Articles
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Education
High per-pupil funding has little impact on Oklahoma teacher pay
A review of public-school districts with some of Oklahoma’s highest per-pupil funding shows that extra cash doesn’t automatically translate into better pay for teachers, nor does it prevent educator shortages.Ray Carter | August 10, 2022
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Education
Lankford seeks education vouchers for students
U.S. Sen. James Lankford has filed federal legislation that would take unspent federal COVID funds and use the money to pay private-school tuition for low-income children who suffered COVID-learning loss due to prolonged public-school closures.Ray Carter | August 9, 2022
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Education
Some public schools have elite-prep-school funding, not results
Oklahoma’s per-pupil funding for public schools typically ranks low in 50-state comparisons. But significant local property-tax bases have allowed several dozen Oklahoma districts to achieve dramatically higher per-pupil funding levels.Ray Carter | August 9, 2022
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Education
Poll: Oklahoma voters underestimate how much is spent on education
Oklahomans believe public school funding is too low—until they are told how much we actually spend.Brandon Dutcher & Curtis Shelton | August 9, 2022
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Education
News 9/News On 6 survey finds support for school choice
A new survey of likely Republican voters in Oklahoma shows very strong support for school choice.Brandon Dutcher | August 4, 2022
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Budget & Tax, Education
Administrative spending soars at largest Oklahoma school districts
A state watchdog agency found that administrative spending is growing at a faster pace than instructional spending in the Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Putnam City, and Lawton school districts, but not in Broken Arrow or Jenks.Ray Carter | August 3, 2022
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Education
Concerns over racism, porn lead to Tulsa school sanction
Amid concerns over race-based ideology and pornography in school libraries, the State Board of Education has voted to sanction Tulsa Public Schools.Ray Carter | July 28, 2022
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Budget & Tax, Education
Watchdog: Oklahoma schools paid millions for unnecessary services
Oklahoma schools have received millions of dollars in annual funding to teach English to bilingual students who have already mastered the language, apparently allowing schools to inflate their budgets without providing extra services, a state watchdog agency has found.Ray Carter | July 27, 2022
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Budget & Tax, Education
Major irregularities found in school spending reports
A cursory review of the state’s Oklahoma Cost Accounting System (OCAS), a program that compiles financial data from all public-school districts, quickly identified significant irregularities, including reports showing Oklahoma schools spent nearly a quarter-million dollars on firearms that were labeled as nutrition services and other non-weapon categories.Ray Carter | July 26, 2022
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Budget & Tax, Education
Hofmeister backs down, agrees to greater transparency
Oklahoma Secretary of Education Ryan Walters has prevailed in a face-off with State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister regarding millions of dollars in state spending.Ray Carter | July 25, 2022