. National school-choice experts say that market forces, religious missions, and a commitment to accessibility help keep tuition in check.Ray Carter | September 19, 2025