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In The Know is a daily synopsis of Oklahoma policy-related news and blogs. Inclusion of a story does not necessarily mean endorsement by the Oklahoma Policy Institute. You can sign up here to receive In The Know by e-mail.
Today you should know that Gov. Mary Fallin’s spokesman Alex Weintz said comments he made earlier this week were misconstrued and Gov. Fallin will not threaten funding for schools based on opposition to the A-F grading system. Gov. Fallin’s Secretary of Education Robert Sommers and the Tulsa 2013 Teacher of the Year Kevin Pearson debated the A-F grades in competing Tulsa World editorials.
Tulsa Superintendent Keith Ballard complained that six Tulsa schools that made significant growth in student achievement this year saw their state grades decrease from a “D” to an “F.” Edmond school board members said funding for public education is not adequate, and district is facing expenditures higher than its revenues. Under a new contract, Oklahoma City teachers will receive an average pay increase of 2.09 percent or $828 per teacher.
An Oklahoma House committee held a hearing to air criticisms of Common Core Standards. Oklahoma’s higher education chancellor said state colleges and universities are on track to save $451.7 million in five years due to efficiency improvements. Oklahoma Watch discussed other ways Oklahomans can shop for insurance made available by the Affordable Care Act while the federal website is not working.
Due to a change in state law, Oklahomans can cast early voting ballots at county election board offices on Thursday and Friday this week; previously early voting days were Friday, Saturday and Monday. The Number of the Day is the percentage of Oklahoma K-12 students who are in low income families and eligible for free or reduced lunches, the 4th highest percentage in the nation. In today’s Policy Note, The New Republic gives four reasons why all policies should cover maternity care and other women’s health services—even if it makes those policies more expensive.
In The News
Fallin spokesman: No threat intended over opposition to A-F
Gov. Mary Fallin’s spokesman Alex Weintz said some have misconstrued comments he made earlier this week to the Tulsa World as a “threat” to educators to stop criticizing the A-F grading system. “Gov. Fallin has not and will not threaten (additional state) funding for schools based on opposition to the A-F grading system,” he said in a written statement released Tuesday. In a Tulsa World story published Sunday, Weintz said Fallin wanted to warn educators that continued criticism of the A-F school grading system could affect whether public schools get additional state funding for fiscal year 2015.
Read more from the Tulsa World.
See also: Robert Sommers: Schools matter in student performance from the Tulsa World; Kevin Pearson: Our children have been taken hostage from the Tulsa World
Ballard releases Tulsa district grades, says system is flawed
On Tuesday, Tulsa Public Schools released district grades on the state’s A-F School Report Cards. The grades are expected to be certified Wednesday in a special meeting of the Oklahoma State Board of Education. The district said it expects 36 schools to receive a letter grade of “F,” among them 27 elementary schools, eight middle schools and one high school. Dr. Ballard provided examples of six TPS schools that made significant progress, yet the school’s grade moved from a “D” to an “F.”
Edmond school board members complain about state funding
District leaders and members of the school board have a clear message for the state. Funding for public education is not adequate, they said during Monday’s meeting. Edmond School Board President Jamie Underwood also said she was not pleased with comments made over the weekend by Gov. Mary Fallin. The governor said additional funding for education could be in jeopardy if education supporters continue to criticize the state’s A-F grading system. The board approved the 2013-14 budget. Chief Financial Officer Lori Smith said projected revenue is $131.1 million. Expenditures for the district, with 23,037 students, would be $138.6 million.
Oklahoma City teachers to get pay raise
Teachers of all experience levels will get bigger paychecks soon, thanks to a new contract approved Monday night by the Oklahoma City Public Schools board. The total projected cost of the 2013-14 contract is $3,618,637. It will be paid for with money from the general fund. Highlights of the new contract include: An average increase in pay of 2.09 percent or $828 per teacher (about 20 percent of the district’s 2,753 teachers are in their first year of employment and are not eligible for the increase). The raise is effective immediately.
Okla. House hearing held on Common Core resistance
Oklahoma’s decision several years ago to approve a set of education standards known as Common Core drew bitter criticism on Tuesday from a group of parents, teachers and legislators who want to stop the new standards from going into effect next year. More than a dozen opponents of Common Core testified before the House Administrative Rules, Government Oversight and Repealer Committee, which is chaired by Rep. Gus Blackwell, a longtime critic of adopting the Common Core standards.
Read more from the Enid News & Eagle.
Officials say Oklahoma colleges, universities more efficient
Oklahoma’s higher education chancellor told a legislative panel Tuesday that the state’s 25 colleges and universities are on track to save $451.7 million in five years. Chancellor Glen Johnson said the state’s higher education institutions have made it a priority to reduce their operating costs through 2015 to meet legislative directives. He said the cost savings is the result of energy conservation, information technology, changes in salaries, benefits and some university positions, and a reduction in supplies. Johnson made the comments during a legislative study into the administrative costs of the state’s colleges and universities and its impact on students.
Read more from the Associated Press.
Stymied by Healthcare.gov? There are other ways to shop for Marketplace Health Plans
Looking for health insurance? Can’t get the Obamacare website to work? There are other ways to shop. You can go directly to insurance company websites, where you’ll find coverage details and premium costs of every policy each company is offering both on and off the federal health insurance marketplace. You also can contact an independent insurance agent, who can compare plans offered by several insurance companies and help you pick one that best fits your circumstances, at no cost to you. Neither option has received much attention in the initial rollout of the Affordable Care Act marketplace in Oklahoma and other states.
Read more from Oklahoma Watch.
Oklahoma early voting days shifting to Thursday
The days for early voting are changing in Oklahoma, thanks to a new state law. Beginning this week, voters can cast in-person absentee ballots at their county election board offices on Thursday and Friday before an election. Early voting on Saturdays will be held from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., but only for state and federal elections. Because next week’s election is a special election, not state or federal, there will be no early voting on Saturday. Previously, early voting days were Friday, Saturday and Monday. The new state law took effect last week.
Quote of the Day
Gov. Fallin, school superintendents and teachers are all on the same side: the side that argues that public education is important, that it can make a difference in the lives of our children, and that additional funding can improve our schools.
-Gov. Mary Fallin’s spokesman Alex Weintz (Source: http://bit.ly/1a7wMDW)
Number of the Day
61 percent
Percentage of Oklahoma K-12 students who are in low income families and eligible for free or reduced lunches, the 4th highest percentage in the nation.
Source: Southern Education Foundation analysis of NCES data
See previous Numbers of the Day here.
Policy Note
Obamacare makes men pay for maternity care. Good!
Stories of real-life Obamacare “rate shock” have revived an old debate. Previously, health insurers could charge women higher premiums than they charged men. Insurers could also exclude maternity benefits. Obamacare prohibits those practices and conservatives are angry. Why should men have to pay higher insurance prices for services they will never use directly? For the men unhappy about this change, are four reasons all policies should cover maternity care and other women’s health services—even if it makes those policies more expensive.
Read more from The New Republic.
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American Eagle Printable Coupons – This type
of coupon is one of the most popular ways to get massive discounts.
These coupons are likely to be $10 off of an $25 purchase.
There often lies a competition between Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but each day has its own specialty.