Authors
Ray Carter
Director, Center for Independent Journalism
Ray Carter is the director of OCPA’s Center for Independent Journalism. He has two decades of experience in journalism and communications. He previously served as senior Capitol reporter for The Journal Record, media director for the Oklahoma House of Representatives, and chief editorial writer at The Oklahoman. As a reporter for The Journal Record, Carter received 12 Carl Rogan Awards in four years—including awards for investigative reporting, general news reporting, feature writing, spot news reporting, business reporting, and sports reporting. While at The Oklahoman, he was the recipient of several awards, including first place in the editorial writing category of the Associated Press/Oklahoma News Executives Carl Rogan Memorial News Excellence Competition for an editorial on the history of racism in the Oklahoma legislature.
Recent Articles
-
Budget & Tax
ONE Transit approves consulting contract for proposed OKC commuter rail
Oklahoma City-area officials are moving ahead with preparations for a proposed commuter rail system from Edmond through Oklahoma City to Norman even though voters have not yet decided whether to approve the tax increase expected to help fund the project.Ray Carter | August 21, 2026
-
Higher Education
Pentagon orders Oklahoma universities to scrutinize foreign partnerships
The U.S. Department of War has ordered 30 domestic universities, including Oklahoma State University and Northeastern State University, to conduct comprehensive reviews of academic, financial, and research relationships with foreign entities identified as posing potential national-security concerns.Ray Carter | August 20, 2026
-
Health Care, Higher Education
HHS report flags OU Physicians-Tulsa claims involving puberty blockers; OU says it complies with state law
A newly released U.S. Department of Health and Human Services report has identified OU Physicians-Tulsa among health-care providers whose insurance claims for puberty blockers warrant further review. The University of Oklahoma said OU Physicians-Tulsa complies with Oklahoma law and will fully cooperate with any review.Ray Carter | August 19, 2026
-
Education
Oklahoma public schools receive $15,111 per student. 80 percent of private schools charge less.
Oklahoma public schools received an average of $15,111 in revenue per student during the 2024-2025 school year. That’s more than the tuition charged by at least 80% of Oklahoma private schools.Ray Carter | August 18, 2026
-
Budget & Tax, Education
Oklahoma schools got $3 billion more. Much of it is sitting in the bank.
A new report raises questions about whether Oklahoma’s education system has a funding problem or a spending problem, particularly as school districts accumulate large reserves while teacher hiring lags behind overall staffing growth.Ray Carter | August 13, 2026
-
Education
Third-grade retention law reaps results in Indiana
Indiana’s improving literacy rates offer Oklahoma another example of how early intervention and third-grade retention can help struggling readers while underscoring the depth of Oklahoma’s own reading crisis.Ray Carter | August 13, 2026
-
Higher Education
New study finds college faculty lean heavily left
A new analysis of university faculty political contributions finds that college professors nationwide are overwhelmingly concentrated on the political left, including at the University of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University.Ray Carter | August 12, 2026
-
Budget & Tax
As OKC Streetcar struggles, officials push for new rail system and higher taxes
Oklahoma City’s struggling streetcar system raises important questions about the proposed ONE Transit passenger rail system connecting Edmond, Oklahoma City, and Norman.Ray Carter | August 11, 2026
-
Education
New research finds school-choice students outperform peers
New research from Wisconsin and Arkansas provides fresh evidence that students using school-choice programs can achieve stronger academic outcomes than comparable students in traditional public schools.Ray Carter | August 10, 2026
-
Higher Education
Employers treat community college bachelor’s like university degrees, study finds
A new National Bureau of Economic Research working paper suggests employers place similar value on bachelor's degrees earned at community colleges and those earned at traditional four-year universities.Ray Carter | August 6, 2026
-