Instead, a credit check exposed the high number of underperforming students. OKCPS Superintendent Karl Springer and board president Angela Monson noted on Nov. 29, 2012, that the last audit of Douglass had been in 2009. The remarks came as they declined to blame the crisis on Brian Staples, the former Douglass principal who had resigned […]
classes
Posted inNews
The fallacy of test-driven school reform
Credit: Mark Hancock I have taught in the inner city for 19 years, have served on the MAPS for Kids Steering Committee and have been intimately involved in local education reform. MAPS promised policies based on our best social science and the collaborative exchange of evidence. We promised high-quality early education, intensive instruction of reading […]
Posted inNews
Hey, Legislature, nothing’s happening here!
In 1971, the Legislature enacted laws authorizing public school district employees to collectively bargain. The power of employee unions in the district has grown incrementally ever since, including a teachers’ strike that shut down the district in 1979. Although the American Federation of Teachers recently has acknowledged the need for more teacher training and accountability, […]
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Report-card reaction
Belle Isle EnterpriseMiddle School Credit: Mark Hancock Those expecting high marks received them. Those who anticipated the worst saw their fears realized. As part of the state’s new evaluation system, all public schools were issued a grade from A to F based on a list of newly developed criteria. In Oklahoma City Public Schools, the […]
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Be true to your schools
Comtech owner Michael Morrison, who founded the Team Up OKC drive four years ago, said it’s possible that this year’s campaign exceeded last year’s efforts, which raised more than $100,000 in supplies. “Our community cares about the children in our schools and wants them to have the supplies they need to be successful,” Morrison said. […]
Posted inNews
At what price?
Janet Barresi Credit: Mark Hancock The study by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities reports that inflation-adjusted per-pupil spending in the state decreased 20.3 percent from fiscal years 2008 to 2013. Alabama was second from the bottom, and Arizona had the biggest decrease. The study found Oklahoma spends $706 less per student now than […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Cheese, please!
It’s a little overwhelming to peruse a case with hundreds of cheeses. How does one pick? How does one serve it, cook with it or pair it with wine or beer? Where to begin? Easy: One bite at a time. Forward Foods hosts cheese classes at its Oklahoma City store at 5123 N. Western. But […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Cheese, please!
It’s a little overwhelming to peruse a case with hundreds of cheeses. How does one pick? How does one serve it, cook with it or pair it with wine or beer? Where to begin? Easy: One bite at a time. Forward Foods hosts cheese classes at its Oklahoma City store at 5123 N. Western. But […]
Posted inArts & Culture
No boys allowed
But thankfully, there’s a less stressful definition involving exercise beyond chasing our kids around the house. When it comes to fitness clubs designed with women in mind, you could say I get around. In my 17 years as a 405 resident, I’ve been a member at several. And like a good friend, they’re always there […]
Posted inArts & Culture
Summer school
“I think a lot of older people … finally realize that learning is fun,” said Gus Pekara, director of the OKC Downtown College. “When you’re going to college and you’re pursuing a degree, you have all these requirements to check off a list. But when you take it because you want to take it — […]