Oklahoma lawmakers have opportunities to prioritize education

This week, lawmakers will collect on the Capitol for the beginning of legislative session. Representatives from throughout the state have a possibility to make a major influence on future generations of Oklahomans by additional bettering education. 

While a lot of the election cycle was dominated by divisive tradition battle speaking factors, many elected officers spent tireless hours behind the scenes to concentrate on the true points at hand. 

As a lifelong Oklahoma educator, I’m grateful for the numerous members of the House and Senate who have been intentional about listening to academics, dad and mom and directors all through the state. This legislative session options some encouraging proposals to handle points comparable to lowering class sizes, investing in essential studying packages, offering college students with enough assets and sustaining a robust trainer pipeline. 

Culture battle campaigning could generate headlines, however it does nothing to enhance the education outcomes of our state’s 700,000 public college college students. 

What we have seen elevate scholar success are initiatives and packages pioneered by public college districts of all sizes. I’m happy to share some examples from throughout the state on how colleges are implementing progressive new concepts to additional serve our college students, households and communities. 

Lawton Public Schools is within the second yr of using its Life Ready Center ― a campus that serves college students from all three Lawton excessive colleges by offering extra opportunities based mostly on scholar preferences and selections. The heart gives AP programs, concurrent faculty programs and career-focused electives comparable to robotics and structure. By shuttling college students from the three excessive colleges, the district combines assets to provide extra distinctive and relevant programs. 

In northwest Oklahoma, we’re seeing a program that introduces center college college students to quite a few profession choices and hands-on vocational education. High Plains Technology Center has partnered with Woodward Public Schools and surrounding rural districts to create the Technical Applications Programs (TAP). The elective companions with neighborhood leaders and native companies to present college students with basic STEM expertise by real-life utility to particular industries and careers. 

Here within the Oklahoma City metro space, one district is using quite a few education partnerships to create a singular STEM academy centered round one in every of our state’s most necessary industries ― aviation. The Oklahoma Aviation Academy at Norman Public Schools is a one-of-a-kind program that connects college students to the high-tech aerospace trade by focuses in pilot licenses, drone certifications, aviation upkeep, laptop science and engineering. 

Districts throughout the state comparable to Sand Springs have designed hybrid and digital packages that permit for college students and households the flexibleness to obtain a top quality digital education from Oklahoma Certified academics. For households who select a digital possibility, college students are supplied a versatile studying schedule that aligns with Oklahoma Academic State Standards and nonetheless supplies full participation in on-site extracurricular actions with their fellow college students. One such program initiated by Newcastle Public Schools has expanded to a number of counties and faculty districts to assist serve rural college students. 

Following the success tales of those and different college districts, lawmakers have the chance this session to additional enhance our studying environments and guarantee our youngsters have the instruments they want to thrive. 

Divisive politics, vilifying academics and personal college vouchers should not the reply to bettering our state’s education. Instead, educators and lawmakers should prioritize genuine collaboration, mutual respect and a concentrate on what issues most ― our college students. 

Dr. Pam Deering is the manager director for the Cooperative Council for Oklahoma School Administration (CCOSA). She was inducted into the Oklahoma Educators Hall of Fame in 2019.