Oklahoma is going backwards

[mugatu]

Millions diverted from Oklahoma classrooms

Since 2018, per-student revenue in Oklahoma public schools has surged by 51 percent—yet academic outcomes have gone in the opposite direction. One…

ocpathink.org

 

[JTOSU]

Millions diverted from Oklahoma classrooms

Since 2018, per-student revenue in Oklahoma public schools has surged by 51 percent—yet academic outcomes have gone in the opposite direction. One…

ocpathink.org

My favorite local political topic:
The extremely high percentage of education funds consumed by administration. This has been a problem for over a decade and just continues to get worse. Unfortunately, our past couple of State Superintendents did and are doing nothing to address this problem.
We need to direct money away from administration and to teachers. There are some fairly easy moves to make this happen, but no one seems to care enough to make it happen.

 

[mugatu]

My favorite local political topic:
The extremely high percentage of education funds consumed by administration. This has been a problem for over a decade and just continues to get worse. Unfortunately, our past couple of State Superintendents did and are doing nothing to address this problem.
We need to direct money away from administration and to teachers. There are some fairly easy moves to make this happen, but no one seems to care enough to make it happen.

That's gotta be super frustrating.

One thing I found odd when I moved here and my son started going to school, school districts are by county so there's just one staff for each county. I would think that would keep admin costs significantly lower. I mean even Mayes county has 7 superintendents for an area with a total population of 40k.

 

[Fl_Poke]

That's gotta be super frustrating.

One thing I found odd when I moved here and my son started going to school, school districts are by county so there's just one staff for each county. I would think that would keep admin costs significantly lower. I mean even Mayes county has 7 superintendents for an area with a total population of 40k.

Oklahoma has 512 school districts for 4 5 million people. That there are around 512 superintendents. All making very good money.

Florida has 67 school districts for 22 million people.

Oklahoma also has 20 counties with less than 10,000 people. Merging them with other counties would also save a lot of cash.

 

[JTOSU]

Oklahoma has 512 school districts for 4 5 million people. That there are around 512 superintendents. All making very good money.

Florida has 67 school districts for 22 million people.

Oklahoma also has 20 counties with less than 10,000 people. Merging them with other counties would also save a lot of cash.

It’s not just the Superintendents. It’s the bloat within many of the districts of positions that are not teachers.
For example, multiple specific grade reading curriculum coordinators in the same district.

 

[mugatu]

It’s not just the Superintendents. It’s the bloat within many of the districts of positions that are not teachers.
For example, multiple specific grade reading curriculum coordinators in the same district.

Wouldnt it be  all the redundant admin across these small districts that could consolidate to larger areas or population groups.

 

[oks10]

It’s not just the Superintendents. It’s the bloat within many of the districts of positions that are not teachers.
For example, multiple specific grade reading curriculum coordinators in the same district.

Coming from a teacher spouse, our issue is kind of two fold. Even with the "51% increase" that OCPA article cited to try and make it sound like we're spending massive amounts on education, we're STILL one of - if not THE - lowest in our region in per pupil spending. So we're spending below average and then on top of that we do have administrative bloat that's grown over the years. I don't know the full ins and outs of my wife's district admin but I do know that over the years the people she reported to (she's a teacher but not a classroom teacher) has gone from 1 person to 1 person with 2 assistants while nothing has really changed about the job itself. I'm sure that's not an isolated situation.

We need more funds making it to the classroom but we also need more funds, period. Another important thing we need is a state superintendent that actually SUPPORTS public education instead of crapping on the teachers and schools he overseas any chance he gets while also supporting diverting public school funds away for private school vouchers. That is, when he's not preoccupied kissing the president's .

 

[CowboyJD]

Coming from a teacher spouse, our issue is kind of two fold. Even with the "51% increase" that OCPA article cited to try and make it sound like we're spending massive amounts on education, we're STILL one of - if not THE - lowest in our region in per pupil spending. So we're spending below average and then on top of that we do have administrative bloat that's grown over the years. I don't know the full ins and outs of my wife's district admin but I do know that over the years the people she reported to (she's a teacher but not a classroom teacher) has gone from 1 person to 1 person with 2 assistants while nothing has really changed about the job itself. I'm sure that's not an isolated situation.

We need more funds making it to the classroom but we also need more funds, period. Another important thing we need is a state superintendent that actually SUPPORTS public education instead of crapping on the teachers and schools he overseas any chance he gets while also supporting diverting public school funds away for private school vouchers. That is, when he's not preoccupied kissing the president's .