Education
GOP lawmakers back Stitt on quarantines
Fifty House Republican lawmakers have announced their support for resumed in-person instruction in all Oklahoma schools and Gov. Kevin Stitt’s plan to ease quarantine restrictions at schools.
Education
Hofmeister supports mass quarantine of healthy students
State Superintendent of Public Instruction Joy Hofmeister is maintaining her support for mass quarantining of Oklahoma students for COVID-19 exposure, even though schools across the state have reported such quarantines have largely proven unwarranted and create significant strain on schools.
Budget & Tax, Education
Nearly $100 million unspent from school COVID funds
Although some school officials have claimed COVID-19 has created new spending needs that exceed available funding, creating financial strain in state schools, districts have been slow to spend federal bailout money provided specifically for those needs, state senators were told Monday.
Budget & Tax, Education
Pay hikes may do little for teacher shortage, student reading
In the 2018 legislative session, lawmakers passed some of the biggest tax increases in Oklahoma history, saying the additional taxes were needed to boost teacher pay and increase the number of educators in public schools.
Education
Nearly $200 million allotted for ‘ghost’ students in Oklahoma
Newly released enrollment figures for Oklahoma schools show districts may receive around $195 million combined for 55,236 “ghost” students who do not attend classes in the district but are nonetheless included in enrollment counts used to determine state funding for each district.
Education
Thousands of ‘ghost students’ in Oklahoma schools
Newly released enrollment figures show districts across Oklahoma are likely receiving state funding for students who no longer attend classes there, informally referred to as “ghost students.” In some cases, districts are being funded for hundreds or even thousands of such nonexistent students.
Higher Education
From climate justice to transgender studies, Oklahoma higher ed is hiring
If you doubt that progressive indoctrination is widespread in Oklahoma’s tax-funded higher education system, simply visit the website of The Chronicle of Higher Education on any given day and peruse the job postings.
Education
OEA members oppose measurement of students’ learning loss
The Oklahoma Education Association continues to oppose school reopening as well as public measurement of student learning that would let parents know how severe a child’s learning loss has been as the result of school shutdowns.
Budget & Tax, Education
Moore per-student revenue increasing
Moore Public Schools has seen steady enrollment growth throughout the past decade, with the student count growing by nearly 14 percent since 2010.