Educational Investment Lacking

Educational Investment Lacking

As you can see in the chart above Oklahoma is severely underfunding education compared to its neighboring states. This probably isn’t anything most people haven’t heard. But when you realize that the states of Kansas, Arkansas, and New Mexico all have a smaller population you can’t just say it is state size. It’s simply a collective investment in our future. The future for our kids and grandkids. Our overall tax burden is 45th in the nation. No one likes them but we are by no means an overtaxed state.

The students of Purcell and the state of Oklahoma are going to be competing for scholarships and jobs against the students of these other states. All who have had a significant larger investment put in them. A student in neighboring Kansas will have $40,000 - $45,000 more spent on them than a student in Oklahoma. It is a major disservice to our students and our state's future.

Just in the last year alone, according to the National Center for Education Statistics annual report, Oklahoma has fallen another $100 Million dollars behind. Every year that our state fails to prioritize education we fall farther behind. Our state suffers, Our students suffer, and Purcell suffers.

Since 2008 Oklahoma Public Schools have been cut 26.9%, the steepest cuts in the nation, and over 12% more than 2nd worse state Alabama at 14.2%. It’s these cuts that have us contemplating 4 day weeks, laying off teachers, and the number of emergency certified teachers soaring. Hopefully in the near future our state can rebound and fully fund education again.

In 1991 after the landmark HB 1017 was put into place Oklahoma ranked 20th in the nation per pupil expenditures. Out ranking Texas, Missouri, Arkansas, and Kansas. We are now billions of dollars behind them.  Now some 25 years later we are last. Last in teachers pay. It’s time for a change. My hope is the upcoming elections and and legislative season change our future. Put us on a new course.

Don't Forget The Positives

  I started out my career in education as a teacher/coach. I coached many sports, but if I had a specialty it was basketball, and girls basketball more specific. I spent 7 years as a head coach and 8 years as an assistant coach. During my time I was fortunate enough to have some success. I have coached in three state tournaments, had the pleasure of coaching tons of great students, numerous all staters, several D-1 athletes, and even one play pro overseas for a few seasons.

  With all that success when I was coaching I never took much time dwelling or  really acknowledging the things my teams did well. I always felt it was my job to fix our weaknesses to make us better. To win more games, to be more successful. As I look back as an aging vet I think I was wrong! I should have taken more time with my players and students to acknowledge what we did well. I think we need to do that as a profession as well during this time.

  There is no doubt that in our state right now we have a lot we are focused on, to make our states education system better. We have a huge election coming up to get our teachers a much needed raise. We have the opportunity to get several pro education candidates elected to our state legislature. These are all very important. Not to mention running schools and educating kids on the least amount of funding we have ever had. Changing these are all very worthy endeavors.

  But I would challenge everyone to not forget the success. The things going right. We have a wonder state leader who truly advocates for education. We have new state standards that were written by talented Oklahoman's. It seems every day I see new material coming up to support them whether it is pacing guides or curriculum maps. We have a state department that listens. That holds town meetings. The OSSBA has created a  wonderful Go Open solution with their Digital Resources that is going to include resources for all grades. ACT test takers increase.  I can go on and on. At your districts you have success upon success that you could talk about as well. So while you're fighting the good fight, and by all means keep fighting, don't forget the successes. Don't forget all things going well. Just a lesson learned I would like to share.