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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Budget & Tax
A look at July revenue collections
The Oklahoma State Treasurer, along with the Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services (OMES), released their monthly report for July’s revenue collections.Curtis Shelton | August 23, 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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Budget & Tax
Spending restraint would save Oklahoma taxpayers billions
Total state funds expenditures are expected to smash records in fiscal year (FY) 2018 for the seventh consecutive year, after rising from $11.5 billion in FY 2011 to $16.1 billion in FY 2017.Joel Griffith | August 17, 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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Budget & Tax
A look at 2018 revenue collections
Total Gross Receipts were up 11% and General Revenue Fund collections grew 16.1% in fiscal year 2018 compared to the year before. And, revenue from income and sales taxes continued to grow throughout the year.Curtis Shelton | August 10, 2018