Giving Out Some Praise

    Normally several of us in the education community are pretty tough on our Representatives and our Senators here in Oklahoma.  We have not felt good about the path they have been leading us down. We have been blindly following the ALEC, Jeb Bush, FEE, and Rhee plan. Despite the lack of major success Florida has had we have copied many of their "reforms". We have instituted a faulty and invalid A-F. We have decided to punish 3rd graders for not passing a language arts test. We adopted Common Core before the standards were written and didn't give the people of this state a chance to comment or give input on the adoption of the standards. We have been caught up this crazy test, test, and more test hyperbole that has been going on for over 12 years. All this while taking the largest cuts to common education in the nation. Over $200 million worth of cuts. But alas, maybe some new light is starting to emerge.

   This legislative season has provided a glimmer of hope. Though we are still early in the process a number of common sense bills have made some headway with little opposition. HB 2642 would add $57.5 million dollars to the funding formula for schools over a ten year period. The funding formula is in serious need of some new money. This fund pays for everyday expenses which we have seen rise despite being behind 2009 dollars with more kids to teach. HB 2625 takes the 3rd Grade retention law and restores decisions to the local level where they belong and are not decided on one language arts bill. It keeps in place the extensive reading help that children need to read at an appropriate level. HB 2500 continues the ease of some accreditation standards that schools desperately need until funding is restored. HB 2492 makes it where cut scores can not be adjusted in the same year. Last year we saw adjustments made after kids took their tests. Once those cut score changes are made they will go into effect in the next school year. That is common sense, but some of that is lacking in certain positions within the state. Last night the House of Representatives passed HB 3399. This bill puts a delay on Common Core. It has a tough road to go, but it is at least a step.

  Obviously none of these bills are law yet, but as I stated it is a positive sign. Hopefully some common sense approaches and some financial support to common education are on their way. It sure would be a good sign for this state and its children. I would even say its future!!