Author: Chan Aaron

Is Oklahoma doing enough to help returning veterans?

Chan Aaron is an OK Policy intern. He is pursuing an environmental policy degree at The University of Tulsa. He is also a graduate of Oklahoma State University with a degree in philosophy and a veteran of the United States… Read more [More...]

Help Wanted: Where the skills gap and budget gap collide (News OK)

By Brianna Bailey As Oklahoma tries to shore up its educational standards and prepare more students for the workforce, it’s also trying to do it with less money. State appropriations for Oklahoma students have declined by 5.07 percent over the… Read more [More...]

Education Funding Issues (OETA)

Oklahoma’s economic forecast has state educators concerned about what impact declining revenue will have on common education. OU President David Boren says it is imperative that Oklahoma voters take action to insure education is properly funded by approving a one-cent… Read more [More...]

McKee to speak at Democrats’ lunch (Norman Transcript)

By Transcript Staff Kara Joy McKee will speak  Oct. 2 at the Cleveland County Democrats Tyner Cornbread and Beans Lunch at Catering Creations. McKee is an Oklahoma Policy Institute outreach specialist. She is a native of Norman and an OU… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma Policy Institute to hold first Policy Boot Camp in Edmond (The City Sentinel)

By Darla Shelden Oklahoma Policy Institute’s (OK Policy) first Fall Policy Boot Camp (FallPol) will be held on Saturday, October 3.  The event will be from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Oklahoma Christian University, Gaylord University Center East… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma News Report (OETA)

Since the Affordable Care Act took effect more Oklahomans have health insurance, but some analysts say the state should be doing even better. Some parents are opting out of childhood immunizations, but medical experts argue vaccines are both safe and… Read more [More...]

Poll shows strong support for reform of civil asset forfeiture system; hotline established (Tulsa World)

By Barbara Hoberock OKLAHOMA CITY — Nearly 70 percent of Oklahoma likely voters support legislation that would allow law enforcement to keep confiscated property only when there is a criminal conviction, according a poll released Thursday. The poll bolsters efforts… Read more [More...]

Superintendents’ pay at center of Oklahoma’s education funding debate (News OK)

By Darla Slipke Like many superintendents in Oklahoma’s smaller, rural school districts, Darci Brown wears many hats. Sometimes her job overseeing Taloga Public Schools in northwestern Oklahoma entails giving students a ride home from school, painting baseball dugouts or manning… Read more [More...]

Political Notebook: Oklahoma’s poverty level higher than national average (Tulsa World)

By Randy Krehbiel Hard work, low pay: Oklahoma’s poverty rate remained higher than the nation’s as a whole despite continuing low unemployment, the Oklahoma Policy Institute said last week. Citing new census data, OK Policy said 16.6 percent of Oklahomans… Read more [More...]

Oklahoma Department of Education: OKCPS has large number of inexperienced teachers (KFOR)

By Sheldra Brigham OKLAHOMA — A new study from the Oklahoma Department of Education is now revealing that the states’ largest district has some of the most inexperienced teachers. So they’re revealing a new plan to help both teachers and… Read more [More...]