Articles
-
Education
Foster and adoptive children receiving school choice opportunities
When the Lindsey Nicole Henry Scholarship program was opened to foster and adopted children in 2017, no one knew how popular it would be. While participation in the program has grown steadily in three years, for at least one family with five foster and adopted children, the program extension has been literally life-changing.Mike Brake | October 9, 2019
-
Education
Building funds a challenge for both charter and district schools
Because Oklahoma’s public charter schools, unlike their traditional counterparts, do not receive local property tax funding, it is very difficult to pay for quality facilities, lawmakers were told at a recent legislative study. At the same time, some traditional districts face similar problems for a different reason: Their local property valuations are too low to pay for construction and repairs.Ray Carter | October 3, 2019
-
Education
Teachers’ union calls for gun control
The National Education Association is urging its members, which include a sizable share of Oklahoma teachers, to lobby Congress to pass new gun-control laws.Ray Carter | October 2, 2019
-
Education
Tax-credit program benefits school serving children dealing with trauma
First Lady Sarah Stitt recently spoke at an open-house event for Hope Harbor Academy near Claremore.Ray Carter | September 30, 2019
-
Education
Oklahoma Attorney General defends tax-credit scholarship programs
Oklahoma Attorney General Mike Hunter has filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court to defend the participation of private religious schools in state tax-credit scholarship programs, arguing that a Montana Supreme Court decision striking down such programs unconstitutionally violated citizens’ First Amendment rights.Ray Carter | September 24, 2019
-
Education
Lawmakers urged to follow Texas model on teacher hiring
Oklahoma teacher salaries have surged in the last two years, yet reports of a teacher shortage persist. Members of the House Common Education Committee recently met to consider how to address that challenge, and were encouraged to follow the Texas model, which involves heavy reliance on alternatively certified teachers.Ray Carter | September 24, 2019
-
Education
Tulsa parents are voting with their feet
TPS announced it faces a budget shortfall and must cut $20 million. TPS officials cite a lack of state funding as the reason for the shortfall—despite the fact the Legislature has increased education funding by more than $620 million in the last two years, the largest increase to education in state history.Curtis Shelton | September 20, 2019
-
Education
Anti-bullying bill sidelined as bullying problem grows
Reports of school violence and bullying have increased in recent weeks, but legislation that would have helped children escape from dangerous and even life-threatening situations remains sidelined at the Oklahoma Capitol.Ray Carter | September 17, 2019
-
Education
Oklahoma parents want the money to follow the child
Yet another scientific survey of Oklahoma voters has found strong support for parental choice in education.Brandon Dutcher | September 17, 2019
-
Education
Studies show virtual charters not overfunded
Based on national research, Oklahoma’s virtual charter schools are not overfunded, lawmakers were told this week.Ray Carter | September 13, 2019